Tourist attractions / Experience spots

Nara City Tourist Information Center

The former station building of JR Nara Station opened on July 25, 2009 as the Nara City General Tourist Information Center. There is also tourist information in foreign languages and a tourist info...

(Place of scenic beauty)Tsukigase Plum Grove

The flower that first brings us the feeling of early spring is plum blossoms. The Satsuki River flows through the center of Tsukigase, a famous spot for plum blossoms, creating a beautiful valley, ...

Heijō-kyō Sakyo Sanjo Nibo Palace Garden (Imperial Villa Garden Site of the Ancient Nara Capital)

This is a garden ruin from the Nara period centered around the garden pond that was discovered during an excavation in 1975.The actual remains of the excavated structure are on display. As it is on...

Saidai-ji Temple

Saidai-ji was founded in 765, the first year of the Tempyo Era, by Empress Shotoku. When it was originally constructed, the temple grounds were prosperous, and filled with a great many buildings, b...

Daiichiji Daigokuden(Former Imperial Audience Hall)

Daigokuden was Heijo Palace's largest palace and was used for the country's most important ceremonies, such as the Emperor's coronation and meetings with foreign envoys. The current building, which...

Toin Teien (East Palace Garden)

An elegant garden located on the eastern overhang of the Heijo Palace ruins, which was known as ``Togu'' or ``Toin''. Centered around an L-shaped pond, it is thought to have served as a guesthouse ...

Todaiji Temple - Hokkedo Hall (Sangatsudo Hall)

According to the temple histories, this is the site of Kinshoji Temple, which was founded before Todaiji Temple was built, and it is the oldest among the Todaiji Temple structures. On a map dating ...

Naramachi Lattice House

Naramachi Kōshi-no-ie House is a reconstruction of a traditional townhouse in Nara City. You can directly experience the lifestyles in those townhouses and lean about the way townspeople lived.

Kofuku-ji Temple

The Kofuku-ji Temple, situated next to the Todai-ji Temple, was prosperous as a forerunner of "Buddhism for aristocrats" in the Nara period. Among the seven biggest temples of Nara, the Kofuku-ji T...

Todaiji Temple - Tegaimon Gate

This impressive gate is located in the north-west of the temple precinct, on the west side of Shosoin Hall, and has the style of an eight-pillared, three bayed gate with one entrance. This is one o...

Nara Park

This vast park covers an approximate area of 660 hectares. It encompasses the eastern portion of Nara City itself, as well Kofuku-ji Temple, Todai-ji Temple, Kasuga Taisha Shrine, and Nara National...

Isui-en Garden/Neiraku Art Museum

This garden was once built as a villa by a merchant from Nara Sarashi, and was designated as a national scenic spot in 1975. The roofs of Mt. Wakakusa, Mt. Kasuga, and the South Gate of Todaiji Tem...

Gango-ji Temple

This edifice used to be a part of the priests' living quarters of the Gango-ji Temple, and was reconstructed as its main hall (National Treasure) and Zen hall (National Treasure) in the Kamakura pe...

Saidaiji Temple - Shiodo Hall

Shiō-dō enshrines the statues of Shitennō (the Four Heavenly Kings) considered to be the reason for Saidaiji tepmle’s foundation, when they were made at the wish of the Empress Shōtoku. Only ...

Nara Nagomikan

This is one of the largest souvenir shops in Nara Prefecture, near Nara Park. With the heart of Japan and the heart of Japanese hospitality, we carry approximately 3,000 souvenir items, mainly Nara...

Tamukeyama Hachimangu Shrine

It was constructed in 794, around the time when the Great Buddha was built, in order to protect Todaiji Temple. It is also famous for its beautiful autumn leaves, and Sugawara-no Michizane wrote a ...

Mausoleum of Emperor Shomu/Empress Komyo

Immediately west of Tamon Castle Ruins. Many tombs of emperors and members of the imperial family from the Nara period were built in this Mt. Saho area, including the tombs of Emperor Genmei and Ge...

Yakushiji Temple - Dai Kōdō Great Lecture Hall

The Dai Kōdō Great Lecture Hall is the largest structure in the temple, measuring 41m wide, 20m deep, and standing 17m tall. It is said that monks, independent from which sects they belonged, used ...

Kohfukuji Temple - Hokuendo Hall

It was built at the time of the first-year memorial service for Fujiwara-no Fuhito, the founder of Kohfukuji Temple, and was rebuilt in 1210 after it suffered from the second catastrophe. It is spe...