When we talk about Nara, all we could think of is DEER, but Nara has got more than just wild deer to see. People often plan a day trip to Nara from Kyoto and Osaka as its just less than an hour train journey, one day is sufficient to see most of the sights within Nara, however you might find it more relaxing to stay one night.

Travelling around Nara is easy as most of the sights are located nearby and within walking distance, you wouldn't need to take any transportation. You will most likely start the day at Kintetsu Nara or JR Nara Station.

JR Nara Station require a 10 minutes more walk than Kintetsu Nara, but either way, you need to get yourself to the fountain just up the stairs from Kintetsu Nara Station to begin the walk.

Right in front of Kintetsu Nara is the Nobori-oji Street, is a shopping street with shops and restaurants. As you walk further, you will start to encounter Nara's famous sacred deer.




Passing through Nara Park, use the underground crossings to get to the northeast corner of the Nobori-oji/Route 169. This route will guide you to Isui-en Garden, but unfortunately for me, it was closed during the time I visit, hence I walk along the backstreets towards Todai-ji Temple.

Tōdai-ji (東大寺, Eastern Great Temple) is a Buddhist temple complex, that was once one of the powerful Seven Great Temples, located in the city of Nara, Japan. Its Great Buddha Hall (大仏殿 Daibutsuden), houses the world's largest bronze statue of the Buddha Vairocana, known in Japanese as Daibutsu (大仏). The temple is a listed UNESCO World Heritage Site as one of the "Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara".

Take your time marveling around Todai-ji and exit through Daibutsu-den, walk along the east wall of the Daibutsu-den and you'll come across to the path to Nigatsu-do Hall.




Nigatsu-dō (二月堂, "The Hall of the Second Month") is one of the important structures of Tōdai-ji, located to the east of the Great Buddha Hall, on the hillside of Mount Wakakusa. It includes several other buildings in addition to the specific hall named Nigatsu-dō, thus comprising its own sub-complex within Tōdai-ji.

After Nigatsu-do, you will then walk to the direction of the base of Mount Wakakusa. At this point, you could either choose to take the trail up to Mount Wakakusa or you can skip the climbing and continue to follow the narrow pathways through forest to Kasuga-Taisha Shrine.





I made my way up to Mount Wakakusa and I think it totally worth a climb! The trail is not too hard, with no steps but only a slope road. Along the way I find many local elderly. One way journey up to Mount Wakakusa is about 40 minutes.


After my hike down from Mount Wakakusa, I continue on to Kasuga-Taisha Shrine. Kasuga Grand Shrine (春日大社 Kasuga-taisha) is a Shinto shrine established in 768 AD and rebuilt several times over the centuries, it is the shrine of the Fujiwara family. The interior is famous for its many bronze lanterns, as well as the many stone lanterns that lead up the shrine.

Follow the main path from Kasuga-Taisha all the way west, you will see many stalls on both side of the path selling Japanese snacks. Walk along until you reach Kofuku-ji Temple.







Kōfuku-ji (興福寺 Kōfuku-ji) is a Buddhist temple that was once one of the powerful Seven Great Temples. The temple is the national headquarters of the Hossō school and is one of the eight Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

By now you should reach Nobori-oji Street, and that marks the end of the tour :) Enjoy some food here before heading back to wherever. I hope you enjoy this itinerary!