Nara Half Day Tour Discover Ancient Temples and Friendly Deer

Stroll through Nara Park, famous for its free-roaming deer that are considered sacred messengers of the gods in Shintoism. You can feed the friendly deer with special crackers sold in the park, but remember to be gentle as they can get quite enthusiastic! In the park you can buy various snacks and souvenirs, or stop at a traditional tea house.

Yoshikien Garden is a traditional Japanese garden that contains a tranquil moss garden, Japanese style pond and a tea ceremony area. The garden is a beautiful place of peace and quiet which provides a peaceful retreat from the bustle outside.

Todai-ji Temple is one of Japan's most famous and historically significant temples. Home to the Great Buddha Hall (Daibutsuden), the world’s largest wooden building, Todai-ji houses a massive bronze statue of Buddha which is over 15m tall and contains 130kg of pure gold. Marvel at the intricate architecture and explore the surrounding temple grounds, which are equally breathtaking.

Walk through the park to Kasuga Taisha Shrine, an iconic Shinto shrine renowned for its thousands of bronze and stone lanterns. The serene forest path leading to the shrine is lined with ancient stone lanterns, creating a mystical atmosphere. Inside, the shrine is adorned with numerous bronze lanterns donated by worshippers over the centuries. In April/May you can visit the adjoining Kasuga Taisha Shinen Manyo Botanical Garden which houses many varieties of wisteria flower.

Explore Naramachi, Nara’s historic old town merchant district. Wander through narrow streets lined with traditional wooden machiya houses, many of which have been converted into charming shops, cafes, and museums. Some of the places you may visit include: The Naramachi Koshino-ie House The Herbal Medicine Shop Kikuoka (Kikuoka Kanpo Yakkyoku) which dates back to 1184 and is run by the 24th generation of the same family. If you have a sweet tooth, pay a visit to Nakanishi Yosaburo, a traditional sweets shop that has been in business for over 150 years. They sell Japanese sweets called "wagashi", perfect for accompanying your cup of green tea. You can also see sweets being made at Nakatanido, where their high speed mochi pounding displays are an entertaining sight. Due to its many forests and pure clear water, Nara is renowned for its high quality sake. Visit the Harushika Sake Imanishi Seibei Brewery to learn about how sake is brewed try five different types of local sake.