Twelve ideas for Nara in 2026
This is a personal selection, not an official ranking. The public areas of Nara Park are open 24 hours a day and cost nothing. Temples, shrines, gardens and museums charge their own fees and keep their own hours, which are given below as of 2026.
Most of the places are within walking distance of Kintetsu Nara station. You do not need a car, and you do not need to see everything. Pick three or four for a day and leave time for the deer, which have their own page: the deer of Nara.
Temples, shrines and halls
The big names first. Each has its own page or guide.
1. Todai-ji and the Great Buddha Hall
The Daibutsuden houses the Great Buddha. Entry is JPY 800 for adults and students from middle school up, and JPY 400 for elementary school children. The hall is open 07:30 to 17:30 from April to October and 08:00 to 17:00 from November to March. A combined ticket with the museum costs JPY 1,200 and JPY 600. Pay in cash. A normal visit needs no reservation, and other halls charge extra. The temple has its own guide at todai-ji.com.
Todai-ji in Nara Park →2. Kasuga Taisha
This is a Shinto shrine, not a Buddhist temple. The general visit runs 06:30 to 17:30 from March to October and 07:00 to 17:00 from November to February. A special visit inside the main sanctuary costs JPY 700 and runs 09:00 to 16:00. Rituals can close parts of the shrine. It is about 25 minutes on foot from Kintetsu Nara, or you can take a bus to the stop Kasuga Taisha Honden.
Kasuga Taisha guide →3. Kofuku-ji National Treasure Hall
A museum of Buddhist sculpture, open 09:00 to 17:00 with last entry at 16:45. Adults pay JPY 900, teenagers JPY 800 and children JPY 500, in cash. It is about 5 minutes on foot from Kintetsu Nara. The five-story pagoda has been enclosed by a protective structure since March 2025, so do not plan on an open view of it.
Kofuku-ji guide →4. Isuien Garden and its museum
One ticket covers the garden and the Neiraku Museum: JPY 1,200 for adults, JPY 500 for university and high school students, JPY 300 for middle and elementary school students. Open 09:30 to 16:30 with last entry at 16:00, closed on Tuesdays. It is about 15 minutes on foot from Kintetsu Nara. The stepping stones make the garden unsuitable for wheelchairs.
Isuien guide →Our picks: things to do
An e-bike ride, a full day with a tea ceremony and a garden visit with matcha.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Full day in Nara: temples, knives and tea
Six hours with a bilingual guide. Todai-ji and Gangoji entry, deer food, a knife introduction and a tea ceremony with matcha are included; lunch is not.
Check availability →
Isuien and Yoshikien gardens with matcha
Three hours of guided visits to both gardens with a matcha tasting. Check whether garden entry is included before you book.
Check availability →
E-bike tour through Nara
E-bike, guide, deer food in Nara Park, Todai-ji entry, an introduction to Japanese knives and a snack are included. More deer food, drinks and tips are extra.
Check availability →Nara tours and day trips
Guided walks, e-bike rides and day trips that include the park, with live prices and availability.
Gardens, museums and old streets
More places within reach of the station.
5. Yoshikien Garden
Free for everyone. Open 09:00 to 17:00 with last entry at 16:30, closed from 24 to 28 February. It has three parts: a pond garden, a moss garden and a tea-flower garden. Using the tea room is booked separately and is not part of the garden visit.
Gardens →6. Mount Wakakusa
The hill above the park, 342 m high. Climb it in 30 to 40 minutes, or take the Hilltop Bus, JPY 2,000 for adults and JPY 1,000 for children in 2026. The hiking season runs from the third Saturday in March to the second Sunday in December.
Mount Wakakusa →7. Nara National Museum
The museum hosts the annual Shosoin exhibition in autumn. It is a special exhibition with its own timed ticket, not an opening of the Shosoin treasure house and not the regular museum visit. Check the current ticket rules for the exhibition and for regular admission. The museum is about 15 minutes on foot from Kintetsu Nara, and the bus stop Himuro Jinja / Kokuritsu Hakubutsukan is right at the building.
Getting there →8. Naramachi and Koshi-no-Ie
Naramachi is an old town district around Gango-ji, close to the park and to Kintetsu Nara. It has traditional machiya houses and converted houses with cafes and shops. Koshi-no-Ie at 44 Gangoji-cho is a replica of a traditional house with a narrow, deep layout, a courtyard and a storehouse. It is free, open 09:00 to 17:00 and closed on Mondays, or the next day when Monday is a holiday. It is about 20 minutes on foot from Kintetsu Nara.
Naramachi guide →Ponds, forest and a botanical garden
More places at the edge of the park.
9. Ukimido and Sagi-ike
The Ukimido is a pavilion on the Sagi-ike pond in the Asajigahara area of the park.
Getting around →10. Sarusawa-ike
A pond at the western edge, on the town side of the park. Do not expect a free view of the Kofuku-ji pagoda from here while it is enclosed for restoration.
Kofuku-ji →11. Kasugayama forest paths
The forest behind the shrine is protected, with marked walking and hiking paths. Stay on them and do not cut across the forest.
Kasuga Taisha →12. Manyo Botanical Garden
A separate garden of Kasuga Taisha. Adults pay JPY 700 and children JPY 300, and groups of 20 or more adults pay JPY 600 each. Open 09:00 to 16:30 with entry until 16:00. From June to March it is closed on Tuesdays, with an exception for holidays, and in April and May it opens daily. The fee comes on top of the special visit to the main sanctuary.
Kasuga Taisha →
Putting a day together
Start early: Kasuga Taisha opens at 06:30 from March to October and the Daibutsuden at 07:30 from April to October, while the museums and gardens open between 09:00 and 09:30. Most last entries fall between 16:00 and 16:45, so plan your evening around the closing times, not the daylight.
Isuien is closed on Tuesdays, Koshi-no-Ie on Mondays and the Manyo Botanical Garden on Tuesdays from June to March. Check the weekday before you set the route. A short day could be the park, the Great Buddha Hall and a walk through Naramachi. For a long day, add Kasuga Taisha and a garden.
Things to do in Nara: frequently asked questions
How many days do I need in Nara?
One full day covers the park, the Great Buddha Hall, Kasuga Taisha and a garden or Naramachi. With a second day you can add Mount Wakakusa, the museums and the forest paths without rushing.
What is free in Nara Park?
The public areas of the park are open 24 hours a day and free. Yoshikien Garden and Koshi-no-Ie in Naramachi are also free. Temples, Isuien, the Manyo Botanical Garden and the museums charge entry.
Which sights close on which day?
Isuien is closed on Tuesdays and Koshi-no-Ie on Mondays, with shifts when the day is a holiday. The Manyo Botanical Garden is closed on Tuesdays from June to March. Check the weekday before you plan.
Can I see the Kofuku-ji pagoda?
It has been enclosed by a protective structure since March 2025 during restoration. The National Treasure Hall is open for visits.
Do I need to book anything in advance?
For a normal visit to the Daibutsuden, no. Special exhibitions such as the autumn Shosoin exhibition use timed tickets. The Hilltop Bus can be reserved online.