Nara, Japan should definitely be on your post-covid travel bucket list for 2022/2023! The prefecture is less than an hour by train from Kyoto or Osaka, which makes it easy to get to in style.
The ancient city of Nara is one of the jewels of Japanese heritage where wild deer famously roam free. Here, you can explore Japan’s National Treasures, rich history, fascinating culture, and abundant natural beauty. This breathtaking region boasts Japan’s longest cherry blossom season and three UNESCO World Heritage sites. At the southern tip of Nara prefecture is the pristine Kii Mountain Range and spiritual heartland of Japan, where relatively undiscovered sacred sites and pilgrimage routes await. It really is the perfect off- the-beaten-track destination to enjoy Japanese culture, history, food, drink, and adventure. And there are cute deer aplenty!
Historical Nara
Nara is a living history book, full of World Heritage sites and well-preserved temples and shrines. The region boasts three UNESCO World Heritage sites – more than any other prefecture – comprising of ancient monuments and sacred pilgrimage routes. If you only visit one temple, make it Todaiji Temple, which in many ways is the symbol of Nara. Todaiji is the most powerful temple of the Nara period and home to Japan’s largest bronze Buddha (his open hand alone stands as tall as a human). The combination of architectural brilliance and powerful atmosphere make this a blockbuster.
Oh Deer
Animal-lovers will adore Nara Park, home to almost 1400 ‘celebrity’ deer that roam free among the park’s famous heritage temples and shrines. The deer are considered sacred and have coexisted with the people of Nara for more than 1000 years. Although the resident deer are essentially wild, they are as close to tame as wild animals get and will confidently approach visitors, hoping for treats. There are several vendors within the park selling “shika senbei” or deer crackers to feed them, which the deer will happily take from human hands. Cuter still, Nara’s deer are said to possess the unique talent of bowing to visitors – an apparent learned behaviour to charm tourists in to feeding them.
A Cacophony Of Colour
Further afield in southern Nara you’ll find Mt. Yoshino, a spectacular place to visit, particularly in Cherry Blossom Season. The entire mountain turns pink from early April to May as 200 different varieties of 30,000 cherry blossom trees start to blossom, marking Japan’s longest cherry blossom season. The best places to see cherry blossoms (or equally enchanting bright autumn leaves later in the year) are from Yoshimizu-jinja Shrine and Hanayagura Observatory, which offer sweeping vistas.
Where To Stay
For a classic grand hotel experience, the five stars Nara Hotel is located on Nara Park’s beautiful hills and overlooks the ancient capital’s historic sights. The main building was designed in 1909 by Kingo Tatsuno, who also designed Tokyo Station, as an elegant turn-of-the-century take on traditional Japanese style. It has hosted an international who’s who of guests, including Audrey Hepburn and Albert Einstein, whose piano is still on display in the lounge.
There are many historic artefacts and a comfortable tearoom to while away an afternoon. From the front of the hotel there is a small path leading past the gardens directly down to Naramachi, or you can walk through Nara Park past the beautiful pond with the wooden pavilion, Ukimido. From here it is a short walk to Kohfukuji Temple and Kasugataisha Shrine.
For the ultimate escape from city life, Sasayuri Ann is a renovated Edo period farmhouse surrounded by rice paddies and expansive mountain views in Uda. It serves as a luxurious private villa for up to 10 people. It is essentially self-catering, but meals can be organised with a few days’ notice, including course meals from Nara’s Michelin star restaurant Manso. In winter, guests can gather around the traditional open hearth, and in summer the wide verandahs are perfect for meditation or just breathing in the views. The villa owner can organise a variety of activities, including private yoga lessons, farming and local fruit picking excursions, music workshops, guided hikes to local waterfalls and even helicopter tours.
Where to eat
Nara is a foodie’s paradise, with myriad critically acclaimed restaurants including the three times Michelin Staff awarded Wa Yamamura.
Local eating is all about slow food, not just a trend in Nara, but a long-time traditional way of eating. Somen Morisho, along with many others, offers farm to table food as well a farmer’s market where you can take home your own produce to try.
Nara also boasts a vibrant vegetarian heritage, which hails back to 675, when Buddhism entered the region. In 675, Emperor Tenmu decreed that meat shouldn’t be eaten. As Nara became a powerful base of Buddhism, vegetarian or vegan shojin ryori was perfected in temples and pilgrim lodgings.
Drink
A visit to Japan isn’t complete without sampling a cup of matcha at a traditional tea ceremony, one of the quintessential Japanese experiences. Although tea was brought from China in the 9th century, it wasn’t until the end of the 12th century when the Zen monk Eisai brought powdered green tea and whisks to Japan, that matcha really took off. Nara is brimming with tea ceremony experiences; you can even attend a Traditional Tea Ceremony in a centuries-old zen temple.
Jiko-in Temple, just south of Nara City, was initially founded by the head of one of Nara’s most powerful samurai clans in the mid-17th century, in honour of his departed father. Sekishu Katagiri, the founder of the temple and devotee of Japan’s cha-no-yu tea ceremony, established a tea school at the temple to train the emerging samurai class in Zen Buddhism and mental discipline.
Here, visitors have a rare opportunity to experience cha-no-yu at it most authentic in a centuries-old teahouse in a serene temple garden setting – a special experience even for most Japanese. The tea master will demonstrate how to whisk a perfect bowl of matcha tea, and you will then try your hand at making this frothy brew yourself.
Adventure
Thrill-seekers should venture to the south of Nara prefecture to visit the remote village of Totsukawa, an isolated hot spring paradise located in the heart of the pristine Kii Mountains. It is relatively unknown (even by Japanese people!). This village was home to some of the fiercest samurai, and that tough mountain spirit lives
Here, visitors can brave the famous Tanize Suspension Bridge, which is an incredible 297 metres long and 54 metres high – and looks exactly like something you’d see in an Indiana Jones movie. Spectacular in any season, the bridge provides safe thrills and spectacular views of the lush river canyon below. On August 4th each year, it hosts an exciting festival called Yuredaiko, when taiko drummers perform on the narrow bridge high above the valley below.
The Yaen wooden cable car is another attraction unique to Totsukawa. This small hand-operated cable car relies on gravity and the arm strength of a single rider to cross a part of the riverbank. It was once an essential means of crossing rivers and deep valleys and Hotel Subaru in Totosukawa Onsen is one of the few places you can still try this unique transport.
Other highlights in Totsukawa include hiking Mt. Tamaki for breathtaking mountain views and infinite shades of green. Near the summit of Mt. Tamaki at an elevation of 1076 metres lies Tamakijinja Shrine, a must-visit sanctuary located in a forest of ancient cedars. Visiting the shrine is a little like walking back in time; founded in the year 37BC, it’s a true escape from modern life.
Relax
The Japanese bath is more than just a bath: it is a cleansing ritual, a way to restore both body and mind. Visiting an onsen with its hot, mineral-rich waters soothes the aches and stresses of the day. Bathing in Japan is also a social activity, as friends and families relax and talk together. Men and women generally bathe separately, but many traditional inns have private onsen or family-style baths that can be reserved for one group.
Nara is abundant in onsen across the entire prefecture, however the traditional hot spring town of Dorogawa offers the ultimate escape for relaxation and renewal. Located deep in the southern mountains, this high-altitude hideaway retains a serene, spiritual atmosphere. The two main streets that flank each side of the river are lined with traditional shops and ryokan, many managed by the same family for 400 years or more.
The alkaline hot spring water comes from sacred Mt. Omine, which draws hundreds of Shugendo pilgrims in white robes to start their journey up the mountain here every August. The streets are strung with paper lanterns, lending the town a romantic, old-time atmosphere after dark, when the stars seem impossibly bright. The many red bridges traversing the river make ideal photo spots. Stay at a local ryokan, enjoy a relaxing bath, then stroll the neighbourhood in a cotton yukata for an authentic spa town experience.
Other highlights in Totsukawa include hiking Mt. Tamaki for breathtaking mountain views and infinite shades of green. Near the summit of Mt. Tamaki at an elevation of 1076 metres lies Tamakijinja Shrine, a must-visit sanctuary located in a forest of ancient cedars. Visiting the shrine is a little like walking back in time; founded in the year 37BC, it’s a true escape from modern life.
