NaraTravel Guide

Home to the Great Buddha, one of the largest bronze Buddha statues in the world, housed in what was once the largest wooden building on Earth.

A large park where over a thousand wild but tame deer roam freely and are considered sacred messengers of the gods — visitors can buy special crackers to feed them.

A Shinto shrine famous for its thousands of bronze and stone lanterns lining the approach path, lit twice a year during special lantern festivals.

A landscaped Japanese garden using "borrowed scenery" to incorporate Todai-ji's roofline into its own composition — one of Nara's finest strolling gardens.

A temple complex with a five-story pagoda, the second tallest in Japan — its National Treasure Museum holds important Buddhist statuary.

A grassy hill behind Nara Park, burned annually in a dramatic January fire festival — climbable year-round for views over the city and park.

A preserved merchant quarter of narrow lanes and traditional wooden townhouses, now home to craft shops, cafes, and small museums.

A quieter, free-to-enter garden beside Isuien, with three distinct garden styles including a moss garden and pond garden.

A museum specialising in Buddhist art, with an excellent collection built around Nara's deep temple history — an underground passage connects its buildings.

A hillside hall within the Todai-ji complex offering one of the best sunset views over Nara, notably quieter than the main Great Buddha hall.