Search results
Japan’s first permanent capital. ••• Best of Japan. ★★★★★. 4.4 (3,199) #4 of 208 most visited in Japan. Intro. Attractions. By Interest. Get There. Itineraries. Hotels. Experiences. Japan's first permanent capital was established in the year 710 at Heijo, the city now known as Nara (奈良).
Discover the top things to do in Nara, where deer, Buddhist temples Todai-ji, Kofuku-ji and Shinto shrine Kasuga-Taisha dot Nara Park. Discover beautiful nature like Nara Kenei Umamikyuryo Park and Mitarai Valley or visit Kashihara Jingu.
Explore Japan’s history and culture in Nara. This ancient city is home to three World Heritage sites, comprising Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara, Buddhist Monuments in the Horyuji Area, and Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range.
Things to Do in Nara, Japan: See Tripadvisor's 49,449 traveler reviews and photos of Nara tourist attractions. Find what to do today, this weekend, or in July. We have reviews of the best places to see in Nara. Visit top-rated & must-see attractions.
Nara (奈良市, Nara-shi, ⓘ) is the capital city of Nara Prefecture, Japan. As of 2022, Nara has an estimated population of 367,353 according to World Population Review, making it the largest city in Nara Prefecture and sixth-largest in the Kansai region of Honshu.
Nara Park (奈良公園, Nara Kōen) is a large park in central Nara. Established in 1880, it is the location of many of Nara's main attractions including Todaiji, Kasuga Taisha, Kofukuji and the Nara National Museum. It is also home to hundreds of freely roaming deer.
Nara Prefecture has sacred mountain ranges, spiritual sites and early Japanese artifacts. The political and religious heart of ancient Japan is easily accessed from Osaka and Kyoto and has shrines and temples that are among Japan's oldest. Many of these sites have cultivated flower gardens that enhance their surroundings.
Browse Nara's top sightseeing attractions and discover what to do and where to go in Nara
Japan's first permanent capital, Nara (奈良) is one of the country's most rewarding destinations. The biggest draw is the awe-inspiring Daibutsu (Great Buddha), a towering effigy first cast in the 8th century.
Nara is located in the center of the Kii Peninsula, between Wakayama and Mie, a short train ride from Kyoto and Osaka. Home to sacred sites such as Ise Jingu Shrine, the grand shrines of Kumano (Kumano Sanzan) and mountaintop temple complex Koyasan, the peninsula is considered the nation’s spiritual heartland.
