Nara City Museum of Photography (奈良市写真美術館), 600-1 Takabatake-chō (Near Shin-Yakushi-ji, a couple blocks outside Nara Park), ☎ +81 0742 22-9811, . 9:30AM-5PM. The steel-and-glass building sits as if reflected upon the linear pond that surrounds it. Inside, there are reasonably interesting exhibits of photography on local subjects like the Mount Wakakusa Fire Festival (see below).¥300. �
Yakushi-ji (薬師寺), 457 Nishinokyo-chō (A short walk from Nishinokyo Station and Toshodai-ji), ☎ +81 074 233-6001, . 8:30AM-5PM. Although most of the temple was reconstructed in the 1970s after a fire, Yakushi-ji is still worth the visit. The Buddhist Yakushi trinity housed in the hondo is a great work, and the the two pagodas on each side of the temple make it a unique and recognizable complex. The east pagoda has survived and dates back to 730 AD. Like Gango-ji, Yakushi-ji was one of the seven top temples in the city during the Nara Period.¥800. �
Gangō-ji (元興寺), 11 Chuin-chō (In Nara-machi, near Kofuku-ji), ☎ +81 074 223-1377, . 9AM-5PM. It was considered to be one of the seven most important temples in Nara back in the days when Nara was the nation's capital. The original temple burned down in the 18th century, but the architectural style remains true to the original, with its unique Korean-style roof. The mandala within the temple is one of the most famous in the nation. Around the outside of the temple there are many Buddhist statues, but perhaps more interesting are the various demon statues scattered about among them. While the Buddhist statues are quite typical and obviously religious, the demon statues are comical and seem out-of-place. Some even appear sacrilegious, with a demon doing Zen meditation among the Buddhist statues and another in a rather erotic centerfold-like pose. There is a story that supposedly associates the demons with the temple. For visitors, it is fun to try to spot them all.¥400. �
Heijōkyū Palace
Heijōkyū Palace Site (平城宮跡), 2-9-1 Nijo-chō, ☎ +81 074 230-6752, . The Suzaku Gate (朱雀門) is a replica, along with the newly built Daigoku-den (大極殿). In the center of this large expanse of land you'll find the best preserved excavation area, with some foundation structures on the site. On the rest of the grounds, you can still see where structures once stood by looking at the elevated and sunken areas. On opposite ends of the site there are museums where you can learn about the history of the palace, see artifacts recovered from the excavation, and learn about the excavation process. As a part of 1300th anniversary celebration in 2010, there are free shuttles running from JR Nara, Kintetsu Nara and Yamato Saidaiji stations. �
Tōshōdai-ji (唐招提寺), 13-46 Gojo-chō, (A short walk from Nishinokyo Station and Yakushi-ji), ☎ +81 074 233-7900. 8:30AM-5PM. A temple that was important in helping to spread Buddhist teachings in Japan, Toshodai-ji is where the great Chinese priest Ganjin preached. His grave is within the precints of the temple.¥600, ¥700 with treasure house. �
Nara Century Hall (なら100年会館), 7-1 Sanjo Miyamae-machi (Next to JR Nara station), ☎ +81 074 234-0100, . Hosts a variety of events, concerts, and musicals. Sometimes a flea market is held in front of the hall. �
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Nara
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Nara - updated May 2024
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Nara Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
