Spots in Nara Area

Area

Nara
- Japan
- Hokkaido / Tohoku
  
  Hokkaido
  
  Aomori
  
  Iwate
  
  Miyagi
  
  Akita
  
  Yamagata
  
  Fukushima
- Kanto
  
  Ibaraki
  
  Tochigi
  
  Gunma
  
  Saitama
  
  Chiba
  
  Tokyo
  
  Kanagawa
- Koshinetsu / Hokuriku
  
  Niigata
  
  Toyama
  
  Ishikawa
  
  Fukui
  
  Yamanashi
  
  Nagano
- Tokai
  
  Gifu
  
  Shizuoka
  
  Aichi
  
  Mie
- Kinki
  
  Shiga
  
  Kyoto
  
  Osaka
  
  Hyogo
  
  Nara
  
  Wakayama
- Chugoku
  
  Tottori
  
  Shimane
  
  Okayama
  
  Hiroshima
  
  Yamaguchi
- Shikoku
  
  Tokushima
  
  Kagawa
  
  Ehime
  
  Kochi
- Kyushu / Okinawa
  
  Fukuoka
  
  Saga
  
  Nagasaki
  
  Kumamoto
  
  Oita
  
  Miyazaki
  
  Kagoshima
  
  Okinawa

Category

Tōdai-ji

4.5

5656 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Nara Pref. Narashi Zoushichou 406-1

"Located in Nara City, as the head temple of the Kegon sect of Buddhism. The principal image is Vairocana Buddha, the symbol of Nara as the ""Great Buddha of Nara"". In 743, Emperor Shomu issued his imperial edict for the erection of the Great Buddha Image, and with the cooperation of many people, it was constructed in the hope that all would be happy. The temple grounds are dotted with the national treasures such as Nandai-mon (Great South Gate), Daibutsu-den (Great Buddha Hall), Bell Tower, and Hokke-do (Lotus Hall, Sangatsu-do). It is also known worldwide as one of Japan's most popular tourist spots and attracts many foreign tourists."

Todaiji was once one of Japan’s Seven Great Temples and houses the world’s largest bronze Buddha. As one of the main sites of interest in Nara, the Temple was originally built in 752 and is a UNESCO...
Kasuga Taisha Shrine

4.5

1772 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Nara Pref. Narashi Kasuganochou 160

This is a Shinto shrine located in Nara City. Kasuga Taisha Shrine is the grand head shrine of approximately 1,000 Kasuga shrines nationwide. The origins to the shrine lie in the early days of the Nara period, when Takemikazuchi-no-mikoto from Kashima-jingu Shrine was enshrined at Mt. Mikasa. The main shrine of the Kasuga structure which is a National Treasure has four buildings lined up, and in addition to the majestic and splendid south Gate and middle gate, there are many things such as fine and industrial art objects which have been designated as Important Cultural Properties. The Bantoro Festival (Lantern Festival) event is held on the day of Setsubun (Bean throwing night) and on the 14th and 15th of August when around 3,000 stone lanterns and hanging lanterns are lit with fire, and many worshipers come to look at this magical sight.

Kasuga Taisha is more than a shrine, it’s a mysterious world that involves forest, pathways, lanterns, and semi-wild deer. Founded in 768, Kasuga Taisha is a part of the Nara-Koen Park and is...
Nara Park

4.5

69 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Nara Pref. Narashi Zoushichou · Kasugano Town, Noborioji Town, Takahata-machi other

Nara Park is located directly next to the famous temples and shrine of Todaiji Temple, Kasuga Taisha Shrine, and Kofukuji Temple, as well as the Nara National Museum. The park is inhabited by sika deer, designated as a Natural Monument, and visitors can observe these wild animals up close. Throughout the year important buildings in the park are lit up at night, which engenders a magical atmosphere very different to that of the daytime.

If you have an opportunity, hike from Shinyakushiji to Wakakusa Hill. Its a trek in a thick forest. Peaceful, non touristy and great fun.
Kohfukuji Temple

4.0

1324 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Nara Pref. Narashi Noboriojichou 48

This is a temple located in Nara City. Yamashina-dera Temple has its origin as a temple that was established in Kyoto in 669 by the wife of Fujiwara no Kamatari. The temple was destroyed by fires many times and was rebuilt, after which it ended up similar to temple ruins during the anti-Buddhist movement in the Meiji period, although the Tokon-do Hall, the five-storied pagoda, the Hokuen-do Hall and the three-storied pagoda which survived have been designated as National Treasures. The five-storied pagoda which is illuminated at night-time has become a symbol of Nara. There are also many Buddhist images enshrined at the temple which have been designated as National Treasures and Cultural Assets such as the Ashura statue.

Just 5 - 10 mins walk from Kintetsu Nara Station, Kofuku-ji Temple is hard to miss:It’s the huge temple compound that contains the towering pagoda. The temple was built in 730, and it became the...
Horyu-ji Temple

4.5

612 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Nara Pref. Ikomagunikarugachou Houryujisannai 1-1

This is a temple inside Horyuji-Sannai, Ikaruga Town. It was established in 607 by Prince Shotoku and Empress Suiko, and the current temple building is celebrated as one of the world's oldest wooden structures and Japan's first World Heritage Site. Inside the grounds are 55 pieces of architecture designated as National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties, and in the Daihozoin (Great Treasure Hall) are stored a great many important treasures from the Asuka period.

Historically the Horyuji is a very important temple:it was founded in 607 CE by Prince Shotoku, who is credited with the early court promotion of Buddhism in Japan. This temple, therefore, can be...
Yakushiji Temple

4.0

494 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Nara Pref. Narashi Nishinokyouchou 457

Together with the Kohfukuji Temple, the Yakushiji Temple is the headquarters of the Hosso school of Buddhism. The temple was built in 680 in the then-capital of Fujiwara-kyo by Emperor Tenmu to pray for the recovery of his ill consort, who later succeeded him as Empress Jito. The temple was moved to its current location in 718. Originally, the temple was comprised of a magnificent number of structures connected via galleries, but, excluding the East Pagoda, these were destroyed by fire and war. The colorful main hall, West Pagoda, central gate, galleries, and the largest grand hall inside the grounds have been rebuilt. The East Pagoda, a National Treasure and the temple’s only original structure remaining from when it was first erected, appears at first glance to be a six-tier pagoda but is in fact a three tier-one. (Note: The East Pagoda is scheduled to undergo restoration until June 2020.)

If you havent visited Kyotos temple districts or want to see temples without the crowds in and around Kyoto, or youd like to see more temples, and youre in Nara overnight, Yakushi-ji and...
Hasedera Temple

4.5

381 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Nara Pref. Sakuraishi Hase 731-1

This prosperous temple, the head temple of the Shingon-shu Buzan-ha sect of Buddhism, is the eight of 33 temples on the Saigoku Kannon Pilgrimage. It was said to have originated with the installation of the Douban Hokke Sessou Zu (a bronze plaque carved with the Hokke Sutra), a National Treasure, by Domyo Shonin for Emperor Tenmu in 686. It is famous for its large collection of cultural properties, including the Juichimen (11-headed Kanzeon Bodhisattva), the temple's principal object of worship. The temple has a number of historically and cultural significant points of interest, including the 399-step stone stairs (an Important Cultural Property) leading from the Deva gate to the main temple (a National Treasure), the hanging lanterns suspended from the ceiling, and more. In late April, more than 7,000 peonies bloom in the temple gardens.

what a peaceful place ！ I have been there with my wife. Weather was bad but we enjoyed a lot. Highly Recommending.
Omiwa Shrine

4.5

336 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Nara Pref. Sakuraishi Miwa 1422

Omiwa Shrine is one of the oldest shrines in Japan and the site has been sacred ground for some of the earliest religious practices. The Miwa Torii (shrine gate), the gate marking the transition from the profane to the sacred, and the worship hall have been designated as important cultural assets of the country. Although we know from records that the worship hall was founded in the Kamakura period, the shrine as we know it now was rebuilt by Tokugawa Ietsuna, the fourth Tokugawa shogun. The enshrined deity is revered as a guardian deity of human life in the sense of building a nation. People are welcome to join the festivals held here throughout the year. Omiwa Shrine is approximately five minutes on foot from JR Miwa Station.

Omiwa Shrine is the oldest Shinto shrine in Japan. Its wide precinct is filled with a majestic atmosphere. There is a hall of reverence, but there is no tangible body of god. Mt. Miwa, behind this...
Kinpusen-ji Temple Zaoudou

4.5

267 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Nara Pref. Yoshinogunyoshinochou Yoshinoyama

The symbol of Mt. Yoshino and the head temple of the Shugendo syncretic Shinto-Buddhist religion. It is believed that the temple was founded by the mystic En no Gyoja in the latter half of the seventh century. The Zaoudou hall standing proudly on the heights of the Kinpu Mountain Range was erected in 1592 and is the second largest ancient wooden building in Japan after the Hall of the Great Buddha at Todai-ji Temple. Three statues of Zao, a Shinto manifestation of the Buddha, are enshrined in the temple, representing the past, present, and future. Each is seven meters tall and a must-see during your visit.

There are probably only two feasible ways to get here:either drive up the mountain in a one-line-two-way zig zag road, or take Kintetsu line to Yoshino station then hire a cab. Either way is an...
Gango-ji Temple

4.0

261 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Nara Pref. Narashi Chuinchou 11

A Buddhist temple located in Chuin Town, Nara City. The temple was originally constructed as the Hoko-ji Temple (Asuka-dera Temple), Japan’s oldest Buddhist temple, by Soga no Umako in the end of sixth century. The temple was later moved to its current location and given a new name with the transfer of the capital to ancient Nara. In addition to being registered as part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara World Heritage Site, the temple’s Gokuraku-do hall, Zen meditation room, and five-tier pagoda are all designated National Treasures. Special themed exhibitions of the temple’s collection of artwork and treasures are held each year in spring and autumn in the special exhibition room of the temple’s Horin-kan hall.

This temple is just south of the old town in Nara. It is very impressive in its quiet way. The museum is quite lovely and full of ancient sculpture. May I suggest Ninety-Nine Postcards from Nara as...
Naramachi Koshi no Ie Residence

4.5

206 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Nara Pref. Narashi Gangoujichou 44

A museum which recreates the appearance of a merchant’s house in old Nara-machi, a style of living which existed from the end of the Edo through the Meiji periods. The building is also known as the “Eel Bed”) thanks to its narrow entrance and lengthwise design, which resembles an eel trap. Visitors can experience how life was lived in such houses and learn about the lives of townspeople during this time period.

Its a free attraction, and fascinating to see how homes were once constructed--the literature was very helpful. We were actually walking between Harushika Brewery and Gango-Ji Temple in Naramachi...
Great Buddha Hall

4.5

100 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Nara Pref. Narashi Zoushichou 406-1 in the Todaiji Temple

"It is a Buddhist hall of Todai-ji in Nara City and is a national treasure of Japan. Its official name is Todai-ji Kondo (Great Buddha Hall, the main hall of Todai-ji). It is the largest building in the precincts of the temple, built to enshrine the seated statue of Vairocana Buddha, the principal image of the temple, and known as the ""Great Buddha of Nara"". The statue of Vairocana Buddha is approximately 14.98 meters tall and made of bronze. Parts of the abdomen, legs, and pedestal from the time of its construction remain. During the Bon Festival and from New Year's Eve to New Year's Day, the kanso (viewing Buddha's face) window under the kara hafu (undulating gable) on the front side of the temple opens and the face of the Great Buddha can be seen from the outside."

This should be merged with the Todaiji Temple listing. This is the primary attraction at Todaiji Temple. Comparing to other great Buddha statues, this one is just alright. It is still...
Asuka-dera Temple

4.5

196 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Nara Pref. Takaichigunasukamura Asuka 682

Japan’s first fully-fledged Buddhist temple, the Asuka-dera was completed in 596 by through the efforts of the samurai Soga no Umako, who promoted Buddhism in the nation. The temple’s principle object of worship, a bronze seated figure of Gautama Buddha popularly known as the “Asuka Great Buddha,” is Japan’s oldest Buddhist image and a designated Important Cultural Property. The Hana-eshiki Ceremony, which celebrates the birth of Gautama Buddha, is also famous for having first been conducted in Japan here. The temple was once quite large, with a central tower, three-sided main temple building, and encircling galleries, but most of the temple buildings were lost in fire due in the Kamakura period due to lightning strikes. The current main temple building was reconstructed in the Edo period.

No need for me to emphasize “the oldest Budda statue” part of this temple. Some tips on driving there if you use Google map: This temple is in a small village and near quite large rice fields. While...
Shinyakushi-ji Temple

4.5

212 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Nara Pref. Narashi Takabatakechou 1352

A Buddhist temple built by Empress Komyo in prayer for the recovery of illness of Emperor Shomu in 747. During the Nara period, the temple was one of the 10 most important in Nara and over 100 priests studied on its vast grounds. In the Heian period, however, the temple’s size was reduced due to lightning strikes and typhoons. The main temple nave looks as it did when first erected and enshrines a seated figure of Bhaisajyaguru, the temple’s main object of worship, as well as standing figures of the Twelve Divine Generals.

This temple is approximately 1,300 years old and the main hall dates back that far. The grounds are small in comparison to its days of glory, but theres still much to see here. This neighborhood is...
Tanzan Jinja

4.5

163 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Nara Pref. Sakuraishi Tounomine 319

This Shinto shrine’s origin dates back to when statesman Fujiwara no Kamatari’s son, Fujiwara no Joe, had his father’s ashes moved here and built a 13-tier pagoda in 678. Prior to the official separation of Buddhism and Shintoism in the country, the shrine was a Buddhist temple called the Tonomine Temple. The pagoda, rebuilt in 1532 and a designated Important Cultural Property, is the only extant 13-tier pagoda in the world. Beyond the shrine stands a mountain said to be the location where Emperor Tenjin and Fujiwara no Kamatari discussed the Taika Reform. The mountain thus came to be called “Tanzan,” or the Mountain of Discussion, hence the shrine’s name. In the spring, a 600-year old usuzumi cherry tree and designated Natural Monument comes in to bloom, and the shrine is thus known as a beautiful site for cherry blossom viewing. In addition, in autumn, visitors can enjoy the shrine’s fall foliage when it is colored by over 3,000 maple trees.

I cannot understand why the Tanzan Jinja and pagoda are not covered by the Nara coach tours. We first saw the 13 storey pagoda mentioned in a JR magazine, but the Nara tourist office had no...
Tamaki-jinja Shrine

4.5

113 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Nara Pref. Yoshinoguntotsukawamura Tamaigawa 1

Tamaki-jinja Shrine is a miraculous shrine near the top of the 1,076 meter Mt. Tamaki at the southern end of the Omine Mountains. Legend says that the shrine was built in 37 B.C. in the era of Emperor Sujin in order to guard against fire at the imperial castle and to ward off evil spirits. The shrine is on the World Heritage Omine Okugake-michi (paths) and has prospered as a spiritual retreat for Buddhist Shugendo followers from Kumano and Omine for a very long time. In the grounds of the shrine are gigantic cedar trees including some cedar trees said to be 3,000 years old, and in 2004 the temple was designated a World Heritage Site under the name Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range.

Its really a beautiful shrine to feel nature, culture and history. Dont forget to hike up to Tamaishisha. If sky is clear, you can see the ocean from the shrine and the top of Mt. Tamaki.
Roadside Station Hari T-R-S

Transportation

Nara Pref. Narashi Harichou 345

This is a Roadside Station next to the Hari Interchange in Hari-cho, Nara City on the National Route 25. As well as Italian cuisine and fast food, there are many restaurants, souvenir and local produce shops, a natural hot spring and pool, Hari Onsen Land, and Hari TRS (terrace) Berry Farm, the largest tourist farm in west Japan (reservations required) in the facility.
Isonokami Jingu Shrine

4.0

123 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Nara Pref. Tenrishi Furuchou 384

A Shinto shrine located in Furu Town, Tenri City, Nara Prefecture. The head patron shrine of the Mononobe clan, it is also one of the oldest Shinto shrines in Japan. The front shrine, said to have been donated by Emperor Shirakawa in 1081, and the Nanatsu-Saya-no-Tachi (Seven-Branched Sword), believed to be made in 369 and the same mentioned in the ancient Nihon shoki, are both National Treasures.

One of the two oldest shrines in Japan, Isonokami Jingu shrine is located in the shade of a cool forest along Japan’s oldest path, the Yamanobe-no-michi path. The wide main approach leads us through...
Okadera Temple

4.0

104 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Nara Pref. Takaichigunasukamura Oka 806

A Shingon Buzan Buddhist temple located in Asuka Village, Takaichi County, Nara Prefecture and the seventh station on the Saigoku Kannon Pilgrimage. The temple is said to have been founded by the high priest Gien on the site of a hill palace he had received where Prince Kusakabe, son of Emperor Tenmu, once lived. The temple’s official name is the Ryugai-ji Temple. Long worshiped as sacred ground providing protection from evil and harm, the temple is visited by great numbers of worshippers seeking to ensure their safety during unlucky years. The temple has many highlights, including Nyoirin Kannon Zazo (seated figure of Cintamani-cakra, a designated Important Cultural Property and Japan’s oldest earthen image) and a crimson-lacquered Deva gate and. In mid-April, some 3,000 rhododendrons come into bloom on the temple’s grounds; the fall foliage in autumn is also spectacular.

According to Oka Temples legend, its founder Gaien confronted and defeated a dragon that was making mischief in the 8th century town of Asuka. After its defeat the dragon was confined to a pond...
Chugu-ji Temple

4.5

143 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Nara Ikoma-gun Ikarugacho Horyuji Kita 1-1-2

"This Buddhist temple is affiliated with Prince Shotoku and is also the oldest Buddhist convent in Japan. Today, the temple adjoins the Horyuji's Eastern Precinct, but it is said to have originally been built opposite the Horyuji to the west with Prince Shotoku's Ikaruganomiya palace in between. Particularly worthy of seeing is the temple's wooden statue depicting a bodhisattva in the half-lotus position. One of only a very few such statues making use of the so-called ""archaic smile,"" some count it alongside the Sphinx and the Mona Lisa as one of the three great smiling artworks of the world. A replica of the Tenjukoku Shucho Mandala, the oldest work of embroidery art in Japan and a designated National Treasure, is enshrined in the main temple building."

This old temple is adjacent to Horyuji’s Yumedono, and you you hold the ticket for Horyuji, you can get a discount for admission. In this temple, there is a famous Miroku Buddha, which is designated...

Nara City Ikaruga / Yamatokoriyama Asuka Kashihara Yamanobe Road / Sakurai Yoshino Tenkawa Village / Totsukawa Village Ikoma

Leisure / Hobbies Shopping Gourmet / Alcohol Style / Fashion Life / Living / Hospital Accommodations / Hot Spring Travel / Tourism Transportation

Nara Areas

With a reputation almost as stellar as that of Kyoto, Nara is a must-visit for those searching for the remains of "traditional Japan." The largely green Nara city holds the majority of the prefecture's treasures, such as the iconic Todai-ji Temple, in which a 15-meter tall Great Buddha sits, and Nara Park, where deer flock to befriend passersby. While mountains are by no means hard to come by in this area, for hiking with a reward, head to the Kii Mountains' Yoshino district in spring, when the hillsides put on an impressive display of white and pink cherry blossoms.