Nara

Discover Nara

Nara lies just 40 minutes by local train from Kyoto and is renowned for the wealth of its Buddhist and Shinto heritage. 

Bow at the feet of the impressive Daibutsu, or big Buddha housed in Ikaruga, once the world’s largest wooden structure. The valley is surrounded by a picturesque backdrop of low lying mountains providing a cozy home to a myriad of shrines and temples and some belligerent deer famous for their appetite. Official deer cookies are for sale for the chance to make some deer friends for life.

Nara Park is central to cultural heritage. Take a tour of the ancient temples and shrines: Todaiji Temple, Deer Park, & Kasuga Shrine

Todai-ji Temple is the most famous known as Great Buddha Hall the largest bronze statue in the world. This is the first point to visit and a humbling experience of ancient wisdom.

Nara Park at the foot of Mt. Wakakusa is an expansive natural setting with unspoiled woods and a lake full of turtles and carp. Amongst the extremely old and unique temples and shrines meet the tame and free roaming deer.

Walk to Kasuga Shrine along a path through the woods to reveal an icon of contrasting colours of vermilion and white with natural cypress roofs. Attractive to devotees for an iconic Shinto experience at a most sacred site. Built in 768 this impressive shrine houses multiple deities and lucky gods and thousands of stone lanterns.