Kakinoha-zushi柿の葉寿司
Pressed sushi of mackerel or salmon wrapped in persimmon leaves, easy to carry and eat.
Kansai
Nara Travel Guide
Local tips, regional food and places off the tourist trail
Japan’s first permanent capital, packed with ancient temples. Highlights are Todaiji’s giant Buddha, the free-roaming deer of Nara Park, Kasuga Taisha and Horyuji.
Open Nara on the map42 places on the map · 14 local favourites
Local tips
- TipKintetsu Nara Station is closer to Nara Park than JR Nara, so it is usually the handier arrival point.
- AvoidDon’t feed the deer anything but shika senbei, and don’t tease them — they can bite and butt.
- TipHoryuji is a train ride away from central Nara, so plan it as a separate half day.
- Heads upYoshino’s famous cherry blossoms draw very large crowds in early to mid April.
- TipFor a slower day, cycle past the burial mounds and ruins of Asuka, Japan’s ancient heartland.
What to eat
Miwa somen三輪そうめん
Fine wheat noodles from the Miwa area, eaten cold in summer or hot in winter.
Local favourites
Places mostly visited by people who live here — quieter, and often the highlight of a trip.
Gojo Shinmachi
五條新町 Sights & HistoryA preserved street of old merchant houses along the old Kishu road in Gojo, in southern Nara. Quiet and authentic, with barely any visitors.
● Mostly localsKoriyama Goldfish Museum
郡山金魚資料館 ExperiencesA small free museum at a goldfish farm in Yamato-Koriyama, the capital of Japanese goldfish breeding, showing many rare varieties. Walk the surrounding breeding ponds…
● Mostly localsTotsukawa Onsen
十津川温泉 Hot SpringsA remote hot-spring village deep in the Kii Mountains where the water flows straight from the source without recirculation. Close to the Kumano Kodo trails.
● Mostly localsMitarai Gorge
みたらい渓谷 Nature & SceneryA gorge in Tenkawa with emerald pools, waterfalls and a riverside trail over suspension bridges. Brilliant autumn colour and a short drive from Dorogawa Onsen.
● Mostly localsTenkyokudo Honten
天極堂 本店 Local FoodThe main shop of a traditional Yoshino kuzu starch maker in Gose, serving freshly made, still-warm kuzumochi and silky kuzukiri noodles. A dessert you won't taste the…
● Mostly localsHiraso Yoshino Honten
平宗 吉野本店 Local FoodThe original shop of Hiraso, a Yoshino maker of kakinoha-zushi: lightly salted mackerel or salmon sushi wrapped in persimmon leaves. Eat in, or pick up a box for a…
● Mostly localsNakai Shunpudo
中井春風堂 Local FoodA small kuzu specialist on the slopes of Mount Yoshino, making kuzukiri to order so it arrives glassy and fresh with brown sugar syrup. A calm stop between the temples.
● Mostly localsTanize Suspension Bridge
谷瀬の吊り橋 Nature & SceneryOne of Japan's longest pedestrian suspension bridges, swaying high above the Totsukawa river. Crossing it is a thrill that locals still use daily.
● Mostly localsImai-cho
今井町 Sights & HistoryA remarkably intact old temple town in Kashihara with hundreds of traditional houses along narrow lanes. Several merchant houses are open for visits, and there are few…
● Mostly localsKobaien Sumi Ink Workshop
古梅園 ExperiencesShoppingA centuries-old Nara maker of sumi ink sticks for calligraphy, offering workshops where you knead and mould your own inkstick. Workshops run only in the cooler months.
● Mostly localsKoriyama Castle Ruins
郡山城跡 Sights & HistoryNature & SceneryStone walls, moats and a rebuilt gate tower in Yamato-Koriyama, one of Nara's favourite local cherry blossom spots. Pair with the town's goldfish farms.
● Mostly localsMiwa Yamamoto
三輪山本 本店 Local FoodA long-established maker of Miwa somen in Sakurai, the town considered the birthplace of Japan's thin wheat noodles. Its restaurant serves ice-cold somen with a view of…
● Mostly localsThe famous sights
The places most visitors come for. Worth it — just go early.
Todai-ji
東大寺 Temples & GoshuinchoSights & HistoryHome of the Great Buddha, a colossal bronze statue inside one of the world's largest wooden buildings. Squeeze through the hole in the pillar behind the Buddha for good…
Kasuga Taisha
春日大社 Temples & GoshuinchoA vermilion shrine in the forest beyond Nara Park, famous for its thousands of stone and bronze lanterns. They are all lit twice a year for the lantern festivals.
Nakatanidou
中谷堂 Local FoodA mochi shop near Kintetsu Nara famous for its lightning-fast pounding performance. The warm yomogi mochi, filled with bean paste and dusted in kinako, is the thing to…
Higashimuki Shotengai
東向商店街 ShoppingThe covered shopping arcade right by Kintetsu Nara Station, with souvenir shops, local sweets and casual restaurants. A convenient first stop.
Naramachi
ならまち Sights & HistoryThe old merchant quarter south of Sarusawa Pond, a grid of latticed wooden townhouses with small museums, craft shops and cafés. Look for the red cloth monkey charms…
Dorogawa Onsen
Hot SpringsNature & SceneryDorogawa Onsen is a historic hot spring resort town nestled deep in the Yoshino mountains of Nara, long celebrated as a spiritual retreat near the sacred Omine range.…
Yoshimizu Shrine
Temples & GoshuinchoNature & SceneryYoshimizu Shrine is a historic shrine nestled in the scenic mountains of Yoshino, Nara, known for its deep spiritual atmosphere and stunning cherry blossom…
Nara Deer Park
Nature & SceneryNara Deer Park is one of Japan's most iconic attractions, home to hundreds of freely roaming sika deer that are considered sacred messengers of the gods. Visitors can…