Nara Escape: Your Go-To Guide for a Few Days in Japan’s Historic City

two girls on mount wasakusa in nara as a deer walks past
sake barrels in nara japan
two girls surrounded by deer in Nara Park
Kinkoen sumi grip ink experience nara
street in nara japan
two girls walking on the street in nara japan
man with french horn calling deer in nara park
baby deer in nara park
giant buddha in Tōdai-ji Temple nara
Tōdai-ji Temple nara

Nara was our second stop on our Japan adventure, and we had heard so many wonderful things about this city before our visit! Easily accessible from Osaka or Kyoto (just a 30-40 minute train ride), we made our way from Tokyo, taking the Shinkansen bullet train for about three hours to Kyoto, followed by a quick 30-minute ride on the Kintetsu train to Nara.

Nara is famous for the free-roaming deer that you will spot all over the city (there are about 1300 deer total), but what we didn’t realize was how much culture and history there is there as well. What surprised us most was how much history was waiting to be explored. As Japan's first capital until the 8th century, Nara is rich in ancient landmarks and traditions. After the hustle and bustle of Tokyo, Nara felt like a quaint and relaxing escape.

We spent two full days immersing ourselves in this captivating city, though it’s absolutely feasible to visit Nara as a day trip if time is limited. Keep reading to discover our guide to the best things to do in Nara!


Where to Stay in Nara

During our trip we stayed at the famous Nara Hotel. The Nara Hotel is celebrated as one of the most historic hotels in Japan, having been open since 1909. Over the years, it has welcomed an impressive roster of guests, including Emperors, Empresses, US Presidents, royals, and celebrities. The main building, where the lobby, dining area, and some guest rooms are located, retains its original 1909 architecture, while a newer wing built in 1984 offers even more accommodation options.

We absolutely loved our stay here; it felt like stepping back in time. The ambiance truly immersed us in the essence of traditional Japanese culture, making our visit to Nara even more memorable.

You can find other accommodations in Nara here on Expedia!

Best Things to Do in Nara

Kinkoen sumi grip ink

Kinkoen Sumi Experience

two girls looking at Tōdai-ji Temple nara

Tōdai-ji Temple

two girls hugging on mount wasakusa nara

Mount Wasakusa

large deer statue outside of the Kasuga Taisha Shrine in Nara

Kasuga Taisha Shrine

  • Explore Mount Wakakusa - Is a beautiful mountain with stunning views of the city from the top. Here you will spot many wild deer as well. You can choose to hike to the top, or get a taxi/drive to the main lookout point. This was one of our favorite things we did in Nara so we recommend you don’t skip out on it!

  • Visit Tōdai-ji Temple - This Buddhist temple was originally built around 700 AD and is made completely of wood. To this day, it is still one of the largest wooden structures in the world. Inside you’ll find a giant Buddha (in the Great Buddha Hall) that is absolutely worth seeing. This temple was burned a few times over the years so a lot of it was rebuilt, but they tried to keep as much of the original structure and design as possible.

  • Check out Nara Park - This is where you can find most of the wild deer. They can be found all over the city just roaming, but at Nara Park is where you’ll run into a lot of them. You can also opt to feed them deer crackers, but we noticed the deers will start biting your hand if you do, so we chose not to. You can still get close to the deer without having deer crackers!

  • Visit Shin-yakushi-ji Temple - This Buddhist temple was constructed in 747 by an Empress. In this temple you were not allowed to take pictures or video, but it absolutely worth seeing. Inside the main hall you’ll find the Healing Buddha surrounded by the Twelve Divine Generals. They are carved from wood & clay and some of them still retain their original color!

  • Try a Sumi/Grip Ink Experience - Sumi is an ancient way of writing that has been around for 1400 years. There are only 9 sumi makers in all of Japan today, and 8 of them reside in Nara! At Kinkoen, you will get to make your own sumi to take home as a souvenir! This experience was so unique, and we loved getting to learn about the history of sumi as well.

  • Visit Kasuga Taisha Shrine - This is a Shinto shrine in Nara that was established at the same time Nara was Japan’s capital. This shrine is responsible for the protection of the city. This shrine is famous for the large stone deer outside, and the lanterns that surround it that have been donated by worshippers.

  • Explore the Kohfukuji Temple - This is one of Japan’s oldest and most famous Buddhist temples and has been around for 1300 years. There are many buildings on the temple grounds, including the National Treasure Hall, and the Golden halls that house golden Buddhas.



If you want to explore Nara tours or activities for your trip, we recommend looking on Expedia!



Where to Eat & Drink in Nara

Nakagawa Masashichi lunch nara japan

Nakagawa Masashichi

Masuo candy nara

Masuo

Housekibako shave ice nara

Housekibako

sarutahiko coffee nara

Sarutahiko Coffee

  • Tsuruyoshi (traditional Japanese cuisine)

  • Nakagawa Masashichi

  • Masuo

  • Housekibako

  • Sarutahiko Coffee

  • Totingo Sushi Go Round

  • Onwa

  • Nakatanidou

  • Vegan Cafe Ramuna

  • Kinatei

If you want to see our Nara escape for yourselves, you should check out our Nara YouTube vlog below!

Thank you to Visit Nara for hosting us on this trip! As always, all opinions are honest and our own. Some links on this post are affiliate links of which we receive a small commission, but the price is the same for you.

Shanna Sciaranara, japan, asiaComment