Travel tips · Nara · Japan
Nara travel tips: what to know before you go
The etiquette, money and practical details that make the first day easier.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Wiiii, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Nara, then called Heijo-kyo, was Japan's first long-lasting capital in the 8th century, modelled on the Chinese Tang capital of Chang'an. Buddhism flourished under state patronage, producing Todai-ji and many great temples, while the Shinto shrine of Kasuga Taisha made the deer sacred messengers. Eight sites now form the UNESCO 'Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara', and the city still feels smaller and calmer than Kyoto.
Key facts
- Language
- Japanese
- Currency
- JPY
- Plugs
- Type A and B sockets, 100 V, 60 Hz
- Tap water
- Tap water is safe to drink.
- Emergency
- 110 (police), 119 (fire and ambulance)
Things to know
- Bow to the deer if you like, but don't tease them, feed them anything but deer crackers or leave rubbish where they can eat it.
- Remove shoes where temple halls have raised floors, and don't photograph inside halls that display no-photography signs.
- At shrines, bow at the torii, rinse your hands at the basin and avoid walking in the centre of the approach.
- Keep voices low in temple halls and in Naramachi's residential lanes.
- Don't eat while walking in the temple grounds.
- Book Nara National Museum ahead: During the autumn Shoso-in Exhibition, timed or advance tickets have been needed; check the museum's site.
- Nara Park, Nigatsu-do, the outer grounds of Kasuga Taisha and Todai-ji, Naramachi and the Heijo Palace site are free.
Tipping
Tipping is not practised in Japan. Ryokan and some hotels include a service charge.
Language
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Konnichiwa | Hello |
| Arigatō gozaimasu | Thank you very much |
| Sumimasen | Excuse me / sorry |
| Shika senbei | Deer crackers |
| Kore o kudasai | This one, please |
What to wear
Casual clothes and comfortable shoes are fine; you will walk on gravel and slopes and remove shoes in some temple halls, so socks without holes help.
Practical details
- Plugs and voltage
- Type A and B sockets, 100 V, 60 Hz
- Drinking water
- Tap water is safe to drink.
- Emergency number
- 110 (police), 119 (fire and ambulance)
- Phone and internet
- Free Wi-Fi is available at tourist information centres and many cafés; buy SIM cards or eSIMs on arrival at Kansai Airport.
- Time zone
- Asia/Tokyo
Nara has very low crime. The deer are wild animals and can bite, kick or butt, especially stags in autumn and mothers in early summer; keep food out of sight. Summer heat is significant, so carry water.
Entry requirements
Visa and passport rules depend on your nationality and change often. Check Japan's official government guidance and your own government's travel advice before booking.
Plan the trip
Questions travellers ask
+Do you tip in Nara?
Tipping is not practised in Japan. Ryokan and some hotels include a service charge.
+Can you drink the tap water in Nara?
Tap water is safe to drink.
+What plugs are used in Nara?
Type A and B sockets, 100 V, 60 Hz
+What language is spoken in Nara?
Japanese.