If you’re staying in Kyoto or Osaka during your trip to Japan, you may want to take a day trip to Nara. This one day Nara itinerary shows you how to get there and what to do in under 24 hours.
Famous for its hundreds of deer roaming around a large park within the city, beautiful Japanese zen gardens and ancient shrines that date back to when Nara was Japan’s first capital city – Nara shouldn’t be missed when visiting Japan.
Located only a short train ride from both Kyoto and Osaka, taking a day trip to Nara can be the perfect addition to your itinerary. The city is home to eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites
This one day Nara itinerary will help you plan the perfect day trip in this gorgeous little city. Let’s dive in.
In this guide
Not got time to read the full guide? No problem! Here is a quick overview of the Nara day trip itinerary and a map with all points of interest:
Click here for an interactive map
Here is my one day Nara itinerary, perfect for a day trip from Kyoto or Osaka.
Start the day by arriving in the beautiful city of Nara. Whether you’re travelling from Kyoto, Osaka or some other city, I’d highly recommend arriving before 10 AM. Because it’s only a one day trip, you want to make sure you have enough time to see everything.
Nara has two main train stations: JR Nara Station and Kintetsu-Nara station. If you arrive at JR Nara Station, you can start your day by visiting the Tourist Information Centre. It’s located right outside the station and you can pick up a free booklet filled with information about the deer park, the shrines and temples. You can also find a Starbucks in this building.
Kintetsu-Nara station is located a bit closer to the sights we’re going to explore today and if you do not have a JR Pass, it’s usually cheaper to get a train to this station instead. We’ll explain how to get to Nara from either Kyoto or Osaka later in this article.
Kofuku-ji Temple is located only a few minutes from Kintetsu-Nara station. It’s a little bit further from JR Nara Station, but this gives you a chance to walk through some of Nara’s iconic streets. Kofuku-ji Temple is one of the eight UNESCO world heritage sites that can be found in Nara.
Visiting the temple grounds of Kofuku-ji is free. You do have to pay a few hundred yen for entering some of the buildings, including the Central Golden Hall, the Eastern Golden Hall and the National Treasure Museum.
The original Central Golden Hall at Kofuku-ji Temple was destroyed in a fire almost 300 years ago. It has been reconstructed to its original size and opened to the public in October 2018. Inside, you can find the Yakushi Buddha.
Take some time to explore the temple grounds, as there are many shrines and temples to admire. Moving towards the side, you can find the Southern Octagonal Halls. These buildings date back over a thousand years.
Next on our Nara day trip itinerary is Isuien Garden. It’s not far from the Kofuku-ji temple grounds. Translated into English, the garden’s name means “garden founded on water”.
The front garden dates back to the 17th century, while the back garden was built in 1899. Inside the garden, you will find several tea houses. This garden is a perfect example of what I imagined Japanese Zen Gardens to look like.
Todai-ji Temple is one of Nara’s most famous buildings. Also listed as a UNESCO world heritage site, Todai-ji is the world’s largest wooden structure. It houses the world’s largest Daibutsu-san, or Bronze Buddha Statue, in the Great Buddha Hall.
The temple was established in 752. If you’re planning your one day in Nara, make sure to stop by this temple – it was by far my favourite sight in the city.
It is almost impossible to grasp the size of Todai-ji. The fact that this building is entirely made out of wood is incredible. At first, we thought the entrance of Todai-ji was the temple (pictured below). We were already blown away at the sheer size of it, only to find the actual temple a bit further down the street…
To enter the building, you pay an entree fee for the museum or buy a combined ticket for the museum and the hall. Inside the hall, you can witness Japan’s largest Buddha statue in bronze.
By the time you’ll get to Nara Deer Park, you’ll probably already have encountered some deer. It is probably one of Nara’s most famous spots and something the city is definitely using to attract tourists. Shops are filled with stuffed animals in the shape of deer and there are countless little stands selling deer crackers.
Over 1,200 sika deer roam around the park freely. They are wild animals but have grown accustomed to the visitors. They pose for Instagram stories and beg for a few of the deer crackers that are sold around the park. A pack will cost you ¥100 – ¥150 and gives you a chance to feed the deer.
Please make sure to not feed them anything else, you wouldn’t want them to get sick.
A fun fact to keep in mind while visiting Nara Park is that the deer have learned to bow to visitors. Bowing in Japanese culture is a form of showing respect, and the deer will actually return the favour. Give it a go while you’re at the park – chances are, the deer will bow back to you.
Around Nara Park, you can find many shops and food stands. Whether you’re still looking for the perfect souvenir or just looking for a snack, these stands are really fun to nose around in. It’s a great way to support the local community.
Nara has quite a few shrines and temples to visit. So when you’re only in Nara for one day, you’ll have to pick and choose. That’s why I’d recommend visiting Kasuga-Taisha. It fits perfectly with the walking route of this one-day itinerary and gives you the chance to visit one of Nara’s most beautiful shrines.
Kasuga-Taisha is famous for its 3,000 stone lanterns lining up the path towards the entrance. They are also known as “toro”. This shrine is another one of eight Nara UNESCO World Heritage Sites. It was built in 768 and has been rebuilt every 20 years until 1863. This was done because of the Shinto concept of purity.
There are plenty of shopping opportunities in Nara, especially at the more touristy places like Nara Deer Park. But if you’re looking for some better places to shop, you should check out Higashimuki Shopping Street and Mochiidone Shopping Arcade.
Both are located within walking distance of each other and filled with unique shops and food stands. If you’re not sure what to buy in Nara, there are lots of options here. Products you can expect to find include kimonos, ceramics, traditional Japanese sweets and handkerchiefs made from traditional Nara fabric.
Most tourist attractions close quite early in Nara. That’s why it’s so important to get here as early as possible. After grabbing some dinner, it’s time to make your way back to either Kyoto or Osaka. This also gives you some time to unwind or grab a drink near your hotel.
For more information on how to get to Nara from Kyoto or Osaka, read the next part of this guide:
Since Nara is located close to both Kyoto and Osaka, it makes for the perfect day trip destination. By using the train, you can get to Nara within an hour from either cities.
If you want to visit Nara while staying in Kyoto, you can use the JR Nara Line or the private Kintetsu Line.
If you are a Japan Rail Pass holder, you can use the JR Nara Line with your pass for this trip. From Kyoto, it takes between 40–70 minutes to get to Nara pending on which train you use. You can either use the JR Nara Line Local or the JR Nara Line Rapid Service. If you can get the Rapid Service, I’d recommend it, as it is 25 minutes quicker.
If you don’t have a Japan Rail Pass, you can choose to use the private Kintetsu Line to get to Nara from Kyoto. This train journey will cost you a bit less and will get you to Kintetsu-Nara station within 35 minutes. You can pick this line over the JR line because it’s much quicker, it’s cheaper (if you do not use a JR Pass) and Kintetsu-Nara is located more centrally compared to JR Nara Station.
Visiting Nara for a day trip from Osaka is also possible. Two train lines connect Osaka with Nara: The JR Yamatoji Line and the Kintetsu Nara Line.
If you are using a Japan Rail Pass to travel to Nara, you can use the JR Yamatoji Line. From Osaka Station, it takes about 50 minutes when using the JR Yamatoji Rapid Services.
Are you travelling from JR-Namba Station in Osaka? Then you can get the local train to Shinimamiya Station and then continue your journey on the JR Yamatoji Line to Nara with your JR Pass.
If you are not using a Japan Rail Pass, you can use the Kintetsu-Nara Line to get to Nara. From Osaka-Namba Station, you can get the Kintetsu Line to Kintetsu-Nara. This train will get you to Nara in 38 minutes.
Picking the Kintetsu-Nara Line over the JR Pass (when you’re not using a JR Pass) makes it cheaper and quicker. It will get you to a more central point in Nara. Kintetsu-Nara Station is located closer to the Deer Park compared to JR Nara Station.
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Since Nara is easy to reach from both Kyoto and Osaka, it’s best to take a day trip from either of those cities. This way, you’ll avoid having to carry your luggage to Nara for a very short stay. A day trip to Nara is cheap and very easy, as the itinerary above shows.
We have full guides on where to stay in Kyoto and Osaka. In these guides, we’ll share the best areas in each city, along with the best hotels for different types of travellers.
If you are planning on staying in Nara for longer than a day, I’d recommend getting a hotel near the train station. This way you’ll be able to get to the hotel with your suitcases without any hassle and are located close to any sights.
Even though Nara is perfect for a day trip, there is enough to do and see for more than one day. If you are planning to spend more time in Nara, I recommend checking out some of the following:
Nara makes for a great day trip, but what else should be on your Japan itinerary? We’ve got a ton of guides about the best places in Japan, including some pre-made itineraries that you can copy for free:
Famous for its hundreds of deer roaming around a large park within the city, beautiful Japanese zen gardens and ancient shrines that date back to when Nara was Japan’s first capital city – Nara shouldn’t be missed when visiting Japan.
Located only a short train ride from both Kyoto and Osaka, taking a day trip to Nara can be the perfect addition to your itinerary. The city is home to eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites
This one day Nara itinerary will help you plan the perfect day trip in this gorgeous little city. Let’s dive in.
In this guide
One day in Nara overview & map
Not got time to read the full guide? No problem! Here is a quick overview of the Nara day trip itinerary and a map with all points of interest:
Click here for an interactive map
Nara day trip itinerary
Here is my one day Nara itinerary, perfect for a day trip from Kyoto or Osaka.
1. Arrive in Nara
Start the day by arriving in the beautiful city of Nara. Whether you’re travelling from Kyoto, Osaka or some other city, I’d highly recommend arriving before 10 AM. Because it’s only a one day trip, you want to make sure you have enough time to see everything.
Nara has two main train stations: JR Nara Station and Kintetsu-Nara station. If you arrive at JR Nara Station, you can start your day by visiting the Tourist Information Centre. It’s located right outside the station and you can pick up a free booklet filled with information about the deer park, the shrines and temples. You can also find a Starbucks in this building.
Kintetsu-Nara station is located a bit closer to the sights we’re going to explore today and if you do not have a JR Pass, it’s usually cheaper to get a train to this station instead. We’ll explain how to get to Nara from either Kyoto or Osaka later in this article.
2. Visit Kofuku-ji temple (Kōfuku-ji)
Kofuku-ji Temple is located only a few minutes from Kintetsu-Nara station. It’s a little bit further from JR Nara Station, but this gives you a chance to walk through some of Nara’s iconic streets. Kofuku-ji Temple is one of the eight UNESCO world heritage sites that can be found in Nara.
Visiting the temple grounds of Kofuku-ji is free. You do have to pay a few hundred yen for entering some of the buildings, including the Central Golden Hall, the Eastern Golden Hall and the National Treasure Museum.
The original Central Golden Hall at Kofuku-ji Temple was destroyed in a fire almost 300 years ago. It has been reconstructed to its original size and opened to the public in October 2018. Inside, you can find the Yakushi Buddha.
Take some time to explore the temple grounds, as there are many shrines and temples to admire. Moving towards the side, you can find the Southern Octagonal Halls. These buildings date back over a thousand years.
3. Wander through Isuien Garden
Next on our Nara day trip itinerary is Isuien Garden. It’s not far from the Kofuku-ji temple grounds. Translated into English, the garden’s name means “garden founded on water”.
The front garden dates back to the 17th century, while the back garden was built in 1899. Inside the garden, you will find several tea houses. This garden is a perfect example of what I imagined Japanese Zen Gardens to look like.
4. Visit Todai-ji Temple
Todai-ji Temple is one of Nara’s most famous buildings. Also listed as a UNESCO world heritage site, Todai-ji is the world’s largest wooden structure. It houses the world’s largest Daibutsu-san, or Bronze Buddha Statue, in the Great Buddha Hall.
The temple was established in 752. If you’re planning your one day in Nara, make sure to stop by this temple – it was by far my favourite sight in the city.
It is almost impossible to grasp the size of Todai-ji. The fact that this building is entirely made out of wood is incredible. At first, we thought the entrance of Todai-ji was the temple (pictured below). We were already blown away at the sheer size of it, only to find the actual temple a bit further down the street…
To enter the building, you pay an entree fee for the museum or buy a combined ticket for the museum and the hall. Inside the hall, you can witness Japan’s largest Buddha statue in bronze.
5. Explore Nara Deer Park and Mt. Wakakusa
By the time you’ll get to Nara Deer Park, you’ll probably already have encountered some deer. It is probably one of Nara’s most famous spots and something the city is definitely using to attract tourists. Shops are filled with stuffed animals in the shape of deer and there are countless little stands selling deer crackers.
Over 1,200 sika deer roam around the park freely. They are wild animals but have grown accustomed to the visitors. They pose for Instagram stories and beg for a few of the deer crackers that are sold around the park. A pack will cost you ¥100 – ¥150 and gives you a chance to feed the deer.
Please make sure to not feed them anything else, you wouldn’t want them to get sick.
A fun fact to keep in mind while visiting Nara Park is that the deer have learned to bow to visitors. Bowing in Japanese culture is a form of showing respect, and the deer will actually return the favour. Give it a go while you’re at the park – chances are, the deer will bow back to you.
Around Nara Park, you can find many shops and food stands. Whether you’re still looking for the perfect souvenir or just looking for a snack, these stands are really fun to nose around in. It’s a great way to support the local community.
6. Visit Kasuga-Taisha
Nara has quite a few shrines and temples to visit. So when you’re only in Nara for one day, you’ll have to pick and choose. That’s why I’d recommend visiting Kasuga-Taisha. It fits perfectly with the walking route of this one-day itinerary and gives you the chance to visit one of Nara’s most beautiful shrines.
Kasuga-Taisha is famous for its 3,000 stone lanterns lining up the path towards the entrance. They are also known as “toro”. This shrine is another one of eight Nara UNESCO World Heritage Sites. It was built in 768 and has been rebuilt every 20 years until 1863. This was done because of the Shinto concept of purity.
7. Shop on Higashimuki Shopping Street & Mochiidono Shopping Arcade
There are plenty of shopping opportunities in Nara, especially at the more touristy places like Nara Deer Park. But if you’re looking for some better places to shop, you should check out Higashimuki Shopping Street and Mochiidone Shopping Arcade.
Both are located within walking distance of each other and filled with unique shops and food stands. If you’re not sure what to buy in Nara, there are lots of options here. Products you can expect to find include kimonos, ceramics, traditional Japanese sweets and handkerchiefs made from traditional Nara fabric.
8. Take the train back to Kyoto/Osaka
Most tourist attractions close quite early in Nara. That’s why it’s so important to get here as early as possible. After grabbing some dinner, it’s time to make your way back to either Kyoto or Osaka. This also gives you some time to unwind or grab a drink near your hotel.
For more information on how to get to Nara from Kyoto or Osaka, read the next part of this guide:
How to get to Nara
Since Nara is located close to both Kyoto and Osaka, it makes for the perfect day trip destination. By using the train, you can get to Nara within an hour from either cities.
Nara day trip from Kyoto by train
If you want to visit Nara while staying in Kyoto, you can use the JR Nara Line or the private Kintetsu Line.
If you are a Japan Rail Pass holder, you can use the JR Nara Line with your pass for this trip. From Kyoto, it takes between 40–70 minutes to get to Nara pending on which train you use. You can either use the JR Nara Line Local or the JR Nara Line Rapid Service. If you can get the Rapid Service, I’d recommend it, as it is 25 minutes quicker.
If you don’t have a Japan Rail Pass, you can choose to use the private Kintetsu Line to get to Nara from Kyoto. This train journey will cost you a bit less and will get you to Kintetsu-Nara station within 35 minutes. You can pick this line over the JR line because it’s much quicker, it’s cheaper (if you do not use a JR Pass) and Kintetsu-Nara is located more centrally compared to JR Nara Station.
Nara day trip from Osaka by train
Visiting Nara for a day trip from Osaka is also possible. Two train lines connect Osaka with Nara: The JR Yamatoji Line and the Kintetsu Nara Line.
If you are using a Japan Rail Pass to travel to Nara, you can use the JR Yamatoji Line. From Osaka Station, it takes about 50 minutes when using the JR Yamatoji Rapid Services.
Are you travelling from JR-Namba Station in Osaka? Then you can get the local train to Shinimamiya Station and then continue your journey on the JR Yamatoji Line to Nara with your JR Pass.
If you are not using a Japan Rail Pass, you can use the Kintetsu-Nara Line to get to Nara. From Osaka-Namba Station, you can get the Kintetsu Line to Kintetsu-Nara. This train will get you to Nara in 38 minutes.
Picking the Kintetsu-Nara Line over the JR Pass (when you’re not using a JR Pass) makes it cheaper and quicker. It will get you to a more central point in Nara. Kintetsu-Nara Station is located closer to the Deer Park compared to JR Nara Station.
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You can unsubscribe anytime. For more details, review our Privacy Policy. (We promise not to spam!)
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Where to stay when visiting Nara
Since Nara is easy to reach from both Kyoto and Osaka, it’s best to take a day trip from either of those cities. This way, you’ll avoid having to carry your luggage to Nara for a very short stay. A day trip to Nara is cheap and very easy, as the itinerary above shows.
We have full guides on where to stay in Kyoto and Osaka. In these guides, we’ll share the best areas in each city, along with the best hotels for different types of travellers.
If you are planning on staying in Nara for longer than a day, I’d recommend getting a hotel near the train station. This way you’ll be able to get to the hotel with your suitcases without any hassle and are located close to any sights.
More than one day in Nara?
Even though Nara is perfect for a day trip, there is enough to do and see for more than one day. If you are planning to spend more time in Nara, I recommend checking out some of the following:
- Heijo Palace: Formerly known as Nara’s Imperial Palace, Heiji Palace now acts as a popular tourist attraction. The palace ground is over a square kilometre big and is one of Nara’s World Heritage Sites.
- Yoshikien Garden: A beautiful garden that includes three different styles of Japanese garden scaping. Admission is free for tourists.
- Nara National Museum: Located inside Nara Deer Park, Nara National Museum is filled with statues, scrolls and other ceremonial objects telling the story of Nara’s and Japan’s history. Perfect for a rainy day.
Finish your Japan itinerary
Nara makes for a great day trip, but what else should be on your Japan itinerary? We’ve got a ton of guides about the best places in Japan, including some pre-made itineraries that you can copy for free: