Best Visiting around Nara, Ikoma, Tenri Spot List

Encounter the Man’yoshu and plants from time immemorial

The graceful standing statue of Gigeiten is a must-see attraction

A beautiful mountain overlooking the city of Nara

A mountain-top amusement park with a great view

This ancient temple was erected by Empress Komyo

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

An ancient temple supported by common people

Enjoy the Japanese architecture in the elegant drawing room

View three gardens, each with its own unique charm

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.

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

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.

A vault of many national cultural artifacts from the Nara period

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

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

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.