What is there to do in the Japanese city of Nara, and how many days should you spend there?

Nara is a very small city by Japanese standards, and many tourists make a day trip there from Osaka or Kyoto.

Nara is, above all, a spiritual, historical and natural destination.

Book your hotel in Nara in advance

Feeding the sika deer

Most tourists head to the popular Nara Park, where hundreds of sacred Japanese deer roam freely.

According to Shinto tradition, sika deer are believed to be messengers of the gods.

Take a stroll through the park, where you’ll encounter dozens of fearless deer and their fawns, both day and night.

You can buy special animal crackers from many vendors for 200 jpy and feed them to the deer. As soon as they see you holding the crackers, they’ll happily come to you of their own accord.

Sights and history

Nara was once an important spiritual centre and, between 710 and 794, served as the seat of the Japanese emperors and the capital.

This is one of the reasons why the small city of Nara is home to a large number of interesting and extremely valuable historical sites, of which we describe the following in detail:

• Todai-ji – a temple housing the largest wooden building in Japan and the world’s tallest bronze statue of Buddha
• Kasuga – a shrine dedicated to the gods who watch over the city of Nara
• Kofuku-ji – a Buddhist temple with the second-tallest pagoda in Japan

Hiking

The deep forests and hills to the east of the city centre are ideal for hiking.

The trails start right in Nara Park, and you can choose from short walks to the nearest peaks or long, all-day hikes.

Tips on the 5 best treks can be found, for example, on the official tourism websitenara-sightseeing.com