I didn’t expect Nara to live up to the hype. The deer park and Todai-ji have made themselves prevalent throughout Instagram and social media but do the deers really bow? (short answer yes)
Only a 45-minute to an hour train ride from either Osaka or Japan, Nara is easily the most unique and memorable city we visited, its rich with history, culture, and extremely easy to navigate as a traveler.
Many of the shines in the more popular cities like Tokyo and Osaka have been destroyed and then rebuilt from past wars, some as recent as World War Two but just about everything from Nara has been kept intact since the original construction.
A Brief History of Nara
(You know I had to)
Located in the Kansai region of Japan, Nara has played a huge part in the influence of Buddhism in Japan. It was established as Japan’s capital in 710 AD, during the Nara Period (obviously) (710-794), making it the first permanent capital of Japan. During its time as the capital, Nara flourished as a cultural and political center. The city was meticulously planned, featuring wide and grand avenues much like the Chinese Tang dynasty capital, Chang’an.
Some of the more notable moments of Nara’s history include the construction of numerous temples and shrines.
The most famous among them is the Tōdai-ji Temple, which houses the Daibutsu (Great Buddha), one of the largest bronze statues of Buddha in the world. The site dates back to the 8th Century but was burnt down in war twice. The structure that stands is a partial restoration from the 1700’s
Nara is also home to the Kasuga Taisha Shrine, known for its thousands of lanterns that illuminate the paths leading to the shrine. This shrine was originally built in the 700’s and rebuilt, to purify in shinto beliefs, every 20 years until the Edo period.
And of course, Nara Deer park alone brings in thousands of visitors from all over the world.
How to get to Nara
From Osaka:
The Yamatoji rapid trains run every hour between Osaka and Nara from JR Osaka Station.
The one-way trip takes 45 minutes and is covered by the JR Pass (800 yen without one).
You can also try the limited-express train from Osaka-Namba Station (Kintetsu Railways). It only takes 30 minutes and costs 1070 yen. The JR Pass however is not valid on Kintetsu Railways.
From Kyoto:
Your first option is The Kintetsu line which is the fastest way and is only 35 minutes from Kyoto Station.
A one-way ticket costs 1,110 yen and it isn’t covered by the JR Pass.
Or you can take the JR Nara line. This route takes 45 minutes by express train or 70 minutes if you catch a local train from Kyoto Station.
It’s covered by the JR Pass but the price is 690 yen if you didn’t opt for one
This is the best way to get from Kyoto to Nara if you already invested in the Japan Rail Pass.
What to do
Nara is a super straightforward city to visit. At the train station, they have a bunch of visitor resources and maps of all of the sights to see. All of the major sites and shrines are walkable from the station as well. There are also lots of hop on-hop off bus tours offered straight from the train station.
Straight off the train you can follow the main busy street down to the sight Kofukuji Temple.
Kōfuku-ji is renowned for its Five-story Pagoda, which stands as one of the tallest wooden pagodas in Japan. The temple complex holds various halls and structures, including the Central Golden Hall, which houses Buddhist sculptures and artwork. This space is huge but, honestly a quick walkthrough as some of the hall are usually being used for local events or are being restored.
Then walk through Nara park and feed the bowing deer. These Sika deer have roamed the park for centuries and are protected as national treasures. It’s believed that centuries ago monks fed the deer and bowed to them and since then the deer have continued to bow back after being fed.
You can buy “deer cookies” for about 200 yen from local vendors throughout the park. Be careful because these deer although super cute and friendly will bite you if you don’t feed them fast enough. They will chase you.
Next visit Todaiji temple. To enter you must Buy a ticket that costs 800 yen. Tōdai-ji is also known as the Daibutsu-den, or Great Buddha Hall.
This massive wooden structure houses the Great Buddha statue, which is one of the largest bronze statues of Buddha in the world. The statue stands at approximately 15 meters (49 feet) in height.The complex that holds this statue is enormous and is surrounded by gardens and other buildings. Todai-ji is considered one of the temples that truly began the incorporation of Buddhism in Japan and is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Finally, check out the Kasuga Grand Shrine. What makes the Kasuga Taisha Shrine unique is its walkway, known as the Kasuga Grand Shrine Path.This pathway is lined with thousands of stone lanterns that have been donated by worshipers over the centuries. These lanterns are lit twice a year during the Setsubun Mantoro and Chugen Mantoro festivals, creating a magical atmosphere that attracts numerous visitors every year.
I’ll see you
