Things to do in  Nara Prefecture

Located in Nara Park, Todai-Ji (Great Eastern Temple is one of the most famous and historically significant temples in Japan. Dating back to the eighth century, the UNESCO World Heritage-listed site is known for its Great Buddha Hall, one of the largest wooden structures in the world, which houses a massive bronze Buddha statue.

Located in the heart of Nara City, Nara Park (Nara Koen) is famous for the 1,300 semi-wild sika deer that have roamed its grounds for centuries. Spanning 1,360 acres (550 hectares), the scenic public park is also home to several popular attractions, including the Todai-ji Temple, home to the sacred Daibutu (Great Buddha), and the vermillion Kasugataisha Shrine, shrouded by a primeval forest of cedars and Chinese black pines.

Established in the late 19th century, the Nara National Museum is a well-respected exhibitor of Japanese Buddhist art. In addition to the original French Renaissance–style building, a newer wing also displays temporary exhibits. In both wings, visitors can admire predominantly Japanese Buddhist statues, paintings, scrolls, and ceremonial objects.

Kasuga Taisha (Kasuga Grand Shrine dates back to the year 768, when its construction was ordered by Emperor Shotoku (though it has been rebuilt several times since. This celebrated Shinto shrine complex is most famous for the series of giant stone lanterns that line the paths through Nara Park leading toward its entrance.

Yoshikien Garden is a beautiful ornamental garden beside the ever-popular, sprawling Nara Park. Here you’ll find three distinct settings—a pond garden, moss garden, and tea ceremony garden. It’s a lovely place to stroll, especially as entry is free, and travelers with an interest in gardening, especially Japanese gardens, will get the most out of visiting.

In a town jam-packed with ancient temples and shrines, Nara’s 8th-century Toshodaiji Temple stands apart as different in style. It’s also quite far from the very popular Nara Park, so it’s not as inundated with visitors and has a more peaceful atmosphere. It was fully dismantled and renovated in the 2000s, so visitors can now admire the restored buildings and lush grounds.

Beautiful Yakushiji Temple in western Nara holds more than a millennium of spiritual and architectural history. Although the current main hall was rebuilt in the 1970s after a fire, the multitiered east pagoda dates from the year 730. This Buddhist temple is lesser-known by tourists than Nara’s other UNESCO-listed landmarks, because it lies beyond the ever-popular Nara Park.