Day Trip to Nara from Osaka: Everything You Need to Know!
Want to take a day trip to Nara?! If you are thinking of heading to Nara, you’ve probably seen the videos of the bowing deer and want to see then in person? I get it! Its truly incredible that deer have learned to bow!
But how is it? Are the deer the only thing do see in Nara? Is it ethical? Is it worth the travel time from Osaka?
Here is everything you need to know about a day trip to Nara from Osaka!
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Why Visit Nara, Japan?
Nara is the capital city of the Nara Prefecture a little less than an hour from Osaka and Kyoto. It is home to Nara Park, a large park where sacred deer roam free as well as multiple shrines, temples and cultural sites.
Of our 8 day trip to Japan, Nara provides something a little different to your itinerary. You will likely see loads of temples, shrines and bright lights (especially if you are doing Osaka, Kyoto and Tokyo). And, as great as those are (because they are!), I feel like Nara gives you a little something different.
Is there anywhere else in the world where there are free roaming deer that have learned to bow? Haven’t fact-checked this, but I don’t think so.
So I feel like Nara is a really unique experience and with its proximity to both Osaka and Kyoto I feel like it is a great addition to a Japan itinerary!
Trying to plan out your Japan trip? Here is our 8 day Japan itinerary to Osaka, Kyoto and Tokyo!
Day Trip From Osaka or Kyoto?
In all honesty, Osaka and Kyoto are ABOUT the same distance from Nara (Osaka is about 10 minutes closer). So, technically you could day trip to Nara from either of the two cities. So which should you choose?
As travelers who were visiting Japan for the first time on limited days (working travelers!), we opted to visit Osaka, Kyoto and Tokyo due to their proximity and the amount of time it takes to travel within Japan.
I think Kyoto requires more time to visit all the temples and incredible sites around it. And, you can see a lot of what Osaka has to offer in about a day. Plus, Osaka is cheaper to stay in than Kyoto.
Therefore, I recommend adding an extra night in Osaka so that you can take your day trip from Osaka rather than Kyoto. It will save you a LITTLE travel time, money on accommodations and give you more time to explore Kyoto (if/when you make it there).
How to Get to Nara
Nara, luckily is pretty easy to get to from both Osaka and Kyoto. Depending on where you are staying in each city, you shouldn’t have to take more than one or two trains to get to Nara.
From Osaka to Nara:
- The train ride from Osaka to Nara is about 45 to 60 minutes.
- Nara Park is a direct ride:
- On the Kintestu-Nara Line from Tsuruhashi Station.
- OR, if you have the JR pass, your included trip will be via the JR West Line (Yamatoji Line) from Shin-Imamiya Station
From Kyoto to Nara:
- The train ride from Kyoto to Nara is about 48-50 minutes direct ride:
- On the Kintetsu-Kyoto Line or the Karasua Line both from Kyoto Station
- You’ll arrive at the same Kintetsu-Nara that you would if you were coming in from Osaka.
You will have a short walk from either the Kintestsu-Nara Station or the Shin-Imamiya Station (if you take the JR line) to Nara Park.
Japan Rail Pass
Japan offers rail passes that include the price of the bullet rains (shinkensens) + JR rails.
These will take you to/from Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto plus to places like Himeji (which we visited) and other destinations!
Local trains are not covered by the JR Rail Pass (city metros, etc), so where you go and what you plan to do in Japan will determine if the pass is worth it for you!
What to Do On your Day Trip to Nara
So what should you do while you are in Nara?
Visit the Bowing Deer
Obviously, the number one reason people day trip to Nara is to see the bowing deer. These deer are free roaming in the Nara Park.
From the train stations you will only have about a 5-10 minute walk to the deer park. Toward the entrance of the park (closer to the station) the deer are more populated and tend to be a little more aggressive.
If you keep walking and spread out in the park a little, you will find more space to breath with less deer swarming you for crackers.
Know that you should ONLY FEED the deer the designated deer crackers aka “shika senbei” which you can purchase at the park with cash.
Kasuga taisha Shrine
Katsuga taisha Shrine is beautiful bright red shrine with unique deer statues representing the Nara deer. It also known for its bronze lanterns on the inside of the shrine and the stone lanterns lining the path to the shrine.
Kasugataisha is located about a 15-20 minute walk inside Nara Park (about 30 minutes from the station).
Cost: 700 yen (around $4.70 USD) to enter temples
This is a highly rated temple on both Trip Advisor and Google that we missed, and I am super sad about it. I recommend not leaving Nara until you visit!
Stock photos because we missed this temple ☹️
Todai-ji Temple
Todai-ji Temple, also known as the Great Eastern Temple, is a Buddhist temple located in the northern portion of Nara Park.
This is one of the bigger temples in Nara, but a lot of the beauty is in the grounds and the pound surround it.
Todai-ji is about a 10 minute walk inside Nara Park.
Cost: 800 yen (Around $5.40 USD) to enter the temples
Kōkfu-ji Temples
Within a short walk from the station and Nara Park are the Kōkfu-ji Temples. There are several different ones here including Kōkfu-jis main temple, the Central Golden Hall, the octagonal halls and a 5 story pagoda that is Japan’s second tallest wooden pagoda.
Unfortunately, the 5 story pagoda is under renovation until 2031 and is covered while under construction, so you can’t get even a peek of it right now.
This group of temples are near the station, so you can save these for last!
Cost: Free to see the outside of all of the temples, but costs about 500 yen to enter (don’t really recommend. Recommend spending your time visiting other temples)
How Much Time is Required for a Day Trip to Nara
With Nara only being about 45 minutes to an hour from Osaka, you can certainly spend as much time in Nara as you want and still make it back to Osaka at a reasonable time.
However, realistically, how much time should you allot to see the highlights of Nara?
We spent about 2 hours visiting the deer and some of the nearby shrines and then opted to spend the second half of our day traveling to Himeji Castle.
However, remember we missed one of the best temples in Nara. So, if you opt to visit most of the temples in and around Nara Park, you will likely need 4-5 hours.
Is Nara Worth the Hype?
Often times what you see on the internet doesn’t equate to the real experience, whether you have seen a positive or negative reflection of said experience.
There is probably a little truth to both the positive and negative reviews you have seen about Nara on the internet.
Are the deer cool to see? Yes, I think so! They are really as cute as the videos suggest and they really do bow in response to your bow (and for a cracker)
Are there an overload of deer? Yes, probably so. These are sacred deer so they are free to populate as they wish. There really are a lot!
Are the deer a bit aggressive? Mildly. They aren’t going to hurt you but they may head butt you or nibble on you when they want a cracker that you aren’t giving. But they are animals. If you are calm, they respond to it. If you panic or run, they’ll respond to that too.
Is it ethical? The deer are free-roaming and are taken care of by the funds received from the cracker purchases. The only thing that may be iffy is the fact that the deer are expecting food from humans. But they are residing in an area where they have for a long time and can come and go as they please. Just remember when you visit to dispose of trash properly, feed them ONLY the deer crackers and respect the deer while you roam around Nara!
Final Thoughts on a Day Trip to nara
We enjoyed our trip to Nara and think it was a great addition to our 8 day itinerary! We liked getting out of the city a bit and enjoying time in the park and really enjoyed seeing the deer roaming around the town. I am a bit sad that we missed the Kasuga taisha Shrine, but we also enjoyed spending the second half of our day seeing the Himeji Castle!
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