Nara

Japan's first capital city, home to the Great Buddha of Todai-ji, Kasuga Taisha and more than a thousand freely roaming deer in Nara Park, Nara is the Kansai region's classic day trip and a rewarding deeper dive into the ancient capital.

Nara is the capital of Nara Prefecture, set in the northern Nara Basin in Japan's Kansai region, about 30 km east of Osaka and about 40 km south of Kyoto. From 710 to 784 it was Heijo-kyo, the capital of Japan, during a period when Tang dynasty Chinese culture was flowing into the country in great volume. Eight sites (Todai-ji, Kofuku-ji, Kasuga Taisha, Toshodai-ji, Yakushi-ji, Gango-ji, the Heijo Palace Site and Kasugayama Primeval Forest) are inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site under the name “Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara,” while Horyu-ji in the town of Ikaruga is the oldest wooden building complex in the world. The area divides into three zones. First, the Nara Park area east of Kintetsu Nara Station, where Todai-ji, Kofuku-ji, Kasuga Taisha, the Nara National Museum, Mt. Wakakusa and over a thousand free-roaming deer are all within walking distance. This is the core of a day trip. Second, Naramachi, south of Kintetsu Nara Station, an old quarter of Edo- to Meiji-era machiya townhouses that is ideal for cafés and browsing for sundries. Third, the Heijo Palace Site, Toshodai-ji and Yakushi-ji on the west and southwest side of the city, plus Horyu-ji, which is about 20–30 minutes away by JR or Kintetsu train. Best seasons: late March to early April for cherry blossoms (Nara Park, Himuro Shrine, Saho River); May for fresh greenery and wisteria (Manyo Botanical Garden at Kasuga Taisha); late October to late November for autumn foliage. The Nara National Museum holds its Shosoin Exhibition every year from late October to early November. Summers are hot, humid and rainy, and the Wakakusa Yamayaki (mountain-burning) takes place on the fourth Saturday of January. Getting there: from Osaka-Namba, the Kintetsu Nara Line rapid express takes about 40 minutes to Kintetsu Nara Station; from Kyoto, the Kintetsu limited express takes about 35 minutes, or the JR Nara Line about 45–70 minutes. Kintetsu Nara Station is closer to Nara Park than JR Nara Station, and Kofuku-ji is a 5-minute walk from the exit. Getting around the city is mostly on foot; the loop bus (about ¥250 per ride) goes to Todai-ji and Kasuga Taisha. Suggested length of stay: 1 day for the highlights of the park; 2 days to add Horyu-ji, Naramachi and Nishinokyo. Tips: the deer will snatch food, so after buying shika-senbei (deer crackers, ¥200), feed them quickly and keep plastic bags and paper out of reach. Keep your distance from stags during the autumn rutting season and from does with fawns in spring. Most temples and shrines close around 5 p.m., so start early. Wear shoes that are easy to slip off where temples require you to remove them.

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