If you find yourself in Kyoto or Osaka on your trip to Japan, a day trip to Nara is a must. Located a short train ride from both cities, Nara offers a unique experience.
Nara is famous for its hundreds of deer that roam freely in a large city park, its beautiful Japanese Zen gardens, and its ancient shrines that date back to the times when Nara was Japan's first capital. With eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the city is a treasure trove of historical and natural wonders.
On this day we will explore the treasures of Nara, immersing ourselves in the serenity of its gardens, discovering the architectural wonders and interacting with the friendly deer that make this city unique in the world. This one-day itinerary will help you plan the perfect trip. Get ready to live an unforgettable experience in a place where the past meets the present in a harmonious embrace.
How to get
From Kyoto
Two train companies, JR and Kintetsu, offer train connections between Kyoto and Nara:
With Japan Railways (JR)
Miyakoji Rapid Trains operate every 30 minutes between Kyoto Station and JR Nara Station. The one-way trip takes 45 minutes, costs 720 yen and is covered by the Japan Rail Pass. For the same fare, the journey can also be made by local trains which depart twice an hour and take 75 minutes.
With Kintetsu Railway
Limited Express trains depart twice an hour, taking about 35 minutes and costing 1280 yen for a one-way trip from Kyoto Station to Nara Kintetsu Station. Alternatively, there are direct Express trains that leave every hour, take 45 minutes and cost 760 yen for a one-way trip. The Japan Rail Pass is not valid on Kintetsu trains.
From Osaka
Also from Osaka there are two train companies, JR and Kintetsu, which offer connections:
With Japan Railways (JR)
Rapid Yamatoji lines operate hourly between Osaka (JR Osaka Station) and Nara (JR Nara Station). The one-way trip takes 45 minutes, costs 820 yen and is covered by the Japan Rail Pass. Trains also stop at Osaka Tennoji Station (30 minutes, 510 yen one way).
With Kintetsu Railway
Limited Express trains take about 30 minutes one-way from Osaka-Namba Station to Kintetsu Nara Station and cost between 1200 and 1300 yen. With Express trains, the journey takes only a few minutes longer, but costs only 680 yen. Trains also stop at Tsuruhashi Station on the JR Osaka Loop Line. The Japan Rail Pass is not valid on Kintetsu trains.
If you have doubts about whether or not to buy the JRP, read ours Practical Travel Tips for Japan.
Detailed itinerary
09:30 – Arrival in Nara
Start your day by arriving in the beautiful city of Nara. Whether you are traveling from Kyoto, Osaka or another city, the advice is to arrive before 10am. Since this is a day trip, it is important to have enough time to see everything.
Nara has two main train stations. JR Nara Station and Kintetsu-Nara Station. If you arrive at JR Nara Station, you can start your day by visiting the Tourist Information Center, located right outside the station, where you can pick up a free brochure with information about the deer park, shrines and temples. Kintetsu-Nara Station is a little closer to the places we'll explore today, and if you don't have a Japan Rail Pass, it's usually cheaper to take a train to this station.
10:00 Kofukuji Temple
Once out of the station, head towards the Kofukuji Temple, one of eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites located in Nara. It is also famous because it houses the second tallest pagoda in Japan.
Its main areas are free to enter, while there are three in particular that require the payment of an entrance fee: we are talking about the Golden Central Hall, the Eastern Golden Hall and the Kofukuji's National Treasure Museum. The original Central Golden Hall of Kofuku-ji Temple was destroyed by fire nearly 300 years ago. It was rebuilt to its original size and opened to the public in October 2018. Inside, there is the Yakushi Buddha. Moving towards the side, you will find the Southern Octagonal Rooms, buildings that date back over a thousand years.
We admired the structure from the outside without paying an entrance fee, because the beauty of this place is precisely the natural context of the park and the architecture of the imposing central pagoda. Furthermore, a complete visit would take a lot of time, which you won't have with just one day in Nara!
11.45am – Lunch
Nara is always invaded by tourists and even the places to eat are overrun. We advise you to go early so that there are human queues to eat.
12.30pm – Isuien Garden and Yoshikien Garden
After lunch head to Yoshikien Garden. Isuien Garden and Yoshikien Garden are the two iconic Japanese gardens that cannot fail to be mentioned in an itinerary in the city.
The Isuien Garden, whose name means “water garden,” is notable for its combination of two distinct areas: the front garden, dating back to the 17th century, and the rear garden, created in 1899. Here, visitors can stroll through elegant tea houses and admire a series of meticulously landscaped landscapes, where every detail is designed to encourage meditation and relaxation.
A few minutes away is the Yoshikien Garden, another hidden gem that, despite its beauty and tranquility, is less crowded. The Yoshikien consists of three gardens: a moss garden, a pond garden, and a flower garden for the tea ceremony.
With their serene atmosphere, both gardens are an unmissable stop for anyone wishing to immerse themselves in the tradition and beauty of Japanese gardens during a visit to Nara.
2.00pm – Todai-ji Temple
Behind the gardens is the Todai-Ji temple, also listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, recognized as the largest wooden structure in the world.
The first building you come across is the Nigatsudo Hall, a beautiful wooden structure that offers a perfect panoramic view of the city from its raised terrace.
From one side of the Nigatsudo Hall starts a stone path that leads with a short, very scenic walk to the heart of the temple, the Daibutsu-den Hall of Todai-ji (entrance fee 600 yen). Inside there is a 14 meter tall bronze Great Buddha, the largest bronze Buddha statue in Japan.
3.30pm – Nara Park
Proceed on foot towards Nara Park. Founded in 1880, this enormous green area is home to many of Nara's top attractions, including Todaiji Temple, Kasuga Taisha Shrine, and the Nara National Museum.
This free-entry park is also famous because the population of deer sacred to the city is concentrated here: over 1,200 sika deer roam freely in the park. They are wild animals, but have become accustomed to visitors. They pose for photos, ask for crackers and have even learned to bow to visitors. Bowing in Japanese culture is a form of showing respect, and deer will actually reciprocate the gesture. Be very careful though because they become quite aggressive when they spot food, so don't wave too many crackers (their favorite food, which you can buy at a stall in the park) or you risk an attack! I have seen some of the most hilarious scenes at the expense of unwary tourists!
4pm – Kasuga Thaisha
From the main entrance of Nara Park, head along a marked forest path towards the Shinto shrine Kasuga Taisha, one of the most enchanting places in the city, made so special by a dense network of lanterns, paths between the trees of the forest and the imposing structure in the typical sparkling red that is its heart.
Kasuga Taisha is famous for its 3,000 stone lanterns that line the path to the entrance. They are also known as “bull”. This shrine is another of Nara's eight UNESCO sites. It was built in 768 and rebuilt every 20 years until 1863, in accordance with the Shinto concept of purity.
5.00pm – Return
On your way back to the station, explore Naramachi (Nara's neighborhood) before leaving. Stop by Higashimuki Shopping Street for some souvenir shopping! The whole avenue is covered, so it's a good place to visit at any time. Just make sure you're here before 6pm, as most shops in Nara close early.
Now that the article is finished, and that perhaps not everyone has read to the end, we can safely admit it. We were the tourists attacked, bitten and headbutted by deer. We literally burst out laughing and wasted at least an hour playing with the deer. Sometimes you feel like a child again, in our case it often happens. I think it was one of the best experiences of our lives!
Last Updated on 1 September 2024