2-Day Nara Itinerary: The Japanese City Where 1000+ Deer Roam Free

The city of Nara is a must on any Japan itinerary. Because it served as the capital of Japan from 710 to 784, Nara is home to the "Seven Great Temples of Nara" that were built during the Nara Period. So if you love temple and shrine hopping, you're going to love exploring Nara.

One of the city's major attractions is the 502-hectare Nara Park. This is one of the oldest parks in Japan and it's famous for being home to over 1,200 wild Sika deer.

In the traditional Shinto religion, these deer are considered sacred and they have roamed freely in Nara Park for well over a thousand years. The adorable deer aside, you could easily spend days exploring Nara Park's top attractions, including the 8th-century Todai-ji Temple, and Kasuga-Taisha Shrine.

Nara is a blissfully compact city, meaning you can easily tick off all of its major attractions in a day or two. In fact, because of the city's proximity to Kyoto (40 minutes) and Osaka (1 hour), Nara is a popular day trip destination.

However, when you experience Nara for yourself, you'll want to stay a little longer. For this Nara itinerary, you're going to slow down and spend two full days exploring the temple-studded city.

You'll start your journey through Nara Park by exploring its two famous gardens. Isuien Garden has two unique sections, one dating back to the Edo Period in the 17th century and the other hailing from the Meiji Era in the early 20th century. Yoshikien Garden is located right next to Isuien Garden and features a pond garden, a moss garden with a tea house, and a flower garden for tea ceremonies.

Spend some time exploring both gardens, which offer picture-perfect landscapes and a nice reprieve from Nara's ultra-popular temples. Both gardens are free to visit. Yoshikien Garden opens at 9am, while Isuien Garden opens a bit later at 9:30am.

Located a short stroll away is Kofuku-ji Temple, one of Nara's "Seven Great Temples". The temple was originally built in Kyoto in 669 but was moved to Nara in 710 when the city became the capital of Japan. The grounds are free to enter, but you will have to pay if you want to go inside certain attractions.

You'll want to spend some time marvelling at the famous five-storied temple, but you'll also want to explore the other historic buildings that dot the grounds. It's recommended to pay the entrance fees to access the Central Golden Hall, the Eastern Golden Hall (and its large Yakushi Buddha statue), and the National Treasure Museum.

It's also well worth taking in the views of Sarusawa Pond, which are absolutely free. You could easily spend a couple of hours at this temple. 

One of the most iconic things to do in Nara Park is to feed the wild Sika deer that call the park home. Please note that you should always be respectful of the local wildlife. They are adorable but they are also wild and can get aggressive when food is involved. 

You should also only feed the deer the special shika senbei crackers that are sold on-site. Human food could cause them to get sick. The deer here are very used to begging visitors for crackers. Don't be surprised if the deer bow to you in anticipation of getting a treat – they know how to get what they want.

After you're done getting to know Nara Park's most famous residents, make your way to the nearby Kasuga-Taisha Shrine. This is one of many UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Nara.

The shrine is famous for the thousands of stone and bronze lanterns that adorn the beautiful red building. The Kasuga-zukuri-style shrine was built in 768 but was rebuilt many times over the years. You're sure to see plenty of deer as you explore the grounds.

End the first day of your trip to Nara by exploring the historic Naramachi District, which lies just outside the eastern edge of the park. The streets are lined with traditional tea houses, art galleries, bars, and restaurants.

To get into the local spirit, do a sake tasting at Nihonshu Shika Japanese Sake Bar before heading to dinner at Curry & Cafe Koruri. The flavour-packed curries here are out-of-this-world good.

After that, rest up because you'll have another full day of exploring the top Nara attractions tomorrow.

Start your day off with a walk through Higashimuki Shopping Street. This place is lined with shops and street food vendors. Arrive after 10am and you can check out the famous Nakatanidou mochi shop, where you'll see workers pounding mochi. The fresh mochi here is addictive and will make a delicious snack during your next adventure.

When the weather is nice, hiking to the peak of Mount Wakakusa is one of the best things to do in Nara Park. The trail is 2.5 kilometres and will lead you through beautiful forests and grassy hillsides to the top of the mountain. The entire trail should take you roughly 90 minutes to complete.

From the top, you'll be rewarded with beautiful views of Nara, Todai-ji Temple, Kasuga Taisha Shrine, and the Yoshino Mountains. This is Nara Park, so you'll see plenty more deer during this hike.

Now that you've worked up an appetite, make your way to Mizuya Teahouse, which is located near the base of Mount Wakakusa. This humble eatery serves up delicious udon noodles surrounded by nature. Don't be surprised if you have a few deer approach you as you eat. 

When you're done, it's finally time to check out Todai-ji Temple. Dating back to 752, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is yet another one of Nara's "Seven Great Temples".

It's best known as being home to the 15-metre-tall "Great Buddha of Nara," which is located inside one of the largest wooden buildings in the world. But there is a lot more to this temple complex. You can easily spend two to four hours exploring Todai-ji.

Head back to Naramachi District for your last night and treat yourself to a gourmet kaiseki dinner at Okada. This Michelin-star restaurant only accepts eight or nine guests per night, so you'll want to make reservations well in advance.

Expect a highly personalised multi-course dining experience with seasonal ingredients, beautiful presentations, and interesting interactions with the chef. It's a lovely way to cap off your 2-day Nara itinerary.

To make this Nara itinerary as convenient as possible, you're going to want to stay in the heart of the city. Whether you're in town for work or play, Novotel Nara has everything you need for a relaxing stay. The rooms at this 4-star hotel are spacious and outfitted with stylish decor, comfy beds, large flat-screen TVs, and Nespresso machines.

Head up to the Rooftop Terrace for drinks with incredible city views. You can also take advantage of the hotel's relaxing onsen, daily breakfast buffet, Italian trattoria, and state-of-the-art gym.

Amenities aside, Novotel Nara is located right in the city centre, near Shin Omiya Station (8-minute walk) and JR Nara Station (20-minute walk). You can even walk to Nara Park in less than 30 minutes if you'd like, making this place a prime spot to base yourself during your visit.

There you have it – the perfect 2-day Nara itinerary. With this carefully curated schedule, you're bound to have an incredible time exploring this one-of-a-kind Japanese city.