6 best day trips from Nara

Day trips compared

The day trips

12 km · About 30 minutes by train and walk or bus

1.Horyu-ji

Founded by Prince Shotoku in the early 7th century, Horyu-ji has some of the oldest surviving wooden buildings in the world, including its five-storey pagoda and Golden Hall, and a treasure hall of early Buddhist art.

Getting there

JR Yamatoji line to Horyuji station, then walk or bus

Best for

Culture, Quiet stays

30 km · About 30–45 minutes by train

2.Uji

A riverside town famous for green tea and for Byodo-in, whose Phoenix Hall from 1053 appears on the ¥10 coin. Tea shops line the approach, and the Tale of Genji Museum covers the novel's final chapters, set here.

Getting there

JR Nara line to Uji

Best for

Couples, Food lovers, Culture

35 km · About 45 minutes by train

3.Fushimi Inari-taisha

The shrine's tunnels of thousands of vermilion torii gates climb Mount Inari on the southern edge of Kyoto. It is a convenient stop on the JR line between Nara and Kyoto.

Getting there

JR Nara line to Inari station

Best for

First-timers, Couples

60 km · About 1.5–2 hours by train and ropeway

4.Mount Yoshino

A mountain covered with tens of thousands of cherry trees that bloom in stages up the slopes, usually in early to mid-April. The Kinpusen-ji temple and Yoshino Mikumari shrine are part of a UNESCO pilgrimage site.

Getting there

Kintetsu trains via Kashiharajingu-mae to Yoshino, then ropeway or walk

Best for

Couples, Culture

25 km · About 45 minutes to 1 hour by train

5.Asuka

The rural seat of power before Nara, with rice fields, mysterious stone sculptures, the Ishibutai kofun tomb and Asuka-dera's Great Buddha, the oldest in Japan. Best explored by rented bicycle.

Getting there

Kintetsu trains to Asuka or Kashiharajingu-mae, then bike or bus

Best for

Quiet stays, Culture

30 km · About 1 hour by train

6.Hase-dera

A mountainside temple reached by a covered stairway of 399 steps, famous for peonies in spring and hydrangeas and autumn leaves, with a wooden veranda over the valley and a large Kannon statue.

Getting there

Kintetsu Osaka line to Hasedera station, then walk

Best for

Couples, Quiet stays, Culture

Day-trip tips

• Leave early: most trips are more relaxed with a morning departure and a return before dinner.
• Nationwide IC cards such as ICOCA and Suica work on Nara Kotsu buses.
• Kintetsu Nara station is closer to the sights than JR Nara; the Japan Rail Pass covers only JR trains.
• For trips over about 150 km, an overnight stay or an organised tour saves a lot of travelling.

Questions travellers ask