Best Visiting around Nara, Ikoma, Tenri Spot List

An ancient temple supported by common people

A temple associated with Heian-era poet Ariwara no Narihara

This sacred primeval forest is registered as a world heritage site

Learn about Nara's traditional crafts

This ancient temple was erected by Empress Komyo

A relaxing spot above the pond

This Buddhist school was established by the Chinese monk Jianzhen

Beloved Buddha artifacts inside the school of Heijo Palace

A vault of many national cultural artifacts from the Nara period

View three gardens, each with its own unique charm

This is the remains of the garden of Daijo-in Temple, which was a monzeki temple (a temple of high rank where members of the imperial family and nobility enter the priesthood) of Kofuku-ji Temple. After the restoration was completed in 2010, these remains were made open to the public. You can also see them from Daijo-in Temple Garden Culture Hall located in the south of the garden.

Enjoy an ancient Nara ritual at the summit. The Wakakusa Yamayaki Festival is held every January

Legend has it that the temple buildings were built by Emperor Shomu. In addition to the exquisite Kamakura-Period-style Romon Gate (National Treasure) facing the old road, there is a Kamakura-Period-style thirteen-story pagoda (Important Cultural Property) towering at the center of the temple grounds. The temple is also famous for its cosmos flowers.

A three-tiered pagoda and world heritage site, 1200 years old

An ancient ritual practice in which several deer are chased down to have their antlers trimmed

A shrine to the beautiful Mount Miwa, worshiped since ancient times

See the brave figures of twelve protective deities

Nara’s Great Buddha is seated here

During the Nara Period, the guardian deity of the hiike (pond where ice used in the Imperial court was made) and the himuro (storeroom for ice), which were built in the Kasugano field beside Yoshiki-gawa River, was enshrined in the shrine. It was later moved to the current location. On May 1 every year, a festival called Kenpyosai takes place in which workers at companies that make and sell ice pray for success in business. The current shrine pavilion is said to have been reconstructed in the Edo Period. Also, the weeping cherry trees in the shrine grounds are very beautiful.

Located just north of Hokke-do in the Todai-ji Temple complex, Nigatsu-do is known as a place where Shuni-e (Omizu-tori or Sacred Water-drawing Festival) takes place every March. Nigatsu-do was named so since Shuni-e was held in February (nigatsu in Japanese) in the old calendar. Fire destroyed it in 1667, but two years later the current building was reconstructed exactly as it was before the fire. The building's design features a cascading style of architecture, and provides a commanding view of the roof of the Great Buddha Hall and Nara city. The principal image is the Juichimen Kannon, which is never shown to the public.