# Nara

Nara is about 34 min from Kyoto and Osaka by Kintetsu express, a day trip or one night from either city. In the 660 ha park where deer roam, visitors see Todai-ji's Great Buddha Hall, Kasuga Taisha shrine, Kofuku-ji and Isuien Garden. Spring and autumn are the best seasons: highs range from 14 to 25 °C from March to May and from 17 to 23 °C in October and November.

Source : https://umika-travel.com/en/japan/nara/

Nara is a day trip from Kyoto or Osaka, 34 minutes from either by Kintetsu express, and it suits every kind of traveller, children included. Its great religious sites stand together in Nara Park, 660 ha where deer roam freely: Todai-ji and its Great Buddha Hall, the Shinto shrine of Kasuga Taisha, and Kofuku-ji, a temple that moved here in 710. Everything is on foot, on flat ground except for the climb towards Kasuga. Umika builds Nara into a stay in Kansai (the region of Kyoto, Osaka and Nara) and puts its travellers up in Kyoto or Osaka, so the round trip needs no change of hotel.

## Nara at a glance

- **Getting there.** 34 minutes from Kyoto or Osaka-Namba to Kintetsu-Nara Station by Kintetsu express; 41 minutes from Kyoto and 52 minutes from Osaka Station by JR Rapid to JR Nara Station.
- **Time needed.** One day for Todai-ji, Kasuga Taisha, Kofuku-ji and Isuien Garden; leave Kyoto or Osaka early to see the park before the tour groups arrive.
- **Seasons.** March to May and October-November, with highs of 14 to 25 °C in spring and 17 to 23 °C in autumn.
- **Admission budget.** Allow 800 ¥ (about 5 €) for the Great Buddha Hall, 700 ¥ (about 4 €) for the special visit at Kasuga Taisha and 1,200 ¥ (about 7 €) for Isuien Garden.

## A day on foot, from Kintetsu Station to Todai-ji

Kintetsu-Nara Station is the most convenient way in, right on the edge of the park. A west-to-east loop saves doubling back.

1. **Kofuku-ji**, a few minutes from the station, comes first, when it opens at 9 am.
2. **Isuien Garden**, a 15-minute walk from the station, between Kofuku-ji and Todai-ji, makes a quiet late-morning break.
3. **Todai-ji** fills the middle of the day: the Great Buddha Hall, then the Hokke-do further up the slope.
4. **Kasuga Taisha**, to the south-east, is reached along the park paths to end the afternoon.

From April to October, when Todai-ji opens at 7.30 am, the order can be reversed to get there ahead of the heat and the groups. All times on this page are local time.

## Todai-ji and the Great Buddha Hall

The Great Buddha Hall, or Daibutsu-den, is 57 m wide, 50.5 m long and 48.7 m high. It burned down twice, in 1180 and 1567; the present building was rebuilt in the Edo period under the direction of the monk Kokei. It opens from 7.30 am to 5.30 pm between April and October and from 8 am to 5 pm between November and March. Admission is 800 ¥ (about 5 €), or 1,200 ¥ (about 7 €) with the Todai-ji Museum.

Higher up the hill, the Hokke-do, also called Sangatsu-do, has its own 800 ¥ (about 5 €) ticket, not included in the combined pass, and opens from 8.30 am to 4 pm.

The temple keeps a calendar of ceremonies worth planning around:

| Date | Ceremony | Hall |
|---|---|---|
| 1-14 March | Shuni-e, or Omizutori | Nigatsu-do |
| 8 April | Buddha's Birthday (Bussho-e), from 8 am | Daibutsu-den |
| 7 August | Ominugui, cleaning of the statue, about 7 am to 9 am | Daibutsu-den |
| 15 August | Manto-kuyo-e, lantern ceremony, 7 pm to 9.30 pm | Daibutsu-den |

On 7 August the hall opens to visitors only at 7.30 am; on 15 August the gate closes at 5.30 pm and reopens for the evening ceremony.

## Kasuga Taisha, the shrine of Mount Kasuga

Kasuga Taisha is a Shinto shrine set against the Mount Kasuga Primeval Forest, a World Heritage site. The grounds open from 6.30 am to 5.30 pm from March to October and from 7 am to 5 pm from November to February. Three paid visits cost 700 ¥ (about 4 €) each:

- the special visit to the main sanctuary, 9 am to 4 pm;
- the shrine museum, 10 am to 5 pm, last entry 4.30 pm;
- the Man'yo Botanical Garden, 9 am to 4.30 pm, closed on Tuesdays from June to March and open daily in April and May.

The shrine notes that hours change on ceremony days.

## Kofuku-ji, the Fujiwara temple

Kofuku-ji was founded in 669 near Kyoto and moved to Nara in 710. It was the temple of the Fujiwara, the most powerful family at court. The National Treasure Hall and the Eastern Golden Hall open from 9 am to 5 pm, at 900 ¥ (about 6 €) and 500 ¥ (about 3 €); a combined ticket with the Central Golden Hall costs 1,600 ¥ (about 10 €). Payment is in cash only. The five-storey pagoda is under works and stands behind scaffolding.

## The park, the deer and the national museum

Nara Park links all these sites. The deer, called messengers of the gods in 8th-century tradition, are protected: until 1637, killing one was punishable by death. Used to being fed, they nudge visitors when hungry. Deer crackers are sold all around the park; the prefecture's tourist office advises keeping food and leaflets out of sight, as the deer sometimes take paper for food.

Nara National Museum, whose main building dates from 1889, stands in the park. To the east, Mount Wakakusa looks out over the city.

## Isuien and Naramachi, an afternoon break

Isuien brings together two gardens, one from the Edo period and one from the Meiji era, with a tea house, the Sanshutei, moved into the front garden in the late 17th century. The 1,200 ¥ (about 7 €) ticket includes the Neiraku Museum, a small collection of early East Asian art. The garden opens from 9.30 am to 4.30 pm, until 5 pm in April and May, and is closed on Tuesdays.

South of the park, the Naramachi quarter is home to the Harushika sake brewery. A tasting of five sakes costs 700 ¥ (about 4 €) per person, from 10 am to 4.30 pm, last order; the brewery closes on Tuesdays, during the Obon holiday in mid-August and over New Year.

## Getting to Nara

| From | Train | To | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kyoto | Kintetsu limited express | Kintetsu-Nara | about 34 min |
| Kyoto | JR Rapid | JR Nara | about 41 min |
| Osaka-Namba | Kintetsu express | Kintetsu-Nara | about 34 min |
| Osaka Station | JR Rapid | JR Nara | about 52 min |
| Kansai Airport | JR express to Tennoji, then JR Rapid | JR Nara | about 31 min, then 36 min |

JR stands for Japan Railways, the national rail group; Kintetsu is a private company. Kintetsu-Nara is the station closest to the temples. The guide to [trains and the Japan Rail Pass](/en/guides/japan-trains-jr-pass/) explains which trains the pass covers.

## When to visit Nara

The temperature table, drawn from the 1991-2020 normals of the JMA (Japan Meteorological Agency), reads in three parts. From March to May, highs climb from 14 to 25 °C, the most pleasant season for walking. According to the same agency, Nara's cherry trees begin to flower around 28 March and reach full bloom around 4 April on average. From June to September the heat takes over, with an average high of 33 °C in August, and the Kansai rainy season runs on average from early June to mid-July. October and November come back down to 23 and then 17 °C. Winter is cold, with afternoons around 9 to 10 °C in January and February.

The guide to [seasons and cherry blossoms](/en/guides/japan-seasons-cherry-blossoms/) compares flowering dates across Japan.

## Where to stay for Nara

Umika's selection has no hotel in Nara itself: travellers come from Kyoto or Osaka, 34 minutes away by Kintetsu express.

**In Kyoto**, the [Imperial Hotel Kyoto](/en/hotels/imperial-hotel-kyoto/), opened on 5 March 2026 in a 1936 building in Gion, and [Capella Kyoto](/en/hotels/capella-kyoto/), opened on 22 March 2026 in the Miyagawa-cho district, are both central. [Hoshinoya Kyoto](/en/hotels/hoshinoya-kyoto/), a ryokan (traditional Japanese inn) in Arashiyama reached by boat, takes children from age 12.

**In Osaka**, [Patina Osaka](/en/hotels/patina-osaka/), facing the castle park, has rooms for up to five people; the [Four Seasons Hotel Osaka](/en/hotels/four-seasons-osaka/) occupies the top of a tower near Osaka Station. Osaka-Namba is where the Kintetsu expresses to Nara start.

The [Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto and Osaka in 12 days](/en/ideas/tokyo-hakone-kyoto-osaka-12-days/) itinerary includes a day in Nara from Kyoto.

## Frequently asked questions

### How long do you need in Nara?

One day is enough for Todai-ji, Kasuga Taisha, Kofuku-ji and Isuien Garden, which all lie within Nara Park and are linked on foot. An early start from Kyoto or Osaka lets you see the park before the tour groups arrive.

### How do you get from Kyoto to Nara?

The Kintetsu limited express runs from Kyoto to Kintetsu-Nara Station in about 34 minutes, on the edge of the park. The JR Rapid reaches JR Nara Station in about 41 minutes, a little further from the temples.

### How much does Todai-ji cost?

The Great Buddha Hall costs 800 ¥ (about 5 €) per adult, or 1,200 ¥ (about 7 €) with the Todai-ji Museum. The Hokke-do has its own 800 ¥ (about 5 €) ticket. The hall opens from 7.30 am to 5.30 pm between April and October and from 8 am to 5 pm between November and March, local time.

### When are the cherry blossoms in Nara?

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency's 1991-2020 normals, Nara's cherry trees start flowering around 28 March and reach full bloom around 4 April. Dates shift by a few days from year to year.

### Do you need cash in Nara?

At Kofuku-ji, yes: the National Treasure Hall and the golden halls accept cash only. It is wise to carry a few thousand yen for admissions and deer crackers.

### Where should you stay to visit Nara?

Umika puts its travellers up in Kyoto or Osaka, 34 minutes from Nara by Kintetsu express. In Kyoto, the Imperial Hotel Kyoto, Capella Kyoto and Hoshinoya Kyoto; in Osaka, Patina Osaka and the Four Seasons Hotel Osaka.