Nara 奈良

Nara (Japanese: 奈良 ) is the capital of Nara Prefecture in Japan. The modern city has a population of around 370,000. Much of the tourist interest in Nara centers upon its many historical sites.

Nara was the capital of Japan from AD 710 to 784, a time frame in Japanese history known as the Nara Period. Originally known as Heijo-kyo, the city was modelled after the Chinese Tang Dynasty city of Chang'an in present-day Xi'an.

The temples in Nara grew so powerful that the emperor decided to relocate the capital to Kyoto, away from interference from the Buddhist clergy.

The Mizutani teahouse, Nara (31 March, 2007)


Tim and Chooi Yoke with the sakura on the grounds of Hōryū-ji in Nara (31 March, 2007)

Places of Interest in Nara

Todaiji Temple, Nara (31 March, 2008)

Planning your trip to Nara

By Plane Kansai International Airport on Osaka Bay is the main airport serving Osaka, Kobe, Kyoto and Nara. From the airport, you can take the limousine bus to Nara train station. The journey takes 90 minutes and costs ¥1,800.

You can also take the Haruka Limited Express train from Kansai Airport to Tennoji Station, and then transfer to the Yamatoji Line that goes to Nara. No charge if you hold a Japan Rail Pass, otherwise the total journey costs ¥2,900. The whole journey should take about 75 minutes.

Nanendo Building, Kofuku-ji Temple, Nara


By Train
You can also reach Nara by train from Kyoto and Osaka. From Kyoto Station, you can take the JR Nara Line (no charge if you hold the Japan Rail Pass) or the private Kintetsu Kyoto Line. Of the two, the Kintetsu Kyoto Line terminates at the Kintetsu Nara station, which is closer to the main tourist attractions around Nara Park compared to the JR Nara Station.

On the Kintetsu Kyoto Line, you can take the Tokkyu train that goes to Nara twice per hour, arriving in Nara 35 minutes later.

On the Japan Rail Line, you can take the Miyakoji Kaisoku train which takes 45 minutes to reach the JR Nara station. The fare is ¥690 without the Japan Rail Pass.

The lanterns at Kasuga Grand Shrine (31 March, 2007)

Planning your travel within Nara

It is quite possible to explore Nara on foot. Most of the major sites are within walking distance, though admittedly some of them are quite sprawling. Alternatively you can take the Nara Kotsu Bus, which makes a loop around the city. The ticket is a flat rate of ¥180 per adult and ¥90 per child regardless distance travelled. [an error occurred while processing this directive]

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Please use the information on this page as guidance only. The author endeavours to update the information on this page from time to time, but regrets any inaccuracies if there be any.

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Hello and thanks for reading this page. My name is Timothy and my hobby is in describing places so that I can share the information with the general public. My website has become the go to site for a lot of people including students, teachers, journalists, etc. whenever they seek information on places, particularly those in Malaysia and Singapore. I have been doing this since 5 January 2003, for over twenty years already. You can read about me at Discover Timothy. By now I have compiled information on thousands of places, mostly in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, and I continue to add more almost every day. My goal is to describe every street in every town in Malaysia and Singapore.