Towering Temples and Wild Deer: A Traveler's Nara Guide
How to get there, best places to see, & more
By Raphael M., a travel photographer and writer based out of New York City
Last Updated on August 15th, 2026
Once the nation's capital, Nara is home to thousands of wild deer who bow on command and historical temples. While not the most popular city, Nara has a special charm, and definitely makes for a special experience.
The best way to get to Nara is from the closest major cities - Kyoto or Osaka. It's about 50 minutes from either city, and is extremely easy to get there.
From Kyoto, take the Kintetsu Limited Express, which is what I took. If you're coming from Osaka, take the Kintetsu from Osaka Namba Station. Either option costs roughly 4-6USD, and both options are clearly labeled in the station, with my train having deer images plastered on it.
A short train-ride from Kyoto and Osaka gets you to Nara, the largest city in Nara Prefecture. While the temples are truly next-level in scale and construction, the main attraction in Nara is the wild Sika deer that roam across the city, eating crackers and pestering local tourists.
Because of its close proximity to both cities, I would recommend making a day-trip out of Nara, and staying within the other cities.
Like I said before, I would opt to stay in the major cities rather than in Nara. Catch a morning train, spend the day in the city, and come back. For my preferences within the cities, please refer to those guides.
While there is a specific designated park for the Sika deer, they really are all around the city. When I left the subway station, I immediately saw deer just roaming on the sidewalks outside of the stores, growing in density in the open fields leading into the park.
Nara is a city that just has that charm. I'm not entirely sure what to attribute to that, but the vibes of the city are just enjoyable. That's to say that there isn't a stringent timeline I would stick to, and I would recommend just enjoying walking the city rather than specific sites. Nevertheless, the key places I would try to get to are: Nara Park, Todai-ji Temple, and the museum located outside of Todai-ji Temple.
If you bow in front of a deer, they may bow back to you, which just amazed me the first time I saw it. While it's most likely a learned condition of begging for food, it does contribute to the concept of politeness of Japan, with even the deer asking nicely for a treat.
As you walk further into Nara Park, you'll eventually reach Todai-ji Temple, an insane display of scale and Japanese craftsmanship. The temple grounds consists of multiple gates, peripheral temples, and gardens.
How to get there:
Why Nara?
Where to stay:
Todai-ji Temple:
Main places to visit:
The first gate you encounter is the Great South Gate, or Nandai-mon. It's fully constructed in wood, and stands over 25 meters tall. Originally erected in 752, the current gate was built and restored after a fire in 1203, still standing over 800 years later.
There are two guardian kings within the gate, known as Kongō Rikishi. They both symbolize protection, courage, and safeguarding.
Once you enter the main complex, the Great Buddha Hall immediately imposes its size, cementing its status as the largest wooden-constructed structure in the world. It stands at over 157 feet, and is entirely constructed with natural timber.
As you walk into the hall, the Daibutsu Buddha fills the hall perfectly, and is commonly referred to as the Buddha of All-encompassing light, or the Cosmic Buddha. It is also the largest representation of the Daibutsu in the world, standing at over 50 feet tall and surrounded by gold.
Other large statues in the hall are Kokuuzo-bosatsu, one of the great eight bodhisattvas, and Koumoku-ten, one of the four Shintennō, guardian dieties that protect the Buddha and civilization.
Todai-ji Museum:
Located right before the Great South Gate is the Todai-ji Museum, which offers more information and context of the temple as well as Japanese history.
Nara Park:
As you approach the main temple, there's a surrounding courtyard that is adorned in bright red and green colors, a perfect background for some of the local deer.
There's a machine in the back of the temple that gives you a souvenir gold-coin, a common thing to find across Japan. In the front of the temple are several calligraphy writers who write sutras in books, either ones that you have or purchase there. Just watching these skilled artists work was beautiful, something I recommend doing.
In the front of the museum, they have replica models of the Buddha's hand, which lets you understand the scale of construction a little better.
Inside the museum is a short show that gives you the history of the temple, details of times of conflict, power shifts, reconstruction, and preservation. The concurring exhibitions include treasured Japanese artifacts, with multiple statues and figures deemed national treasures. While the museum doesn't appear to offer much, it really is an amazing collection of Japanese history.
We stopped at the first cart that sold deer crackers, which are called shika-senbei. They are made out of rice bran and grain, so they are 'relatively' healthy for the deer, although I'm sure they are overfed due to the increasing tourism.
They really are acquainted to humans, not flinching at movement or large groups of people. They actually ram into you when you have the cookies, and are relatively aggressive. Just remember they still are wild animals, and while they may be considered partly domesticated, they can react rashly.
This was one of the most special moments of my time in Japan, and something you have to do, especially if it's your first time.
Final Thoughts:
