From Wikitravel
Daibutsuden of the Todaiji temple
Nara (奈良) [1] is an ancient
capital city in Nara Prefecture, Kansai region of Japan.
Overshadowed by its more famous neighbor Kyoto, Nara is omitted from many a time-pressed
tourist's itinerary. However, Nara is home to many important scenic
and historical sites, and today preserves its main sights much more
attractively than Kyoto within Nara Park and
neighborhoods like Naramachi.
Understand
Along with the development of Heijyōkyō (平城京),
the capital of Japan between 710-784 AD, Nara flourished under the
influence of Buddhism, leading to the creation of an enormous
number of cultural assets, buildings and books, many of which are
preserved today. Nara has the largest number of buildings
designated National Treasures in Japan.
While the Heijyōkyū Palace (平城宮) site turned into plain fields
after the capital was moved to Kyoto, the shrines and temples were
left on the east side of the palace (called Gekyo (外京)), and
Buddhism remained influential throughout the following centuries.
Another part of the area developed as a merchant town, notably in
the Edo period, known as Naramachi (奈良町) today.
Get in
By plane
Nara does not have its own airport, so most visitors arrive via
Kansai International
Airport, or Osaka's Itami
Airport.
From Kansai Airport, Airport Limousine buses run to the two Nara
train stations every hour (¥1800, 1 1/2 hours). More frequent
service is available by rail: If you have a Japan Rail Pass, you
can take the Haruka limited express to Tennoji station and
then transfer to the Yamatoji line for the run to Nara (¥2900, no
charge with rail pass). Otherwise, it's cheaper to take the Nankai
Railway's Kūkō-Kyūkō (空港急行) express train to Shin-Imamiya,
and then take the JR Yamatoji line from there (¥1430). With good
connections, both trips take around 1 1/4 hours and 1 1/2 hours,
respectively.
Limousine buses connect Itami Airport to the two Nara train
stations for ¥1440; the ride takes about one hour.
By train
From Kyoto station, both the
JR Nara Line and the private Kintetsu
Kyoto Line will get you to Nara quickly. The Kintetsu Nara
station is better located than the JR Nara station, and
all-reserved Tokkyū (特急) trains leave Kyoto twice an hour,
making the run to Nara in 35 minutes. On slower but more-frequent
Kyūkō (急行) services, the trip takes about 50 minutes and
you may need to change trains at Yamato-Saidaiji station. The trip
will cost ¥610, plus an extra ¥500 on the Tokkyū. For
Japan Rail Pass holders, JR's Miyakoji Kaisoku (みやこ路快速)
runs during mid-day hours from Kyoto to Nara in 45 minutes (¥690,
no charge with rail pass).
The fastest route from Osaka
is to take the private Kintetsu Nara Line from
Namba station. Kaisoku-Kyūkō (快速急行) trains run three times
per hour to Kintetsu Nara (40 minutes, ¥540). For Japan Rail Pass
holders, JR runs up to three Yamatoji Kaisoku (大和路快速)
trains each hour from Osaka, Tennōji, and intermediate stations on
the Osaka Loop Line. The run to Nara is 45 minutes from Osaka
Station and 30 minutes from Tennōji (¥780 and ¥450 respectively, no
charge with rail pass).
Hanshin offers services from Kobe's Sannomiya station to Kintetsu Nara via the
Hanshin Namba line for ¥940. Direct Kaisoku-Kyūkō services
leave three times per hour during most of the day, otherwise you
will have to change trains at Amagasaki. The trip takes about 90
minutes.
If travelling between Kyoto, Nara and Osaka consider purchasing
the Kansai thru-pass which enables unlimited
travel for 2 or 3 days on private railways, buses and subways
(not-JR) within the Kansai area.
By bus
As Nara is a major tourist attraction, there are a good number
of buses that run between Nara and other locations throughout
Japan, which can result in significant savings when compared to
train fares.
The JR Bus Group (Japanese Website) [2]
is a major operator of the routes from the Tokyo area to Kansai. Buses operate via the Tomei
Expressway to and from Tokyo Station, and make a stop at Kyoto Station en-route.
Seat reservations for JR Buses can be made in train stations at
the same "Midori-no-Madoguchi" ticket windows used to reserve seats
on trains.
The following overnight services are available: (Current as
of January, 2009)
- The Seishun Dream Nara departs from Tokyo
Station every night at 21:50, with the returning service leaving
Nara at 21:10. ¥5000 each way. The bus offers 4-across seating
(2x2) with limited amenities.
- The Dream Nara departs nightly from Ueno
Station (21:20) and Tokyo Station (22:00), with the returning
service leaving Nara at 20:50. ¥8400 each way; ¥1000 discount on
most departures if ticket is purchased 5 days in advance. The bus
offers wider, comfortable 3-across seating (1x1x1) and offers more
amenities such as blankets.
Both of these services reach Nara in about 9 1/2 hours.
The Japan Rail Pass is not valid on the Tokyo-Nara bus
route. However, you can take a bus into Kyoto Station
(daytime or overnight), which is covered under the pass, and change
there for rail service on the JR Nara Line for the final part of
the journey.
Get around
Central Nara
Once within Nara Park, you can simply walk to
almost all the other major sites. The conventional round course
(from Kintetsu Nara Station to Kōfuku-ji, Nara National Museum,
Tōdai-ji, Kasuga Taisha and back to Kintetsu Nara Station) is about
6km long, usually a quite pleasant walk for a tourist.
Also, Nara Kotsu Bus service (City Loop Route) is available
every 30 minutes between 9:00 and 16:30 at flat fare (¥180 per
adult, ¥90 per child at 12 years old or less). PDF Map [3]
Outskirts
Tōshōdai-ji, Yakushi-ji, and Horyu-ji Temples are accessible from JR and
Kintetsu Nara train stations without change by
Nara-Nishinokyo-Ikaruga Excursion Bus line (Line No. 97). PDF Map
[4]
- Fare to Tōshōdai-ji (E-8) from JR and Kintetsu Nara stations
(E-6, E-7) is ¥240.
- Fare to Yakushi-ji (E-10) from JR and Kintetsu Nara stations
(E-6, E-7) is ¥320.
- Fare to Hōryu-ji (E-15) from JR and Kintetsu Nara stations
(E-6, E-7) is ¥760.
See also World Heritage Tour in
Nara
See
If you only have one day to spend in Nara, focus on Nara Park.
With more time, though, there's more to see. Three days in
Nara provides suggestions for longer trips to the area.
Yakushi Nyorai, Buddha of medicine and healing, at Todaiji
Lanterns at Kasuga Taisha
Most of Nara's sights, including temples, shrines and famously
mercenary deer, are concentrated in Nara Park
(奈良公園 Nara-kōen), a wide, pleasant space of greenery.
According to legend, the god of the Kasuga Taisha came riding a
white deer in the old days, so the deer enjoy protected status as
envoys of the god; however, based on their current behavior, either
the deer have lost the job, or the god has taken an extremely
passionate interest in biscuits from tourists (¥150), empty food
wrappers and harassing shopkeepers.
- Tōdai-ji (東大寺). 8AM-4:30PM Nov-Feb, to 5PM Mar / Oct, 7:30AM-5:30PM
Apr-Sep. Home to the famous
Daibutsu (大仏), the largest Buddha statue in Japan
and one of the largest in the world, appropriately, the
Daibutsu-den, which houses it, is said to be the largest wooden
building in the world. It's listed as a UNESCO
World Heritage site. The giant front gate,
Nandai-mon, is guarded by two fierce,
awe-inspiring protectors. (It's also swarmed by deer, who know this
is the best place to come looking for a hand-out.) Through the gate
is a stone path leading to the outer walls surrounding the
Daibutsu-den. Follow the signs to the left to enter the inner
courtyard; if you happen to have a stick of incense with you, join
the crowd around the incense offerings before you head
onward.
The Daibutsu-den also contains four other giant
statues. Once you've taken in the Daibutsu itself, walk around it
to the left to see the other statues, as well as a few old tiles
and leftover relics. There's a stand inviting you to sponsor a tile
in order to help with the upkeep of the temple, and
English-language fortune scrolls (omikuji) are on sale
year-round. Take a final look at the Daibutsu as you leave; don't
let the souvenir stand be your last memory of this incredible
sight.
Just before the souvenir area, behind and to the right of the
Daibutsu, is a wooden column with a small hole carved through the
bottom. Enlightenment is reportedly promised to anyone who can
squeeze through this hole. In practice, this means a lot of kids
have enlightenment in store (thanks in part to other kids who kick
their feet to "help" them through), and all but the skinniest
adults can only look on in envy.
To the right of the entrance to the Daibutsu-den is a statue of
the Yakushi Nyorai. Though a bit scary-looking on
first glance, it's actually a Buddha of medicine and healing.
Touching a part of the Yakushi Nyorai and then the corresponding
part of your own body is said to heal any ailments you have
there. ¥500. edit
- Kōfuku-ji (興福寺), [5]. 9AM-5PM. This temple
has a three-story and a five-story pagoda; historically, the latter
has contended with Kyoto's Toji
for the title of Tallest Pagoda in Japan, although Kofuku-ji seems
to have surrendered for now. Eastern
Golden Hall ¥500. edit
- Sarusawa Pond (猿沢の池). This small pond at the east end of Sanjō-dōri
with Nara Park behind or Naramachi to its south is a very popular
viewing spot for Kōfukuji. edit
- Nara National Museum (奈良国立博物館),
50
Noborioji-cho, [6]. 9:30AM to 5 PM. This
museum has one of the world's best collections of Buddhist art and
changing exhibitions. The National Treasure Hall has an impressive
collection of statues. There are "English Guides" inside the museum
however, they do not guide you through the museum; instead they are
there to answer questions. The guides are highly knowledgeable, so
if you can think of questions that require explanation, you can
learn a lot more about the exhibits, Buddhism, and Buddhist
art. ¥500; special exhibitions as high
as ¥2000. edit
- Himuro Shrine (氷室神社), (10-minute walk from the Kintetsu Nara
station. Across the street from the Nara National Museum),
[7].
7AM-5PM. A
shrine dating from 1217 and home to several fine cherry trees.
Although the architecture is unremarkable, the trees in front of
the shrine explode into beautiful clouds of pale pink and white
blossoms during the spring blooming period (late March-early
April). edit
- Ukimidō (浮見堂). A
hexagonal building built on Sagi-ike (鷺池) Pond in Nara Park so that
it appears to float on water. edit
- Kasuga Taisha (春日大社). Worth a visit for the beautiful approach,
through the Kasuga-yama Primeval Forest (see below), more than the
temple itself. What Kyoto's
Fushimi Inari Taisha is for torii, Kasuga Taisha is for
stone lanterns. Notice the giant rack of sake barrels near the
front gate and the fountain-statue of a giant buck. The temple is
occasionally closed for services, but a walk around the outside is
likely to be no less rewarding. The
grounds are free, but it costs ¥600 to enter the inner parts of the
shrine. edit
- Kasuga-yama Hill Primeval Forest (春日山原生林).
A gorgeous hill of wild, undeveloped
forest leading to Kasuga Taisha and some of the other sights in
Nara Koen. The path is clearly marked, though, so don't worry about
getting lost. It's a magical, quiet walk at any time of day. If
you're determined to feed some deer, save your biscuits for the
ones out here instead of the loafers by Todai-ji. edit
- Isui-en Garden (依水園), (On the way to Kasuga Taisha from Kintetsu
Nara Station), [8]. 9:30AM-4PM. Enjoy
the magnificently arranged garden with full of flowers, surrounded
by all the rest of Nara Park. ¥650. edit
- Shin-Yakushi-ji (新薬師寺), (Can be reached through the primeval forest;
follow the signs from Kasuga Taisha). 9AM-5PM. It's a
single hall with twelve ferocious warrior statues (each with his
own collection plate) standing guard by a Buddha of healing. The
statues are quite impressive; this is as well-protected a Buddha as
you're likely to find. ¥500.
edit
A miko entering a Nara shrine
- Nara City Museum of Photography (奈良市写真美術館),
600-1
Takabatake-chō (Near
Shin-Yakushi-ji, a couple blocks outside Nara Park), ☎ 0742-22-9811, [9]. 9:30AM-5PM. The
steel-and-glass building sits as if reflected upon the linear pond
that surrounds it. Inside, there are reasonably interesting
exhibits of photography on local subjects like the Mount Wakakusa
Fire Festival (see below). ¥300.
edit
- Yakushi-ji (薬師寺), 457 Nishinokyo-chō (A short walk from Nishinokyo Station and
Toshodai-ji), ☎ 074-233-6001, [10]. 8:30AM-5PM. Although
most of the temple was reconstructed in the 1970s after a fire,
Yakushi-ji is still worth the visit. The Buddhist Yakushi trinity
housed in the hondo is a great work, and the the two
pagodas on each side of the temple make it a unique and
recognizable complex. The east pagoda has survived and dates back
to 730 AD. Like Gango-ji, Yakushi-ji was one of the seven top
temples in the city during the Nara Period. ¥800. edit
- Gangō-ji (元興寺), 11 Chuin-chō (In Nara-machi, near Kofuku-ji),
☎ 074-223-1377, [11]. 9AM-5PM. It was
considered to be one of the seven most important temples in Nara
back in the days when Nara was the nation's capital. The original
temple burned down in the 18th century, but the architectural style
remains true to the original, with its unique Korean-style roof.
The mandala within the temple is one of the most famous in the
nation. Around the outside of the temple there are many Buddhist
statues, but perhaps more interesting are the various demon statues
scattered about among them. While the Buddhist statues are quite
typical and obviously religious, the demon statues are comical and
seem out-of-place. Some even appear sacreligious, with a demon
doing Zen meditation among the Buddhist statues and another in a
rather erotic centerfold-like pose. There is a story that
supposedly associates the demons with the temple. For visitors, it
is fun to try and spot them all. ¥400. edit
- Heijōkyū Palace Site (平城宮跡), 2-9-1
Nijo-chō, ☎ 074-230-6752, [12]. The Suzaku Gate (朱雀門) is a
replica, along with the newly built Daigoku-den
(大極殿). In the center of this large expanse of land you'll find the
best preserved excavation area, with some foundation structures on
the site. On the rest of the grounds, you can still see where
structures once stood by looking at the elevated and sunken areas.
On opposite ends of the site there are museums where you can learn
about the history of the palace, see artifacts recovered from the
excavation, and learn about the excavation process. edit
- Tōshōdai-ji (唐招提寺), 13-46 Gojo-chō, (A short walk from Nishinokyo Station and
Yakushi-ji), ☎ 074-233-7900. 8:30AM-5PM. A temple
that was important in helping to spread Buddhist teachings in
Japan, Toshodai-ji is where the great Chinese priest Ganjin
preached. His grave is within the precints of the temple.
¥600, ¥700 with treasure house. edit
- Nara Century Hall (なら100年会館), 7-1 Sanjo Miyamae-machi (Next to JR Nara station), ☎ 074-234-0100, [13]. Hosts a variety of events, concerts, and
musicals. Sometimes a flea market is held in front of the
hall. edit
- Naramachi is ten minutes on foot south of
Kintetsu Nara station. The neighborhood, originally founded in the
8th Century when Heijōkyō was the capital of Japan, today contains
several small museums, machiya (町家) (traditional Japanese
merchant houses from Edo Period), unique cafes and restaurants and
much more. (David Bowie is rumored to have owned a house here.)
It's well worth the time to stop and do a tasting at Harushika
(春鹿), Naramachi's fabulous Nihon-shu (sake) brewery.
- Saturday walking tour [14] of the old
town district called "Nara-machi" leaves from Kintetsu Nara Station
at 10:00. It's led by a professional English-speaking local guide.
You will see old "machiya" houses and lively local alleys full of
interesting sights. This area is not easy to see unless you know
where to go. Seeing the area with a local guide is recommended. The
tour costs ¥2000 (children under 15 free) and is available every
Saturday in April-July and Sep-Nov.(No tours in August or winter.)
No reservation required; just meet the guide and fellow walkers by
9:55AM in front of the Tourist Information Center on the ground
floor of Kintetsu Nara Stn.(not JR Nara Stn.) The tour ends near
Kasuga Shrine and Todaiji Temple around 13:00 so that you can visit
these major sights of Nara after the tour.
- Mount Wakakusa Fire Festival
(Wakakusa-yamayaki), Nara Park - Wakakusayama. Night
before second Monday on New Year (but it is good to call before
going, because they sometimes change the date, mainly due to
weather reasons). Great fireworks and the dry grass on the slopes
of this mountain is set on fire by two temples. The size of the
burn depends on how dry the grass is.
- Shuni-e (Omizu-tori) (修二会 (お水取り)), Nigatsu-dō
of Todai-ji Temple (東大寺二月堂.) At nights every 1-14 Mar. An annual
Buddhist memorial service that has been carried out first in 752 AD
and continues today without one single break. Priests will run
around the Nigatsu-dō carrying 1m large fire torches.
- Nara Tōka-e (なら燈火会) is a light festival held
6-15 Aug every year. 10,000 candles illuminate the area around Nara
Park and major temples.
- Deer-horn Cutting Ceremony, at Roku-en (鹿苑)
inside Nara Park. Every Oct. The deer have their horns cut to
prevent people from being injured.
Learn
Three organizations offer free tours in English:
- Nara YMCA Goodwill Guides 0742-45-5920
- Nara Student Guide 0742-26-4753.
- Nara S.G.G. Club 0742-22-5595.
Tour with Professional Guides in English:
- Nara Walk[15] — a daily
walking tour (except Dec.20-Mar.10)
- No reservation needed for their daily tour.
- Tour covers major tourist destinations around Nara Park: The
Great Buddha and Todaiji Temple, Kofukuji Temple, Deer Park and
Kasuga Shrine
- Tour also available in French (need
reservation)
- Can arrange a private tour (need prior arrangements)
Work
Nara features the typical range of English conversation schools
near the Kintetsu station.
Buy
What to Buy
Narazuke (奈良漬). A local specialty
pickle made of various vegetables and fruit, traditionally melon
cucumber (瓜 uri). The distinctive strong flavor comes from
the use of sakekasu, the sediment of sake fermentation,
and the pickle also has some residual alcohol. Shops are found on
any of the shopping areas listed below.
Handmade writing brushes
(fude,筆) and ink
(sumi,墨). Nara is famous for its
calligraphy brushes called Narafude (奈良筆), which are
available in the specialist stores on Sanjō-dōri Avenue. However,
as these brushes are made with a special kind of animal hair, they
are expensive and rare, and customers will need to make a specific
request for them. Other brushes sold in the specialist stores will
be less expensive than Narafude, but still generally of
reputable quality.
Nara Sarashi (奈良晒), or Nara fabrics,
is another traditionally artisanal product of Nara. Originally made
of boehmeria variation plants in the older ages, cotton has become
the major material since Edo Period, mainly due to availability and
cost. Towels, handkerchiefs, blankets, blinds and many other cloth
material products can be found in stores located on Mochiidono
Shopping street or in Naramachi area.
- Higashimuki Shopping Street (東向き商店街).
a covered shopping arcade of about 250m
stretching south from Kintetsu Nara Station, where many souvenir
shops as well as restaurants can be found edit
- Yamazaki-ya (山崎屋), 5 Higashimuki Minamimachi
(along the covered Higashimuki
Shopping Street), ☎ 0742-22-8039, [16]. 10AM-8PM. A
well-known purveyor of narazuke edit
- Mochiidono Shopping Street (もちいどの商店街).
nother covered arcade further into south,
connecting from Higashimuki Shopping Street, is the main street
leading to the center of Naramachi. edit
- Sanjō-dōri Avenue (三条通り). most shops are located within the apporx. 800m
zone, between JR Nara Station and sounth end of Higashimuki
Shopping Street, of this Avenue. Many souvenir shops, traditional
writing brush (fude,筆) and ink (sumi,墨) stores,
narazuke stores as well as various bars and restaurants
are located on this avenue. Most of the major banks are found on
this Avenue, too. edit
- Nara
Family (ならファミリー), 2-4-1 Saidaiji Higachi-cho
(3 minutes walk from Yamato-Saidaiji
station), [17]. 10AM-9PM. One of the
largest shopping malls in Kansai. edit
Eat
A local specialty is kaki-no-hazushi
(柿の葉ずし), or sushi (usually mackerel and/or salmon) wrapped in
persimmon leaves, which actually originates from nearby Yoshino. Kudzu from Yoshino too is a
very renowned product of Nara, which is used for making various
food ranging from kudzu noodles (葛切り kuzu-kiri) to
Japanese sweets (和菓子 wagashi). The thin wheat
noodles (somen) from Miwa region (三輪そうめん
Miwa sōmen) has a long history as old as Nara; the noodles
are served either hot or cold. Note that closing times are
generally as early as 10 PM in Nara.
Another well-known culinary product is shika-senbei, a
rice cracker sold around Nara Park. Don't try eating it yourself
though — it's meant for the deer!
- Sanshū-tei (三秀亭), in the Isui-en Garden (依水園).
Open 11:30AM-1:30PM only, daily except
Tuesday. s worth a visit more for
the attractive old house and garden than the menu, which consists
of two very traditional dishes: mugi tororo (plain rice
with ground yam, ¥1200), and unagi tororo (the same with
grilled eel, ¥2500). edit
- Hiraso (平宗), 30-1 Imamikado-cho (south of Sarusawa Pond), ☎ 0742-22-3900, [18]. 10AM-8PM Closed on M. nice sampling of local foods such as
kakinohazushi and chagayu ("tea gruel", but it
tastes better than it sounds) are included in dinner sets
miyoshino and heijou. English picture menu
available. >/eat> * Udon-tei (うどん亭), 6 Higashimuki-Nakamachi (inside Higashimuki Shopping Street
arcade), ☎ 0742-23-5471. Daily 11AM-8:30PM. Served udon (thick wheat noodles) in
various ways, hot or cold, plain or with tempura, etc, mostly less
than ¥1000. Always fully packed with local people at lunch times.
Suitable for time-savers and relatively small appetites. Sample
display at front of entrance. edit edit
- Okaru (おかる), 13 Higashimuki-Minamimachi
(inside Higashimuki Shopping Street
arcade), ☎ 0742-24-3686. 11AM-9PM Closed on W except if Holiday. A restaurant specialized in okonomiyaki
(お好み焼き), the pan-fried cabbage cake with selection of meat.
Okonomiyaki is definitely shortlisted on Kansai people's
most beloved dishes. ¥530-1400. English menu available. Samples
displayed at front. edit
- Yatagarasu (やたがらす), 13-1 Hayashi-kōji-cho, ☎ 0742-20-0808. Daily 5PM-midnight. Fresh poultry from local farms cooked and
served in many different ways (eg. grilled, fried, even raw) with a
variety of either local or other regional sake available.
Budget around ¥2500 depending on your
appetite.. edit
- Nara
Shōya (奈良庄屋), 48-5 Takama-cho (Keiwa building
B1F), ☎ 0742-24-2151. Daily 11:30AM-2PM, 4:30PM-11PM. A branch of large chain pub restaurant with
traditional food like raw fish (さしみ sashimi), sushi,
tempura, yakitori available. Though little (except for sake) is
Nara local, quality of food is excellent for a chain type of
restaurant. The restaurant is always filled with a dynamic, yet
agreeable mood. edit
- Maguro Koya (まぐろ小屋), (Exit Kintetsu Nara station, and you'll see
a fountain of a Buddhist monk. Cross the lights to the other side
of the big street there, and go into the small street that runs
perpendicular to the big street. Walk a couple hundred meters,
passing an am/pm convenience store on your right, and you will see
an Asahi beer sign on the road, with the words まぐろ小屋 written on it
on your left side.). A tiny
hole-in-the-wall place that specializes in tuna. Tekka don (rice
bowl with raw slices of tuna and thinly sliced nori), tuna karaage
(breaded deep fried pieces of tuna), tataki (seared on the outside,
raw on the inside slices of tuna), and many other methods of
preparations. For most meals you can choose a maguro (tuna),
honmaguro toro (Japanese fatty tuna), or chuutoro (fatty tuna)
version of the dish. The proprietor is an ojiisan (elderly
gentleman) who seems to really like what he's doing, is friendly
and welcoming. An English menu is available. edit
Take-out
Alternatively, you can take out kaki-no-hazushi, the
persimmon leaf wrapped sushi, which is actually very popular for
domestic travellers. There are three kaki-no-hazushi
stores that can be easily spotted around Kintetsu Nara Station.
Packages of various size and combination are available.
- Hiraso (the same brand as mentioned above),
close to the north entrance of Higashimuki Shopping arcade, next to
a bakery called Douce.
- Nakatani Honpo (中谷本舗), inside the Kintetsu
Station concourse.
- Honpo Tanaka (本舗たなか), in front of Bus terminal
& Taxi zone above Kintetsu Nara Station.
Otherwise, a take-out sushi store, again in the Kintetsu Nara
Station concourse named Maruchū (丸忠) has a
selection of prepared packages ranging ¥400-1000 with good
quality.
Drink
Yamato-cha (大和茶) is the locally produced Japanese green
tea which is healthy and tasty. There are also numerous sake
brands, among which is Harushika brand, produced by one of
the oldest existing sake breweries in Japan.
- Kuramoto Hoshuku (蔵元 豊祝),
28 Higashimuki (Nara
Kintetsu building B1F) (in the Kintetsu Nara Station
concourse), ☎ 0742-26-2625. Daily 11:30AM-2PM, 4PM-9PM. Directly operated by a local brewery Nara
Toyosawa. "Sake testing Set" (利き酒セット kikizake-set),
including three small glasses of different homebrew sake by the
brewery at ¥350. "Hoshuku Set" is a mini combi set with either a
glass of Hoshuku brand sake or beer plus small snack dishes at
¥500. A popular drop-by place for people commuting back home on
Kintetsu lines. edit
- Wembley Crown (ザ・ウェンブリー・クラウン), Nishimura bldg, 14
Mochiidonochou (a
3-min. walk from the north entrance of Mochiidono Center Arcade, on
the east side), ☎ 0742-26-7741, [19]. 5PM-11PM. A British
pub with local and import beers, pub food and naturally premier
league, rugby and other English sports on the telly edit
- Ryokan Seikansō (静観荘), 29 Higashi-Kitsuji-cho (15 minutes south of Nara Kintetsu station,
along Mochiidono Street), ☎ 0742-22-2670 (seikanso@chive.ocn.ne.jp,
fax: 0742-22-2670). Tatami mats, classical architecture, and a
well-kept inner garden feature in this traōditional ryokan. The
rooms are showing their age, but each features a samovar for tea
and a small room with a table overlooking the garden. The shared
bathrooms have been recently remodeled. Japanese/Western breakfast
for ¥700/450 is served in the tatami dining room. The manager
speaks limited (but sufficient) English. ¥4200/person. edit
- Ryokan Matsumae, 28-1 Higashi-Terabayashi-cho, Nara, Nara
Pref. 630-8362, ☎ 0742-22-3686 (hanami626@yahoo.co.jp,
fax: 0742-26-3927), [20].
Located off Sanjo-dori, close to Sarusawa
Pond and Gango-ji, about 7 minutes from Kintetsu Nara station or 15
minutes from JR Nara. The owners profess to be "familiar with
Buddha statue carving" and calligraphy. ¥5250-5750 1 person without/with bath, ¥8820-9450 2
people, ¥13,230-14,175 3 people. edit
- Guesthouse Yougendo (涌玄堂), 13-25 Kudo 2 chome, Oji
Cho (15 min by train
from JR Nara), ☎ 0745-32-0514 (guesthouse@yougendo.com,
fax: 0745-72-2166), [21]. A stately, budget-style home/BnB/hostel in the
Nara area, run by an international couple. edit
- Hotel Fujita Nara (ホテルフジタ奈良),
47-1
Shimosanjō-cho (on
Sanjō Avenue), ☎ 0742-23-8111 (fax: 0742-22-0255), [22]. A modern western style hotel, very conveniently
located in the middle of JR and Kintetsu Nara stations.
¥7500-18000/room (wide variety of
reservation/price plans available). edit
- Nara Washington Hotel Plaza (奈良ワシントンホテルプラザ), 31-1
Shimosanjō-cho (on
Sanjō Avenue), ☎ 0742-27-0410 (fax: 0742-27-0484), [23]. nationwide chain hotel of modern western style.
Convenient location. All rooms equipped with free Internet
access. ¥6900-16500/room.
edit
- Tempyō Ryokan (天平旅館), 9 Higashimuki-Nakamachi (situated inside the Higashimuki Shopping
Street arcade), ☎ 0742-22-0551 (fax: 0742-22-0553), [24]. Budget type accommodation with both Japanese
and western style rooms available. ¥6500-8000/person. edit
- Kikusuirō (菊水楼), 1130 Takabatake-cho, ☎ 0742-23-2001 (fax: 0742-26-0025). Typical Japanese-style deluxe ryokan
inn. ¥+/-40000/person depending on days
and season.. edit
- Nara
Hotel (奈良ホテル), 1096 Takabatake-cho, ☎ 0742-26-3300 (fax: 0742-23-5252), [25].
Classic westernized style hotel of de
luxe class, since 1909. ¥12000-90000/room. edit
- Hotel Nikko Nara (ホテル日航奈良),
8-1
Sanjō-Hommachi (close
to JR Nara Station), ☎ 0742-35-8831 (fax: 0742-35-6868),
[26]. A JAL (Japan Airlines) group
chain hotel ¥10500-27000/room.
edit
Stay safe
The deer in Nara Park tend to be friendly and perhaps overly
eager to eat shika-senbei (¥150) biscuits from the hands
of tourists. Small children may be frightened to have the suddenly
manic deer coming after them, so it may be best to feed the deer
yourself and let the kids watch. While in the Kasuga-yama forest,
steer clear of any deer which still have their antlers. They can be
aggressive and their antlers can injure you.
If you are allergic to pollen, beware: the heaviest cedar pollen
fluctuation in this area is usually from mid-February to April.
Contact
Tourist information centers operate in Nara:
- Nara City Tourist Information Center (on
Sanjo-dori) 0742-22-3900. 9 AM to 9 PM
- JR Nara Station 0742-22-9821. 9 AM to 5
PM.
- Kintetsu Nara Station 0742-24-4858. 9 AM to 5
PM.
- Sarusawa Pond 0742-26-1991. 9 AM to 5 PM.
Get out
As the center of a plain dense with history, Nara makes a good
hub for exploring the vicinity.
- 3 days World Heritage Tour in
Nara
- Asuka (飛鳥) — the homeground
of Japan's earliest historical capital city, Asukakyo (飛鳥京)
- Hōryūji (法隆寺)
— A World Heritage site with an ancient temple complex housing some
of the oldest existing wooden buildings in the world
- Yoshino (吉野) — the
mountain area which comprises a part of another UNESCO World
Heritage, and possibly Japan's most famous cherry blossom viewing
spots
- Kashihara (橿原) — the
site of Japan's capital city, Fujiwarakyo (藤原京), before Nara.
- Imai (今井町) — part of contemporary Kashihara City, preserving full of old
merchant houses dating back from Edo period.
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