Nara was Japan's first permanent capital and is today best known for its free-roaming deer that treat the whole historic park as home. The giant Buddha of Todai-ji temple is the world's largest bronze Buddha statue, and the entire Nara Park area is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
14M
visitors/year
Best time to visit
March–May (cherry blossoms, active deer) and October–November (autumn colours)
Top sights & experiences
- 🦌 Nara Park — Free-Roaming Deer
- 🏛️ Todai-ji — World's Largest Wooden Building
- ⛩️ Kasuga Taisha Shrine
- 🌄 Wakakusa Mountain
- 🏛️ Horyu-ji — World's Oldest Wooden Structure
- 🍡 Nara Sweets — Kakigori & Mochi
Perfect for
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