Best Visiting around Nara, Ikoma, Tenri Spot List

The second-oldest national museum in Japan, located in Nara Park. It boasts the nation's greatest collection of Buddhist art.

Learn about Nara's traditional crafts

A great view overlooking the the Five Storied Pagoda of Kofukuji Temple

An old town house to relax in

A temple built upon the request of Emperor Tenmu during the Hakuho Period. Reconstructed in recent years, the temple structures showcase beautiful, vibrant colors.

Enjoy the Japanese architecture in the elegant drawing room

A temple associated with Heian-era poet Ariwara no Narihara

This Buddhist school was established by the Chinese monk Jianzhen

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

A vault of many national cultural artifacts from the Nara period

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.

View three gardens, each with its own unique charm

The oldest surviving building of Todaiji Temple. All the Buddhist statues stored here are national treasures

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

Nara’s Great Buddha is seated here

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

See the brave figures of twelve protective deities

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

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.