Nara
奈良市34°41′ N 135°48′ ECityPop. 352,377Kansai
Nara suits a day away from Osaka or Kyoto among the oldest temples in Japan, and its trade-off is a compact centre that fills with tour groups by late morning.
Photo Chainwit · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 and others, credited in the gallery
Who should base here
Stay a night if you want Todai-ji at opening time; otherwise Nara works as a day trip from Osaka or Kyoto.
Eat in Nara
Things to do in Nara
Nara was the capital in the 8th century, and its great temples still stand on the slope east of the modern town. Todai-ji's Great Buddha Hall opens at 7:30 from April to October and at 8:00 from November to March, so an early train beats most of the crowd.
Try kakinoha-zushi while you are here. Hiraso, a maker founded in 1861 in Yoshino in the south of the prefecture, runs a shop and restaurant in Imamikado-cho in Nara city.
Quick answers about Naraよくある質問
Is Nara a good place to stay?
Stay a night if you want Todai-ji at opening time; otherwise Nara works as a day trip from Osaka or Kyoto.
Within 12 km
Places to eat and drink nearby食
Within 12 km