20 Best Things to Do in Nara for Every Season

by Will Heath | TRAVEL

Nara is a city defined by the way it peacefully blends urban and rural life: with its enormous park filled with roaming deer and ancient Buddhist temples, and its metropolitan cityscape full of restaurants serving up traditional local dishes. It’s a magnificent city that changes dramatically with the seasons, meaning there is always a reason to visit Nara as the weather and the colour of the land changes. These are the best things to do in Nara each season of the year.

Spring

1. Kasuga Taisha Spring Temple

With a name that means Spring Day what better season than spring to visit the Shinto shrine at the heart of Nara Park? Another good reason to leave it to spring is that the walk through the park, done at the height of summer, can be a little exhausting. In the springtime the weather is perfect for a hike up to the top of the park and a wander through this legendary Shinto shrine.

Kasuga Taisha is classified as one of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. With a history that stretches back to 768 CE, the shrine is very much tied to the culture of Nara, making it a defining part of the city. It is also a huge and splendid shrine to explore, with its deep reds framed by the dark greens of the surrounding trees and park grounds.

Kasuga Taisha Spring Temple

Name in Japanese: 春日大社 (Kasuga Taisha)

Address: 160 Kasuganocho, Nara (see map)

Website: kasugataisha.or.jp

2. Yoshikien Garden

While Nara Park is perhaps the most famous tourist attraction in the city, another beautiful example of Nara’s tight bond with nature is Yoshikien Garden, which can be found in the very heart of Nara. Named for the river which flows beside it, this is a peaceful place to explore and relax in as the flowers bloom in the springtime.

This garden is actually divided into three smaller gardens, each with their own aesthetics and purpose: one is for tea ceremonies, another is where you’ll find the ponds, and the third is the wide-open moss garden. If you’re in Nara and not looking to spend hours wandering Nara Park, the delightful Yoshikien Garden is a perfect alternative.

Yoshikien Garden

Name in Japanese:吉城園 (Yoshiki En)

Address: Noboriojicho 601, Nara (see map)

3. Naramachi

You could only expect a place with the name of Nara Town to be something unmissable within the city of Nara, and you’d be right. Naramachi is a step back in time to Nara’s Edo years: a neighbourhood in the city defined by narrow, twisting passageways lined with old merchant houses. These traditional, untouched Edo buildings are occupied by teahouses and craft shops selling locally hand-made arts and crafts.

You’ll also find in Naramachi one of Japan’s oldest Buddhist temples: Gangoji; perhaps the greatest example of the neighbourhood’s historical details. But perhaps its most alluring detail is its sake. Nara is famous for its sake, and it’s in Naramachi that you’ll find stores selling sake from local breweries.

4. Kamameshi-Shizuka

Kamameshi-Shizuka is an enormously popular local Japanese restaurant found at the entrance to Nara Park. Its signature dish is kamameshi, a rice dish cooked in a metal pot with various meats and vegetables.

The best reason to visit Kamameshi-Shizuka in the springtime is because the restaurant uses seasonal ingredients, and the ingredients used in the early spring months of February and March are oysters caught fresh in Hiroshima and cooked with shiitake mushrooms.

Kamameshi-Shizuka

Name in Japanese: 志津香公園店 (Shizuka, Koen Ten)

Address: Noboriojicho 59-11, Nara (see map)

Website: kamameshi-shizuka.jp

5. Tanimura Tango

A chasen in Japan is a maker of traditional tea whisks used in tea ceremonies. In Nara, you can find a man, Tanimura-san, who follows a long line (twenty generations, to be precise) of chasen. Tanimura-san’s workshop is open on weekdays when you can browse this beautiful place and buy an authentic tea whisk, made by Tanimura-san’s own hands.

Tanimura-san’s workshop is in a traditional Japanese home at the centre of a Japanese garden, giving visitors more than one reason to visit. If you want to see how a true ancient Japanese craft continues to stay alive in the modern day, Tanimura-san is a shining example.

Tanimura Tango

Name in Japanese: 谷村丹後 (Tanimura Tango)

Address: Takayamacho 5964, Ikoma, Nara (see map)

Website: tango-tanimura.com

Summer

6. Nara Park

Nara Park is the city’s most popular tourist attraction; it is what has kept Nara high at the top of everyone’s list of the must-visit cities in Japan. What’s so unique about it? Aside from Todaiji Temple and Kasuga Taisha, it’s the thousand plus deer that openly roam Nara Park.

Visiting and meeting the deer of Nara Park is one of the must-do activities of Japan, and it’s best done at the height of summer when the sky is blue and the sun is shining. Dotting the paths of Nara Park are vendors selling crackers that the deer can enjoy. Buy some, find a deer, bow to her, allow her to bow back, then feed her the cracker. Do keep your eye on them, the deer are not shy and will snatch away any unattended food!

Nara Park

Name in Japanese: 奈良公園 (Nara Koen)

Address: See map.

7. Todaiji Temple

The most famous temple in Nara, Todaiji Temple, is found at the edge of Nara Park. It is an enormous temple complex which dates back to the middle of the 8th Century, and in its hall can be found the world’s largest Daibutsu: bronze statue of the Buddha.

Todaiji is perhaps the city of Nara’s most important landmark, once one of the Nanto Shichi Daiji and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s colossal size is what first strikes many visitors, and Todaiji Temple truly is a beautiful piece of intricate architecture and an unmissable historic monument.

Todaiji Temple

Name in Japanese: 東大寺 (Todai-ji)

Address: Zoshicho 406-1, Nara (see map)

Website: todaiji.or.jp

8. Ikeda Gankodo

The fan is one of the objects most associated with Japanese culture and history; and in the summer in Nara, it is almost a necessity. Fortunately, Ikeda Gankodo, a store which makes and sells traditional foldable and uchiwa (non-foldable) fans, can help beat the summer heat. If you’re interested, here are 5 Things You Should Know About Traditional Japanese Fans.

Ikeda Gankodo have been open for a century and a half, and make all of their fans in-house. The fans are hand-decorated with paterns and colours which represent the city of Nara and the seasons which Nara enjoys. They’re a fantastic gift unique to Nara and a great tool to help fight the summer heat.

Ikeda Gankodo

Name in Japanese: 池田含香堂 (Ikeda Gankodo)

Address: Tsunofuricho 16, Nara (see map)

Website: narauchiwa.com

9. Onjaku

At the edge of Nara Park is a celebrated (two-) michelin star restaurant called Onjaku. It is a small and intimate place with a sweet and kind proprietor who will make you feel truly at home as you dine.

All of the food is fresh, locally Japanese, and seasonal, with the best fish and vegetable ingredients being available in the summer months. The dishes are small but traditional, healthy, and completely fresh. Onjaku is a truly delectable dining experience in the heart of Nara.

Onjaku

Name in Japanese: 温石 (Onjaku)

Address: Takabatakecho 1043, Nara (see map)

10. Monsier Pepe

If you’d rather some European fare during the summer months, Monsieur Pepe offers the highest quality of French cuisine in Nara. It’s a perfect place to eat when the sun is shining thanks to its peaceful outdoor seating and its glass conservatory, both of which make for happy lunchtime dining at the height of summer.

The food served at Monsieur Pepe is light and simple; nothing too heavy for summer dining. Salads, quiches, fresh meats and cheeses are all of the best quality and, when enjoyed in the beautiful decor of this French restaurant, provide some great fuel before heading out to wander Nara Park and meet the deer.

Monsier Pepe

Name in Japanese: ムッシュペペ (Musshu Pepe)

Address: Noborijochi 58-1, Nara (see map)

Website: monsieur-pepe.jp

Autumn

11. Kofukuji Temple

© 663highland / Creative Commons, Kofukuji

Almost matching Todaiji in its grandeur and historic significance, Kofukuji is a Buddhist temple that’s visually defined by its impressive pagoda that reaches higher than any of the trees surrounding the temple.

Built originally in the 7th Century, Kofuku-ji is, like Todaiji, one of the Nanto Shiji Daiji but what really sets it apart is that Kofuku-ji is the Japanese national headquarters of Hosso school of Chinese Buddhism to this day. In autumn, the trees surrounding the temple are slowly changing colour and provide the area with a warm, soft glow that makes Kofukuji particularly picturesque.

Kofukuji Temple

Name in Japanese: 興福寺 (Kofuku-ji)

Address: Noboriojicho 48, Nara (see map)

Website: kohfukuji.com

12. Sanjo Dori

From Kofuku-ji Temple you have direct access to the main shopping street of Nara: Sanjo-dori. This street is also connected to Nara Station, making it an easy place to visit and wander when you first arrive in the city.

In the cooler autumn months, walking up and down Sanjo-dori is soothing and sweet: you can visit the famed Nakatanido mochi shop and the already mentioned Ikeda Gankodo fan shop. Unagino Kawahari is a fantastic unagi restaurant on Sanjo-dori that’s a great place to eat after a day of exploring the city.

Sanjo Dori

Name in Japanese: 三条通り (Sanjo Dori)

Address: Sanjo-dori, Nara (see map)

13. Yu Nakagawa

Found just around the corner from Sarusawanoike Pond is the 300-year-old home goods store, Yu Nakagawa Honten. Fourteen generations of a single family have owned and run this local store which provides various fabrics and hand-made crafts for home decoration.

This store sells a huge range of fabric-based items, from women’s and men’s clothing to bags and accessories to home goods like blankets and cushions. The store is beautifully decorated and a pleasure to browse, and has a history stretching back to the Edo period.

Yu Nakagawa

Name in Japanese: 遊中川本店 (Yu Nakagawa Honten)

Address: Gariincho 31-1, Nara (see map)

Website: nakagawa-masashichi.jp

14. Tofuan Kondo

It’s no secret that navigating the culinary landscape of Japan as a vegetarian or vegan can be a bit of a minefield, and so a traditional restaurant like Tofuan Kondo is a very welcome place to visit and eat at for a vegetarian in Japan.

This restaurant’s aesthetic and atmosphere is beautiful, set in a traditional Nara townhouse and serving dishes on hand-crafted plates and bowls. Most of the meals on the menu are tofu-based, cooked in a variety of traditional ways, but there are some meat options if you’d like as well. It’s a great place to enjoy lunch when visiting Nara.

Tofuan Kondo

Name in Japanese: 奈良町豆腐庵こんどう (Naramachi Tofu-an Kondo)

Address: Nishinoshinyacho 44, Nara (see map)

Website: kondou-touhu.co.jp

15. Nara Brush Tanaka

Nara offers a huge selection of local shops that sells traditional arts and crafts, including fans and tea whisks. But Nara Brush Tanaka is unique in that it allows shoppers the chance to learn how to make your own calligraphy brush, make it, and take it home with you.

The shop is owned and run by Chiyomi Tanaka, a kindly woman who makes all of the brushes by hand and will offer to show you how to make the perfect brush for your hand, your size, and your style of writing. It’s a delightful experience and a very unique one in Nara.

Nara Brush Tanaka

Name in Japanese: 奈良筆田中 (Narafude Tanaka)

Address: Kunodocho 6, Nara (see map)

Website: narafude.jp

Winter

16. Nara National Museum

© 663highland / Creative Commons, Nara National Museum

With Nara being such a shining example of historic Japan, with its Buddhist temples, Shinto shrines, and Edo-period craft shops, having its biggest museum be something built in a French renaissance style is bold and eye-catching, to say the least.

Nara National Museum is a fantastic place to spend a cold winter’s day in Nara. The collections in this museum mostly consist of Buddhist art and iconography, mostly collected from temples and shrines from the local area. In short, Nara National Museum offers an intense exploration into the Buddhist history of Nara.

Nara National Museum

Name in Japanese: 奈良国立博物館 (Nara Kokuritsu Hakubutsukan)

Address: Noboriojicho 50 (see map)

Website: narahaku.go.jp

17. Nara Higashimuki Shopping Arcade

If you’re looking for what to do in Nara during the winter months, another great place to explore while also staying warm is Higashimuki Shopping Arcade. A popular covered shopping area, the arcade offers a great selection of things to do regardless of the weather.

Local restaurants and souvenir shops make up a lot of the arcade, meaning that the winter cold and the weather can’t get in the way of shopping for local crafts and getting some good ramen.

Nara Higashimuki Shopping Arcade

Name in Japanese: ひがしむき商店街 (Higashi Muki Shoten Gai)

Address: Higashimuki Minamimachi 5, Nara (see map)

Website: higashimuki.jp

18. Pizzeria Trattoria Magazzino

Pizza is one of the most filling and warming winter foods, and Magazzino is a truly traditional Italian pizza place in the heart of Nara. With an astonishingly large and varied menu covering all kinds of meat-heavy and vegetarian pizza options, this is one of the best restaurants in Nara to enjoy on a cold winter’s evening.

The ingredients used at Magazzino are even farmed from the restaurant’s own privately-owned organic farm which is found right next to the restaurant, meaning everything is fresh; grown, cooked, and prepared right there at Magazzino.

Pizzeria Trattoria Magazzino

Name in Japanese: マガジーノ (Magajino)

Address: Kamada 172-1, Kashiba, Nara (see map)

Website: magazzino.co.jp

19. Wafu Restaurant Kasuga

Wafu is a restaurant attached to the Kasuga Hotel which anyone can visit and enjoy. It is a particularly welcoming restaurant during the winter months thanks to the quality and heartiness of wagyu beef on offer. There are both lunch and dinner options, and the menu has specific set prices that guarantee two or three courses of quality, fresh, locally-sourced ingredients.

Wafu Restaurant Kasuga

Name in Japanese: 和風れすとらん春日 (Wafu Resutoran Kasuga)

Address: Noboriojicho 40, Nara (see map)

Website: kasuga-hotel.co.jp

20. Juju

There are few Japanese foods as wholesome and satisfying as teppanyaki, and Juju is a Nara restaurant which offers the best teppanyaki in the city. There are steak options here, as well as some truly delicious okonomiyaki. The steak is cooked using kobe beef, so you know that you’re getting a quality lunch. And, if you don’t know what to order, the restaurant offers a set menu that is guaranteed to satisfy.

Juju

Name in Japanese: 焼亭 JUJU奈良三条店 (Yakitei Juju Nara Sanjo Ten)

Address: Shimosanjocho 14, Nara (see map)

Website: juju-narasanjyou.gorp.jp