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From entries with clearly licensed photos.
NaraThe stone and hanging lanterns along the approach come to about 3,000. These too were all dedicated by worshippers, the same structure as the thousand torii at Fushimi Inari. The deer of Nara Park are held to be the messengers of this shrine's deity, and are a Natural Monument.
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NaraA treasury in azekura log construction. Objects that came along the Silk Road were kept here for 1,200 years.
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NaraIt houses the Nio guardians by Unkei and Kaikei, the two figures finished in 69 days.
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IkarugaThe oldest wooden buildings standing anywhere in the world. Among the first World Cultural Heritage sites in Japan.
See detailsIntroduced by city, ward, town and village within the prefecture.
FEATURENara now (autumn)Autumn colors illuminate Nara Park and Hasedera Temple.See the feature A photographer · CC BY-SA 4.0Check information useful for planning, for a fuller trip.
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Read the answer →REGIONAL SPECIALTIES
It is not only the big cities. The regions are full of charm, and special experiences you can only have in each place are waiting.
Value Village
Regional culture, tradition, food, sightseeing, nature and people. A directory that delivers the appeal of each to the whole world.
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INSTAGRAM / 6
Local governments, tourism accounts and local posts are shown with official embeds. Photos are not stored on Value Village; they link to the original posts.
THINGS TO DO / 6
Choose from what you can only do here.
01Walk Through Nara ParkMeet the free-roaming deer and visit the park's surrounding temples and shrines.See related entries →Pöllö · CC BY 2.5
02Visit Todaiji's Great BuddhaStand before the monumental bronze Buddha inside the vast Great Buddha Hall.See related entries →Mont Blank rich · CC003Explore Kasuga TaishaFollow lantern-lined paths through the primeval forest to vermilion shrine halls.See related entries →Adrián Pérez · CC BY-SA 2.004Stroll NaramachiBrowse shops and studios among traditional townhouses in the old merchant quarter.See related entries →Mont Blank rich · CC0
05Hike Mount YoshinoHike a sacred mountain renowned for cherry blossoms and Shugendo traditions.See related entries →663highland · CC BY 2.5
06Cycle Through AsukaCycle between ancient tombs, stone monuments and peaceful rice fields.See related entries →CC BY-SA 3.0NEED TO KNOW
BEST TIME TO TRAVEL
663highland · CC BY-SA 4.0Cherry blossoms sweep across Mount Yoshino and the ancient capital.
See recommendations for this season →
名古屋太郎 · CC BY-SA 4.0Lush greenery surrounds Nara's temples, shrines and mountain trails.
See recommendations for this season →A photographer · CC BY-SA 4.0Autumn colors illuminate Nara Park and Hasedera Temple.
See recommendations for this season →
Nankou Oronain · CC BY-SA 3.0Clear winter air lends Nara's ancient temples profound serenity.
See recommendations for this season →LOCAL FOOD / 12
What people have long eaten in this place. We collect the dishes themselves, not restaurants.
Thin slices of salted mackerel cured in vinegar are placed on barrel-shaped sushi rice mixed with vinegar dressing, wrapped in a persimmon leaf and pressed.
Area：Gojo, Yoshino area
Source：Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), "Our Regional Cuisines"
Rice porridge made by adding cooked rice and salt to brewed hojicha (roasted green tea) and simmering it over medium heat, stirring now and then, until it reaches the consistency you like. Steamed sweet potato or grilled kakimochi (dried rice-cake pieces) are sometimes added.
Area：Throughout the prefecture
Source：Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), "Our Regional Cuisines"
A simmered dish of taro, daikon, carrot, konjac, thick fried tofu and dried shiitake cooked slowly in kombu dashi. The taro breaks down and naturally thickens the liquid.
Area：Throughout Nara Prefecture
Source：Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), "Our Regional Cuisines"
Iwai daikon, kintoki carrot, taro and tofu are simmered in dashi and white miso is dissolved in, then grilled round mochi is added. The mochi is taken out and eaten dipped in roasted soybean flour mixed with sugar.
Area：Throughout the prefecture
Source：Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), "Our Regional Cuisines"
A hot pot dish in which chicken is simmered with Chinese cabbage, chrysanthemum greens, shiitake and glass noodles in a broth of chicken bone stock with milk added, seasoned with white miso and light soy sauce.
Area：Central and southern Nara Basin
Source：Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), "Our Regional Cuisines"
Somen noodles boiled and rinsed in water, then put into warm dashi seasoned with light soy sauce, sake and salt, and served with shimeji mushrooms, kamaboko fish cake and mitsuba.
Area：Throughout the prefecture
Source：Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), "Our Regional Cuisines"
Yoshino kudzu starch and sugar are dissolved in water and heated, stirred until the whole mixture turns clear, poured into a container and chilled in running water until set. It is eaten with roasted soybean flour and brown sugar syrup.
Area：Throughout the prefecture
Source：Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), "Our Regional Cuisines"
Bracken starch and sugar are dissolved in water and strained, worked over low heat and steamed, then starch syrup is added and it is worked further before being chilled until set. It is eaten with roasted soybean flour or brown sugar syrup.
Area：Throughout the prefecture
Source：Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), "Our Regional Cuisines"
Rice cooked in brewed hojicha (roasted green tea) instead of water, with soybeans that have been roasted and skinned, and salt.
Area：Throughout the prefecture
Source：Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), "Our Regional Cuisines"
Sukiyaki in which chicken is browned in oil and then simmered in a broth of sake, mirin, unrefined brown sugar and soy sauce together with Chinese cabbage, green onion, chrysanthemum greens, mushrooms, grilled tofu and shirataki noodles.
Area：Throughout the prefecture
Source：Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), "Our Regional Cuisines"
Glutinous rice soaked overnight in water and crushed wheat are steamed and pounded together, rolled into balls and coated with roasted soybean flour mixed with sugar. They are pounded so that the wheat keeps some of its chewiness.
Area：Throughout the prefecture
Source：Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), "Our Regional Cuisines"
Pacific saury split open along the back, sprinkled with salt and left for a full day, boned and cured in vinegar dressing, then pressed into a bar shape together with sushi rice cooked with kombu and sake.
Area：Totsukawa
Source：Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), "Our Regional Cuisines"
MICHI-NO-EKI / 18
Rest facilities registered by Japan's national government. Each has parking and toilets open 24 hours, and by definition includes a facility that sells local products. This is where the making and the food of this prefecture can actually be bought.
There are 18 stations in this prefecture in all (national registry).
LOCAL ACCOUNTS / 2
Japanese-language accounts that post about this area.
These are third-party accounts. They are not affiliated with Value Village and this is not an endorsement.
CITIES & TOWNS / 16
Sorted by number of entries. Start from the name of a town.
INTERESTS / 14
Only the interests found in this prefecture.
Todaiji · Mont Blank rich · CC0Todaiji ／ Horyuji
To the list
Tsukigase Plum Grove · Rijksmuseum · CC0Tsukigase Plum Grove ／ Soni Highland
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Yamanobe no Michi · 8-hachiro · CC BY-SA 4.0Yamanobe no Michi ／ Suzakumon Gate
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Asuka · ys1979 · CC BY 3.0Asuka
To the listNara Park · Pöllö · CC BY 2.5Nara Park
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Heijokyu · Nagono · CC BY-SA 3.0Heijokyu ／ Naramachi
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Nara National Museum · Raita Futo · CC BY 2.0Nara National Museum ／ Fujinoki Tomb
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Kofukuji National Treasure Hall · 663highland · CC BY-SA 4.0Kofukuji National Treasure Hall ／ Kasuga Taisha Museum
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Ishibutai · CC BY-SA 3.0Ishibutai ／ Mt. Yoshino
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Sato Yakuhin Kogyo Headquarters Factory · 奈良人 · CC BY-SA 4.0Sato Yakuhin Kogyo Headquarters Factory ／ Yukinomoto Honten Otani Factory
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Joruriji Temple · Ujigis · CC BY-SA 4.0Joruriji Temple ／ Daianji Temple
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Mantoro · Saigen Jiro · CC0Mantoro ／ Omizutori
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Yucho Shuzo · 文藤 資成 · CC BY-SA 4.0Yucho Shuzo ／ Kitaoka Honten
To the listNara Park · Pöllö · CC BY 2.5Nara Park ／ Taketori Park
To the listHIGHLIGHTS
From entries with clearly licensed photos.
Shrines & TemplesThe Great Buddha was consecrated in 752. Its hall is among the largest wooden buildings standing anywhere. The Omizutori at Nigatsudo is the rite of drawing the water sent from Jinguji in Wakasa.
ArchitectureThe Suzakumon and the Daigokuden have been rebuilt. The frame of the old capital survives as open ground.
Contemporary ArtBoulders weighing 2,300 tonnes in all. Held to be the tomb of Soga no Umako.
Festivals
GardensTwelve hundred wild deer. Held to be messengers of the Kasuga deity, they have long been protected.
Castles & HistoryWhere the original form of the Japanese state took shape. Ishibutai, and the Takamatsuzuka murals.
SMILE NEWS / 136
Stories that lift your spirits a little, collected with their sources.
Abe Monjuin Temple in Sakurai has opened its Cosmos Maze, a tradition since 1996, from October 1. Twenty-seven varieties of cosmos bloom in the 25 m by 20 m maze, and about 70 local preschoolers visited. It runs until early November.
source: Nara ShimbunIn Chile's Patagonia National Park, a women-led ranger team returned 13 Darwin's rheas to the wild in April 2026. Working with the Rewilding Chile Foundation, they care for the birds around the clock; surveys once estimated only about 11 to 15 remained.
source: MongabayA new dinosaur species, Musango matusadonaensis, has been described from rocks about 210 million years old in Matusadona National Park on the shore of Lake Kariba, Zimbabwe. The bipedal, not-yet-adult animal was about 4.5 metres long, and the find suggests Zimbabwe's dinosaur fauna differed from South Africa's.
source: Phys.org (The Conversation)INSTAGRAM / SHRINES & TEMPLES / 1
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INSTAGRAM / MUSEUMS & CULTURE / 0
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Hashtags often used for this area. Each opens the tag page on Instagram.
SEASONS & EVENTS
2026-10-15 ～ 2026-10-15
2026-11-07 ～ 2026-11-08
Nara
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