While staying in Kyoto, we decided we would take a day trip to Nara. If you’re considering if you have enough time to do this during your trip to Japan, I would HIGHLY recommend that you make the time. If you have the time, you can stay overnight in Nara, but it really only takes a little over a half day to get the most out of what Nara has to offer.
We took the train from Osaka to Nara and it only took about 1 hrs and 15 mins each way. All of Nara’s key attractions are a short walk from the train station.
My biggest tip, don’t wear your brand new white Nike Air Forces (like I did). You’ll find out why.
See below for the perfect day trip to Nara, Japan.
Nara Deer Park
Nara is best known for its wild deer that roam around the city like squirrels in America, except they’re not afraid of humans. Instead of Nara Deer Park I’d say it’s more like Nara Deer city. Once you hop off the train it’s just a short walk until you’re surrounded by them. There are vendors who sit around selling “cookies” for the deer for about $2 USD per stack. It was quite mind boggling to see how close I could get to that many deer. In the U.S. they’re always timid and running away from us, so to me it was a really special experience!
There’s a few rules to feeding the deer that I highly recommend you follow since they can become aggressive. These ‘rules’ are posted on each cookie vendor’s cart. My main take away that I recommend when you’re feeding the deer is just feed them. It’s tempting to try to savor the stack of cookies that you have to feed a few different deer along your walk, but once they see you starting to feed one deer, they’ll all come after you for a treat. If they feel ignored, they’ll start to nip at you (yes, I learned this the hard way). Keep them happy and move along!
Oh, and that tip before that I mentioned about not wearing your new white sneakers? Yeah you guessed it, deer droppings are all over, so beware and do not wear your favorite shoes on this day.
Temples Everywhere – Crown Jewel, Todai-Ji
There are a TON of temples in Nara, and they are all in short walking distance from one another. By this point in our trip, we were pretty templed out, but we made time for the main attraction. The temple of all temples, Tōdai-ji (東大寺, Eastern Great Temple). Todai-ji houses the worlds largest brass Buddha. I mean, it’s enormous! The temple itself is also an attraction, being one of the largest wooden structures in the world. I really enjoyed this place and recommend you take the walk to stop by.
It costs about $5 USD to enter the temple. It’s quite simple on the inside, a short walk around the big Buddha and boasts a few more large scale statues.
One thing that was fun to try was crawling through “Buddah’s Nostril.” It’s literally just a small hole in the base of one of the temple’s wooden pillars that people are challenged to climb through. It is said, this “nostril” will grant enlightenment in your next life if you can climb through it. So basically if you’re a child or a petite person, you’re in for a treat in your next life. Otherwise, move along.
On the walk up to Todai-ji, you’ll hit Nandaimon Gate (or Great South Gate). Another massive wooden structure that you basically have to climb over to get to Todai-ji. It’s the perfect place for a selfie or a cutie little photo shoot with a deer like I took below.
Nakatanidou – The Mochi Man!
Something that made our trip to Nara a mandatory for me was Nakatanidou – The Mochi Man. I had seen his videos on YouTube/Instagram and it’s just one of those things that I had to see for myself. If I was already half way around the world, I mean… why not.
Nakatanidou is a small little mochi shop that makes the simplest of matcha mochis. Just one item offered, but that’s what makes it so good. All they have to focus on making is one deliciously fluffy matcha mochi (that costs about $1 USD each).
The Mochi Man went viral when someone posted their daily routine of how they make mochi and has become a main attraction in Nara ever since. It’s a 3 man show! 2 of them are constantly hitting the mochi with wooden mallets while the other is folding the mochi in between hits. They all offer verbal cues that helps them not to completely smash each others hands. At the shop they have a glass window that allows for a show every time they make their mochi.
See it for yourself below.
Tip: They make mochi about every 30 minutes. I recommend if you have the time, just wait! In order to not disrupt the line for people who are purchasing mochi, wait across the street. You’ll know when they’re planning on making a new batch of mochi when one of the workers throws how water into the large wooden bowl. Then approach the window for a front row view.
Ramen at Genkishin (Nara)
Our adventures in Nara worked up quite an appetite for us, so we looked up some good places to eat Ramen before our train ride back to Osaka. We stumbled upon Genkishin (Nara) on our walk back to the train station. It’s a tiny ramen join tucked away on Higashimuki Shopping Street. I got a bowl of ramen, side of rice, dumplings and green tea for only about $11 USD. Really delicious and a great deal.
A Day in Nara Itinerary
| Morning: | |
| » Train from Osaka to Nara | ‘Free’ with JRail Pass |
| » Nara Deer Park | $2 USD |
| » Tōdai-ji Temple | $5 USD |
| Afternoon: | |
| » Nakatanidou (The Mochi Man) | $1 USD |
| » Genkishin (Nara) Ramen | $11 USD |
| » Train back to Osaka from Nara | ‘Free’ with JRail Pass |
In total, for a day trip to Nara, Japan, I spent $19 USD.
