Deer bow in the park. The Great Buddha sits in the world's largest wooden building. Nara was Japan's first permanent capital, and that weight still shows. In the massive temple gates, the old-growth forests, and the unhurried pace of everything.
What Nara is known for
Top-rated in Nara
Sumi oni
5.0temple
On the underside corners of the roofs at Toshodaiji are wooden blocks that lend stability to beams and pillars.
Naramachi Historic Quarter
4.9historic_site
Edo-era merchant lanes with deep machiya townhouses, now home to tea rooms and brush artisans.
Todaiji Temple
4.7temple
Colossal wooden temple housing Japan's largest bronze Buddha statue.
Tamaki Shrine
4.7shrine
Tamaki Shrine sits at the summit of Mt. Tamaki at 1,076 meters in the Kii Mountains and is believed to have been founded in 37 BCE during the reign of Emperor Sujin.
Nino
4.8restaurant
Warm, family-run Italian restaurant beloved by tourists for its friendly service and delicious pasta.
Surugamachi no Okonomiyakiya
4.7restaurant
Authentic okonomiyaki shop run by a friendly owner, popular for its pork and squid pancakes.
Cafe Zucca
4.7cafe
Specialty cafe dedicated to pumpkin (kabocha) dishes and desserts.
Nara Park
4.6park
Landscaped, public park with ancient temples & the Nara National Museum of art, plus tame deer.