Itinerary · Nara · Japan
One day in Nara
A day-by-day plan grouped by neighbourhood, so you spend your time seeing Nara, not crossing it.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: ミス テルジ, CC BY 2.1 jp
Quick answer
1 days covers the main sights, though 2 lets you slow down. Day 1: Todai-ji and the Great Buddha and Nara Park and its deer. Base yourself in Kintetsu Nara and Higashimuki.
Key facts
- Days
- 1
- Sights covered
- 4
- Day trips
- None
- Best base
- Kintetsu Nara and Higashimuki
- Book ahead
- Nara National Museum
Day by day
Day 1: Todai-ji and the Great Buddha and Nara Park and its deer
Todai-ji and the Great Buddha, Nara Park and its deer, Kasuga Taisha and Nara National Museum, then Sunset at Nigatsu-do in the evening.
Morning
Todai-ji and the Great Buddha
Arrive at opening to see the Buddha before school groups, and look for the pillar with a hole said to be the size of the Buddha's nostril. Allow 1.5 hours.
Late morning
Nara Park and its deer
Feed crackers one at a time and show empty hands when you are done; deer can nip or butt when they see food, especially in autumn rutting season. Allow 1–2 hours.
Lunch
Lunch: Persimmon-leaf sushi
Specialist shops along Sanjo-dori, in Higashimuki and at the stations; good as a take-away lunch in the park.
Afternoon
Kasuga Taisha
Walk the stone-lantern approach early in the morning, and come back for the Mantoro lantern festivals in early February or mid-August if your dates allow. Allow 1–1.5 hours.
Late afternoon
Nara National Museum
Visit the permanent Buddhist sculpture galleries in the old building, a good stop on a rainy afternoon. Allow 1.5–2 hours.
Evening
Sunset at Nigatsu-do
Watch the sun set over the Great Buddha Hall's roof and the city from the hall's wooden veranda.
Before you go
- Nara National Museum: During the autumn Shoso-in Exhibition, timed or advance tickets have been needed; check the museum's site.
Where to stay for this itinerary
$$$ · Best for first-timers, families and couples
Kintetsu Nara and Higashimuki
Station area beside Nara Park with the covered Higashimuki arcade
Pace and daylight
The sights in this plan add up to roughly 5–7 hours of visiting over one day, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 9.8 hours in December to 14.5 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.
Getting between stops: Walking. Walking is the best way to see Nara Park, Naramachi and the main temples, which are linked by flat paths and gentle slopes.
More or fewer days
Questions travellers ask
+Is one day enough in Nara?
1 days covers the main sights, though 2 lets you slow down. How many days Nara needs.
+What should I book before visiting Nara?
Nara National Museum.