Car Rentals Compact cars from around 4,000 Yen/day!

Online Hostel Bookings Hostels and inexpensive ryokan from $10 per night!

Related Pages

Travel Sightseeing Kansai Region Nara Prefecture Cities Todaiji Kofukuji Kasuga Taisha Nara Park Horyuji Yakushiji Toshodaiji Naramachi Nara National Museum Omizutori History: Nara Period Nara: Access and Orientation

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Home - Travel - Sightseeing Guide - Kansai
Nara	# 4   of 117 destinations in our travel guide

Todaiji Temple - Nara celebrates its 1300th Anniversary in 2010 - Japan's first permanent capital was established in the year 710 at Heijo, the city now known as Nara. As the influence and political ambitions of the city's powerful Buddhist monasteries grew to become a serious threat to the government, the capital was moved to Nagaoka in 784. Nara is located in the Kinai plain, less than one hour from Kyoto and Osaka. Due to its past as the first permanent capital, it remains full of historic treasures, including some of Japan's oldest and largest Buddhist temples.

Attractions

Central Nara

1  Todaiji Temple Large temple with a big Buddha statue. User rating: 93/100 (546 votes) Visited by: 905 users  2  Isuien Garden Spacious Japanese garden near Todaiji. User rating: 90/100 (6 votes) Visited by: 15 users  3  Nara National Museum Excellent museum on Japanese Buddhist art. User rating: 86/100 (13 votes) Visited by: 26 users  4  Kasuga Taisha Nara's most celebrated Shinto shrine. User rating: 86/100 (202 votes) Visited by: 344 users  5  Nara Park Central city park with wild deer. User rating: 85/100 (541 votes) Visited by: 932 users  6  Kofukuji Temple Family temple of the Fujiwara Clan. User rating: 82/100 (231 votes) Visited by: 399 users  7  Shin-Yakushiji Temple With beautiful statues of Yakushi and guardians. User rating: 87/100 (6 votes) Visited by: 16 users  8  Naramachi Former merchant district with old houses. User rating: 80/100 (139 votes) Visited by: 253 users  9  Yoshikien Garden Consisting of three distinct Japanese gardens. User rating: insufficient data Visited by: 13 users

West of Central Nara

1  Horyuji Temple The world's oldest wooden buildings. User rating: 89/100 (236 votes) Visited by: 438 users  2  Yakushiji Temple Large temple in western Nara. User rating: 86/100 (121 votes) Visited by: 248 users  3  Toshodaiji Temple Large temple in western Nara. User rating: 85/100 (138 votes) Visited by: 274 users  4  Heijo Palace The former site of Nara's Imperial Palace. User rating: 79/100 (14 votes) Visited by: 32 users

Events

1  Omizutori Buddhist ceremonies involving water and fire. User rating: insufficient data Visited by: 2 users

Side Trips from Nara

1  Yoshino Japan's most famous cherry blossom spot. User rating: 88/100 (40 votes) Visited by: 75 users  2  Iga Ueno Former castle town famous for ninja. User rating: 76/100 (76 votes) Visited by: 147 users  3  Asuka The cradle of the Japanese civilization. User rating: insufficient data Visited by: 3 users

Access and Orientation

Access and Orientation How to get to and around Nara. About transportation in Japan

Accommodation

Search a Hotel in Nara:

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Sponsored Listings:

Guesthouse Yougendo A warm and welcoming beautifully restored stately home in central Kansai. Japan's best kept secret for travelers on a budget.

Tours and Packages

Nara Tours Various tours and travel packages for Nara and surroundings.

News and Reports

Nara Autumn Color Report November 23, 2009 Nara Cherry Blossom Report April 3, 2009

Travel Community

Popularity of Nara: Users who have been to Nara: 1305 Most visited: Ranked 4th out of 117 destinations Have you been to Nara? No - I have not been there yetYes - no ratingYes - highly recommendedYes - recommendedYes - mildly interestingYes - nothing specialYes - not recommended Ratings for Nara: japan-guide.com Rating:   best of the best   User Rating (by 728 users): 91/100   highly recommended User Feedback We strive to keep japan-guide.com up-to-date and accurate, and are always looking for ways to improve the user experience. If you have any updates, suggestions, corrections or opinions, please let us know:

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English Links

Nara City Official web site.

Japanese Links

Nara City Official web site.