Nara

Giant Buddha, tame deer and ancient temples

Nara was Japan's capital in the 8th century and its temples are among the oldest in the country. Todai-ji has the world's largest bronze Buddha and Kofuku-ji has a five-story pagoda. Kasuga Taisha, founded in 768, has about 3,000 donated lanterns. Together with Kasugayama Primeval Forest they form the UNESCO site Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara. Most sights are in or around Nara Park, where deer wander freely among the visitors. The town is small enough to walk. Kyoto and Osaka are close by train, so a day trip or an overnight stay both work.

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Safety: 8.6

General Safety:	9
Health & medical:	8
Accessibility:	7
Tap water:	9

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3/5

Many tourist spots have English signage and staff at major attractions and hotels usually speak English. However, in smaller shops and restaurants, English may be limited.

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Last update: 20 Oct 2026

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Nara Summary

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World-class for temples and cultural heritage. Visit historic shrines, see freely roaming deer in Nara Park and explore traditional gardens and museums.

Place score

8.4

Best at:

Historic sites

Religious sites

Architecture

Walkable

Spotless

Personal score

Suited for

👶 8

Families

🧓 7

Seniors

🛡️ 9

Travel Beginners

👩 8

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Japan – Quick facts

Guide Etiquette Holidays Other

Power Grid:	100 V, 50 Hz Plug: Type A Type A: Read about power adapters
Currency:	Japanese Yen (JPY) £1 ≈ JP¥210
Cashless info:	Rating 4/5 Cashless payments are becoming more common, especially in cities, with some shops still preferring cash. Be prepared for occasional cash-only situations in rural areas. Save with a travel credit card
eSIM providers:	Best value: Saily Flexibility: Airalo Read our in-depth comparison

Tipping:	Tipping is not customary in Japan and can be considered rude. Excellent service is the norm, and tipping is unnecessary in most places.
Public drinking:	Public drinking is legal and commonly accepted, particularly during festivals and events.
Public smoking:	Smoking is prohibited in indoor public places but allowed in designated outdoor areas. Some restaurants may have smoking sections.

New Year (January)	One of the most important holidays, expect crowded temples and high prices. Plan ahead.
Golden Week (April-May)	The busiest travel time, expect high demand for accommodation and transport.
Obon (August)	A time to honour ancestors, many businesses close, and transport can be crowded.

Emergency contact:	Emergency Number: 110 (Police), 119 (Fire & Ambulance)
Taxi apps:	Uber, JapanTaxi, DiDi
Other:	Japan is a country of respect, so understanding local customs and etiquette is important. Public transport is efficient, but can be crowded during peak hours.

Best times to travel

The best times to travel section shows how the months compare for a visit, so you can find the time of year that fits what you want to do.

Background colours of the months:
The colour shows the typical temperature: yellow (hot), green (mild) and blue (cold). How strong the colour is shows the travel season: full colour means high season, soft colour means shoulder season and soft-striped means off season.

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Crowdedness:
The people icon shows how busy the place usually is. The more people, the more crowded it gets.

Additional notes:
The grey info boxes point out special things worth knowing, like recurring weather issues or seasonal events.

for Nara, Japan

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Mar

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Apr

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May

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Jun

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Jul

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Aug

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Oct

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High season:	April - May, Oct. - Nov.
Shoulder season:	March, Sep.
Crowdedness:	8 (Very crowded)

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Climate details

Shika (deer) in Nara Park are tame and active year-round; fawns are born May to July and mothers become protective

Shuni-e (Omizutori) fire ritual at Todai-ji runs 1 to 14 March, torch displays each evening

Nara Tokae lantern festival, early August to mid August, lights up Nara Park nightly

Don't miss

🦌 Feed and photograph friendly deer in Nara Park
🏯 Visit Todaiji Temple and see the Great Buddha
🏮 Explore historic Kasuga Taisha Shrine lantern pathways
🍃 Relax in the tranquil Isuien Garden
🖼️ Tour the Nara National Museum’s Buddhist art collection
🌅 Wander around Sarusawa Pond and five-storey pagoda reflections

You've been here?

Why travel to Nara?

Todai-ji has a huge bronze Vairocana Buddha inside the Great Buddha Hall. Kasuga Taisha is further into the park among old forest and is known for its thousands of donated lanterns. Kofuku-ji and the Nara National Museum are close to the park entrance. The temples and shrines here were built when Nara was the capital and several are part of a UNESCO World Heritage listing. The deer are a big part of a visit. Nara Park and the streets around it have more than a thousand of them. They're protected as natural monuments. Visitors can buy special crackers called shika senbei to feed them. The deer often bow when they want one. Naramachi, the old merchant quarter south of the park, has traditional townhouses with small shops and cafes. Nara is smaller and slower than Kyoto or Osaka and has more open green space between its sights. A day covers Todai-ji, Kasuga Taisha and the park at an easy pace. An overnight stay gives room for Kofuku-ji and Naramachi and lets you see the park in the quiet hours of early morning and evening.

🏯Places worth seeing

1 Nara National Museum
2 Kasuga-taisha
3 Nijō Castle
4 Naramachi
5 horyu-ji temple
6 Todai-ji Temple

🎡Places for activities

1 Eifukuji Temple

🏞️Natural landmarks

1 Isui Garden
2 Yoshiki Garden
3 Nara Park
4 Mount Semboko
5 Manyo Botanical Garden

🛍️Shopping

1 Higashimuki Shopping Street
2 Sanjo Street

🍽️Eat & Drink

1 Kakinoha-zushi Hiraso Nara Main Store
Hiraso serves kakinoha-zushi, pressed sushi with salted mackerel, salmon or other fish wrapped in persimmon leaves, alongside chagayu tea porridge and local dishes. It is at 30-1 Imamikadocho, near Sarusawa Pond and roughly 10 minutes on foot from Kintetsu Nara Station.
2 Kakinohazushi Tanaka Nara Store
Tanaka sells boxed kakinoha-zushi and offers a small tea room for enjoying persimmon-leaf sushi, local sweets and persimmon-leaf tea. It is at 29 Higashimuki Nakamachi, in the shopping arcade close to Kintetsu Nara Station.
3 Edogawa Naramachi
Edogawa serves grilled eel, kamameshi rice dishes and seasonal Japanese meals in a restored traditional townhouse. It is in Naramachi, a short walk south of Sarusawa Pond and Kofuku-ji Temple.
4 Kama-meshi Shizuka Koen-ten
Shizuka specialises in kamameshi, rice cooked to order in individual iron pots with toppings such as chicken, crab, seafood and mountain vegetables. It is at 59-11 Noborioji-cho beside Nara Park, near Kofuku-ji and Nara National Museum.
5 Mellow Cafe
Kanakana is a relaxed Naramachi café serving Japanese-style set meals, cakes and drinks in a renovated machiya townhouse. It is at 13 Kiminami-cho, close to the Naramachi district and Sarusawa Pond.
6 Nakatanidou
Nakatanidou is famous for freshly pounded yomogi mochi filled with sweet red-bean paste, prepared through energetic public mochi-pounding demonstrations. It is at 29 Hashimotocho, on Sanjo-dori between Kintetsu Nara Station and Nara Park.
7 Mahoroba Daibutsu Pudding Honpo
Mahoroba Daibutsu Pudding Honpo sells smooth custard puddings in large jars, with flavours such as custard, chocolate, sweet potato and local tea. Its Nara Park shop is in the Naramachi area near the historic centre.
8 Maguro Koya
Maguro Koya serves tuna-focused rice bowls, sashimi and simple seafood meals, making a casual alternative to traditional Nara cuisine. It is in the Mochiidono shopping arcade, near Kintetsu Nara Station and Sarusawa Pond.
9 Yamato-an
Yamato-an serves local Nara ingredients in approachable Japanese dishes, including Yamato vegetables, Yamato pork and regional sake. It is in central Nara near Kintetsu Nara Station and the main route to Nara Park.
10 Tsukigase
Tsukigase is a traditional tea house serving matcha, seasonal wagashi sweets and kakigori shaved ice in a quiet garden setting. It is near Nara Park and the approach to Kasuga Taisha Shrine.

🎈Events

Wakakusa Yamayaki (Grass Burning Festival)
Nara Tōka-e (Lantern Festival)
Kasuga Taisha Setsubun Mantoro
Nara Marathon
Nara Candle Festival
Shuni-e (Omizutori) at Tōdai-ji
Cherry Blossom Festival
Aoba Festival
Tanabata Festival
Autumn Leaf Viewing

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Knowledge before you go

Feed deer only the crackers sold in the park.
Todai-ji's Great Buddha Hall opens early in the morning, so go first thing for fewer crowds.
The donated lanterns at Kasuga Taisha are lit during its Mantoro festivals in February and August.
JR Nara and Kintetsu Nara stations are about 1 km apart. Kintetsu Nara is the closer one to Nara Park.

How to travel to Nara

Nara has no Shinkansen station, so most visitors arrive by train from Kyoto or Osaka. From Kyoto, Kintetsu Limited Express trains reach Kintetsu Nara in about 30 minutes for an extra fee. JR's Miyakoji Rapid takes about 45 to 50 minutes. From Osaka, Kintetsu Rapid Express trains take about 40 minutes from Namba. JR Yamatoji Rapid trains take about 35 minutes from Tennoji and 55 from Osaka Station. Kobe has some direct Kintetsu trains that take about 75 to 80 minutes. From Tokyo, take the Tokaido Shinkansen to Kyoto, which takes a little over two hours on a Nozomi before you change trains. Kansai Airport (KIX) is about 1 hour 15 minutes away by JR Haruka and Yamatoji Rapid trains or by a direct limousine bus. Itami Airport (ITM) has airport buses too. By car, Nara is reachable by expressway from Osaka and Kyoto, but trains are quicker and the sights are close to the stations.

Access summary

From Kansai Airport (KIX): JR/Nankai + JR lines, usually about 1.5 hours.
From Osaka: JR Yamatoji or Kintetsu trains to Nara, typically 45–60 minutes.
From Kyoto: JR Nara Line or Kintetsu, generally around 45–70 minutes.

Check your route from anywhere

Where to stay in Nara

Most visitors stay around the two main stations, where business hotels are near the trains and a short walk from Nara Park. Nara has a smaller choice of hotels than Kyoto or Osaka. Closer to the park you'll find a few larger hotels and ryokan. Naramachi has guesthouses and small inns in traditional wooden townhouses. Staying overnight means seeing the park early in the morning and in the evening when it's quieter, with time left for Kofuku-ji and Naramachi. From Kyoto or Osaka the trip takes 30 to 55 minutes, so you can also stay there and visit Nara for the day. Rooms fill up during the spring blossom and autumn foliage seasons, so book early at those times.

Hotel recommendations

*by rating and popularity. Commissions have no influence on the rankings.

Onyado Nono Nara Natural Hot Springs

9.3

Hotel Nikko Nara

8.6

IROHA GRAND HOTEL Kintetsu-Nara

9.2

Piazza Hotel Nara

9.0

Daiwa Roynet Hotel Nara Natural Hot Spring

SUPER HOTEL Premier JR Nara Station

9.1

Nara Hotel

8.9

APA Hotel Kintetsu Nara Ekimae

8.6

Explore more accommodations

How to get around Nara

Most of Nara's main sights are close together and most visitors walk. Nara Park is a short way east of Kintetsu Nara Station and Naramachi is south of the park.

Walking:
Todai-ji is roughly 20 minutes on foot with Kofuku-ji and the National Museum along the way. Kasuga Taisha is further on along forest paths and Naramachi is also walkable.

Buses:
The city buses run by Nara Kotsu include routes that link JR Nara Station and Kintetsu Nara Station with Todai-ji and Kasuga Taisha. Buses are handy for tired legs or hot days.

Bikes, taxis and car:
Hire bicycles are available around the stations and suit the flat roads between the temples. Taxis wait at both stations. You don't need a car in Nara, since the sights are close together and trains cover the trips to Kyoto and Osaka.

Food in Nara

Nara's food is traditional and often tied to its temples and the countryside around the city. Miwa somen noodles come from nearby Sakurai and are served hot or cold. Restaurants and cafes are around Naramachi and the streets between the two stations. Some close in the early evening, so plan dinner earlier than you would in Osaka.

Kakinoha zushi:
Kakinoha zushi is salt-cured mackerel pressed onto rice and wrapped in a persimmon leaf, an Edo-period dish traditionally eaten on festival days.

Narazuke:
Narazuke is vegetables pickled in sake lees, a method said to go back to Buddhist priests around the 8th century.

Chagayu and kuzumochi:
Chagayu is rice porridge cooked in roasted green tea, which began as food for the monks of Todai-ji. Kuzumochi is a chewy summer dessert of kudzu starch served with brown sugar syrup and roasted soybean flour.

Budget snapshot

Costs compared to home

We calculate the average costs when travelling to destinations and compare those with the living costs at your home. With this you can get an estimate of how expensive or cheap the destination is for you.

To customise this, you can set up which location and price level are used for the calculations in your account settings.

-47 %

Daily expenses in Nara are around 47% lower than the average across United States. That means you'll spend a lot less on meals and getting around.

Exchange rate trend

The exchange rate price factor shows how expensive or cheap a currency currently is compared to its historical average. It's a quick way to see if a country is currently more or less affordable due to exchange rate changes.

-20 %

Your exchange rate (GBP to JPY) is 20% better than in recent years. That means travelling now is considerably cheaper compared to the past.

Travel costs

To help you plan your trip, we provide estimated daily costs per person (when travelling as a pair) for different travel styles. These numbers give you an idea of what you might spend each day at this destination, including accommodation, food, transport and activities.

Additionally, we also provide average hotel costs for different travel styles to give you an estimate for the accommodation only.

Please note that these are only estimates. The real costs depend on booking times, season and other factors.

Daily cost summary

Travel style categories explained:

Backpacker:
Staying in hostels or budget hotels, cooking your own meals or eating cheap and choosing low-cost activities.

Mid-range:
Staying in mid-range hotels, eating at a mix of restaurants and casual spots and enjoying a variety of activities.

Luxury:
Staying in luxury hotels, dining out at high-end restaurants and enjoying premium experiences without worrying about the price.

	Backpacker	Mid-range	Luxury
💵 Total costs per day, including accommodation	£54	£80	£186
🏨 Accommodation per night, per person	£32	£41	£57
🍝 Food per day	£16	£32	£100
🚕 Transportation per day	£6	£7	£29

Food & Drink

🍽️ Restaurant Dinner, per person	£12
🍛 Lunch Set, per person	£4.80
🍟 Fast food combo	£3.70
🍝 Preparing your own food, per day	£6
☕ Cappuccino	£1.90
🍺 Beer in a restaurant, 0.5 l	£2.50

Transportation

🚌 Public transport ticket	£1.40
🚕 Taxi Ride, 10 km / 6 mi	£17
⛽ Petrol, 1 l	£0.85

Other

🎞️ Cinema ticket	£9.50
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's consult	£21
🤧 Cold medication	£7
💇 Basic haircut	£12.50

Safety information overview

General safety

Nara is very safe, with low crime and calm streets, even after dark around the stations and Naramachi. The deer are the main hazard. They can bite or butt, especially stags in the autumn rut and mothers with fawns in spring and early summer.

Health & Medical

Nara has hospitals, clinics and pharmacies in the city. English-speaking care is more limited than in Osaka or Kyoto, which are 30 to 60 minutes away by train. Summers are hot and humid, so heat is the main health issue.

Accessibility

Central Nara and Nara Park are mostly flat, with wide paths between the main temples. Distances are the challenge, since Todai-ji is about 20 minutes on foot from Kintetsu Nara Station and the forest paths to Kasuga Taisha are gravel with some steps. Buses help.

Tap water

Tap water in Nara is safe to drink, as in the rest of Japan. Vending machines and convenience stores near the stations and around Nara Park sell bottled water and tea. Carry a bottle on hot days since the walks between sights are long.