Nara is an ancient capital in the Kansai region in Japan. It is often overlooked by most tourists because of its more famous neighbor, Kyoto. But like Kyoto, Nara is also home to many important scenic and historical sites.

Nara was the ancient capital of Japan, namely from 710 to 784. Hence, the name of the period being the Nara period. It is said that one of the sights of Nara, the Heijo Palace was modelled after the capital of the Tang Dynasty in China, Chang’an. Under the influence of Buddhism, Nara flourished. This led to the creation of numerous cultural assets, among them buildings and books. Many of which are preserved until today. Incidentally, Nara has the largest number of buildings that have been designated as National Treasures in Japan.

If you only have one day to spend in Nara, it is better  to focus on Nara Park. Of course, with more time there is more to see. Many of Nara’s sights, including temples and shrines, are concentrated in Nara Park, a wide, pleasant space of greenery. First stop is Todai-ji. Todai-ji is home to the Daibutsu, the largest Buddha statue in Japan. Before heading to Daibutsu-den, which houses the Daibutsu, you must first pass through Nandai-mon, the front gate of Todai-ji. This gate is worth mentioning as it is where many deer that roam the park can be found(these deer can be fed with biscuits that can be bought at 150 yen). The Daibutsu-den, other than housing the Daibutsu also has four other giant statues. There is also a souvenir shop that sells fortune scrolls and invite people to adopt a tile to help the upkeep of the place. Next up is the Kasugayama  Hill Primeval Forest. Kasugayama hill is  a beautiful hill and wild, undeveloped forest leading to some of the other sights in Nara Park. At any time of the day, a walk in Kasugayama hill is quiet, serene and almost magical. This is the place to feed some deer instead of the ones by Todai-ji. Other sights include Nara City Museum of Photography, Yakushi Temple, Heijo Palace and Nara Century Hall, where plays, concerts and other events are held.

A good place to lost in while in Nara is Naramachi. Naramachi is neighborhood ten minutes away from the Kintetsu Nara Station. This neighborhood was founded in the 8th Century when Heijo Palace was the capital of Japan. Today it contains several small museums, traditional Japanese merchant houses from Edo Period, unique cafes, restaurants and much more. If you have the time,  it’s highly suggested to stop by Harushika, Naramachi’s excellent sake brewey and do a tasting. There is also a walking tour of the neighborhood every Saturday at 10:00 AM, except in August and winter.

Nara may not be as famous as Kyoto, but it is just as historic, just as beautiful, and just as good as Kyoto. Sometimes even better.

Posted in Attractions, Japan

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