This post was originally published on A Globe Well Travelled in 2019. The content has been revised and updated with fresh information.
Nara is the destination for one of Japan’s most famous experiences… feeding the deer!
This animal attraction is unique as these wild sika deer are free to roam Nara Park as they please. The 1000+ deer within the park have become accustomed to humans and are happy for visitors to feed them special crackers as they wander around.
I had a fab time feeding the deer in Nara Park, but this area has even more amazing attractions – there’s also a huge concentration of historic Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines, some holding the title of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Nara is easily accessible from Kyoto or Osaka and makes a great day trip from either of these cities. If you’re wondering how to to visit Nara, here’s my travel tips and suggestions for the perfect Nara itinerary!
Quick summary:
Planning a day trip to Nara from Kyoto? This guide covers everything you need to know – from the best way to get to Nara Park, how to feed the deer, and a walking route through the city’s top temples, shrines, and scenic spots.
Recommended tours and tickets:
🌸 Nara Guided Morning Tour from Kyoto – Feed the deer and explore Nara’s top sights in half a day.
🚆 Kintetsu Rail Pass – Save money and travel easily across Nara, Kyoto, Osaka, and more.
🦌 Nara Half-Day Walking Tour – Discover the city’s history with an English-speaking guide.
🍵 Matcha Tea Ceremony – Step into a 120-year-old farmhouse for an intimate tea experience.
How to get to Nara from Kyoto:
By guided tour
🌸 If you prefer not to navigate public transport or plan your own route, you can join a guided tour. This Nara Guided Morning Tour from Kyoto is a great choice for a half-day adventure, with transport included from Kyoto Station.
You’ll explore some of Nara’s most iconic sights, including Todaiji Temple, Nara Park (where you can feed the friendly deer!), the massive Nandaimon Gate, and Kasuga Taisha Shrine with its magical lantern-lined pathways. The tour wraps up around midday at Kintetsu-Nara Station, leaving you free to explore more or head back to Kyoto.
By train
We ended up getting a Kyoto to Nara train using the JR Nara Line to Nara Station. This took 1 hour and 15 minutes. If you are travelling around Japan on the JR Rail Pass, you should go with this option.
On the way back, we realised there’s a limited express train between Kyoto Station and Kintetsu-Nara Station, which is actually much faster! It costs a little more but only takes 50 minutes, so it’s definitely worth the extra yen to save travel time.
🚆 If you plan on visiting multiple destinations in the Kansai region, consider getting the Kintetsu Rail Pass which includes train travel from Kyoto to Nara. With 1-day, 2-day, or 5-day options, it’s a cost-effective way to explore the region without stressing about individual ticket prices.
Nara map guide:
1 – Nandaimon Gate of Todaiji
2 – Todaiji Temple
3 – Nigatsu-do Temple
4 – Hokkedo (Sangatsudo)
5 – Kabuga-Taisha Shrine
6 – Yoshiki-en Garden
There are a few ways to see the top Nara attractions: you can explore on your own using the walking itinerary above (which is what I did), or you can join a guided walking tour.
🦌 A Nara Half-Day Walking Tour is a great option if you’re interested in learning more about the city’s fascinating Buddhist and Shinto history from a knowledgeable English-speaking guide.
Nara itinerary
Morning
You will probably want to feed the deer right away – it was definitely my top priority! This task is pretty easy as the deer are literally everywhere. It’s likely that you’ll see some on the walk from the train station to the park entrance, though it’s better to wait until you get inside the park to feed them and take photos.
There are plenty of vendors inside the park entrance selling small packets of special deer crackers for around 150 yen. These treats are made from wheat flour and rice bran, which compliments the natural diets of the deer. They contain no sugar to ensure the animals stay healthy, and some of the profits from these cracker sales go towards a deer protection foundation.
Purchase some of these crackers (do not feed them human food!) then use the treats to lure the deer towards you for a photo. The deer may also bow to you if you are holding crackers – they use this trick to impress you!
Once you’ve fed the deer, move on to do some sightseeing. For your first official attraction, walk towards the Nandaimon Gate of Todaiji. This impressive gate was built in the 12th century and has two massive 8.5 metre (28 ft) statues of guardian deities. This gate is the largest temple entrance gate in Japan.
Next, walk to Todaiji Temple – situated just a short distance from the gate. The Great Buddha Hall in this temple houses a gigantic 15 metre (49 ft) bronze buddha statue. The hall itself was once the world’s largest wooden building!
Afternoon
There plenty of Nara temples and shrines inside the park that you can visit. Nigatsu-do Temple is a great one to visit as it has an elevated balcony with amazing views looking over the historic rooftops to the city of Nara. You can wander around the grounds and balcony without having to pay an entrance fee.
Next door is Todaiji Hokkedo (Sangatsudo). While this is not the most impressive building from the outside, it’s actually the oldest building in the Todaji complex built in 733 AD. You can pay 600 yen to enter the temple and view its historic statues of warrior kings and guardians.
The walk to Kasuga-taisha Shrine takes around 10-15 minutes, but much of it features lovely forest pathways lined with moss-covered stone lanterns. The areas around this shrine can be visited free of charge, though there is also a paid section where you can get a closer look at some inner parts of the building.
Also, before you leave Nara, be sure to stop in at Yoshiki-en garden. When I visityed in 2019, this Japanese-style zen garden was free to enter for international tourists.
The garden is a quiet place to enjoy some space away from the crowds. I sat here to meditate in the moss garden for 10 minutes and felt totally relaxed afterwards!
Where to eat in Nara
There are plenty of restaurants around the Nara Park entrance, but there are only a handful of food options inside the park itself.
We ended up going to a noodle restaurant, but unfortunately I didn’t have the best experience – my curry meal, which I thought was vegetarian, came with beef mixed in to it (even though it wasn’t mentioned on the menu) and I found it difficult to convey that I didn’t eat meat to the waiter. My replacement meal was a weird and not particularly tasty green tea rice soup! Rob really enjoyed his udon noodle dish though so it may have just been unlucky on my part.
On your way out of the park, you can stop for a snack at one of the stalls near the entrance. I chose a matcha softcream complete with a Nara-themed deer biscuit! You could also try a Japanese shaved ice treat if it’s a hot day.
🍵 Speaking of matcha – if you’re looking to end your Nara day trip with something peaceful and culturally enriching, consider a Nara Matcha Tea Ceremony Experience. In the calm and serene setting, you’ll savour the delicate aroma and taste of your matcha alongside seasonal wagashi (traditional sweets).
I didn’t get the chance to do this tea ceremony, but learning about the history and etiquette of matcha inside a 120-year-old Japanese farmhouse sounds like such a pleasant way to wind down your visit to Nara and gain a deeper connection to Japanese culture.
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