Recommended Routes

Tour of Nara Park and surrounding shrines and temples where deer play in herds (Nara City, Nara Prefecture)

Nara Park is some 502 ha in area.
In parts of it are found National Treasures and World Heritages such as Kokubun-ji Temple and Todai-ji Temple built in 741 by Prince Shotoku, and Kasuga-taisha Shrine built in 768 by Fujiwara no Fuhito.

Video

Rekishi Kaido (Historical Road) [Going to Nara] Time Travel in Eternity

Access

How to get there - by train
From Osaka
Take the Kintetsu Nara Line (Limited Express Service) from Namba Station to Kintetsu Nara Station … Approx. 32 min.
Take the Subway Chuo Line from Honmachi Station to Ikoma Station … Approx. 30 min. Change to the Kintetsu Nara Line (Limited Express Service) and get off at Kintetsu Nara Station … Approx. 12 min.
Take the JR Yamatoji Lines (Direct Service) from Osaka Station to JR Nara Station … Approx. 48 min.

How to get there - by car
Take the limousine bus from Kansai International Airport to JR Nara Station … Approx. 95 min.

Route

  1. JR Nara Station/Kintetsu Nara Stationon foot
  2. Sarusawanoike pondon foot
  3. Kofuku-ji Templeon foot
  4. Nara National Museumon foot
  5. Todaiji Temple(World Heritage)on foot
  6. Kasuga-taisha Shrineby bus
  7. JR Nara Station/Kintetsu Nara Station

Highlights

  • Sarusawanoike pond

    There is scenery that was projected on the five-storied pagoda in Kofukuji temple. It is one of the representative sights in Nara.
    5 minutes walk from Nara station, Kintetsu line.

  • Kofuku-ji Temple

    Kofuku-ji Temple is the headquarters of the Hosso Sect of Buddhism.

  • Nara National Museum

    No other museum in Japan can rival the Nara National Museum in terms of the quality and quantity of Buddhist art it has.

  • Todaiji Temple(World Heritage)

    Todaiji Temple was constructed by the request of the emperor Shomu in the middle of the 8th century. It is called “tenkasoukokubunji”. Nandaimon, 25m high, is the biggest gate in Japan. The Main image is called a Daibutsu (statue of buddha). It is popular among every Japanese.
    Admission fee: 800yen
    20 minutes walk from (Nara station/Kintetsu line)

  • Kasuga-taisha Shrine

    Kasuga Taisha Shrine is the shrine that Fujiwara Fuhito constructed in the beginning of the 8th century. See the garden lanterns are donated. There are nearly 3,000 sets.
    Mantoro festival is held in the beginning of February and the middle of August. They light the lanterns.