Staying in Osaka and hoping to see the famed bowing deer of Japan? You’re in luck. A Nara day trip from Osaka is a wonderful addition to your itinerary. With one day in Nara you’ll be able to visit the deer park, see some amazing temples and try some local treats.
Our Nara day trip was one of our favourite days in Japan! In this guide I’ll take you through how to undertake a simple and easy self-guided day trip from Osaka to Nara by train.
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How to get from Osaka to Nara for a day trip
The easiest and most popular method of visiting Nara from Osaka is by train. There are 2 main train lines that service Nara from Osaka, and which line you’ll choose will depend on two main things:
#1 Your location in Osaka and;
#2 Whether you are in possession of a JR Pass.
Osaka to Nara by train on the Kintetsu line
Kintetsu Railway run a direct train service from Osaka to Nara. The line starts at Osaka-Namba station and terminates at Kintetsu-Nara station.
Services on this line range from local (eg. all stops) to Limited Express. The Limited Express train takes approximately 34 minutes and costs ¥1,070. An Express train is your best option, taking just a little bit longer but costing about half the price at ¥570 yen.
If you’re not staying in the vicinity of Namba station, you’ll need to take a metro to this station first. We were staying in Shin-Osaka, so we took a 15 minute metro ride on the Midosuji Line to Namba station.
Google Maps is a fantastic app to use in Japan. If you’re not already using it, make sure you download it before your Nara day trip. By entering your start location and destination as Nara, it will show you the best transport options, including cost, what train (express etc), and how busy the train is likely to be.
Two key benefits of the Kintetsu line over the JR line are:
#1 The Kintetsu-Nara station is much closer to the Nara deer park than the JR line.
#2 The Kintetsu Railway line can be cheaper than the JR line (unless you hold a JR Pass).
A hot tip is that often the slower trains are less busy. In Japan we’d often jump on a local service if we could see there were seats available. It might be a little bit longer, but your feet will thank you!
Osaka to Nara by train on the JR line
JR West operates a direct service from JR Osaka station to JR Nara station. The trip will take 45-55 minutes and costs ¥810.
From the JR Nara station it will take about 20 minutes to walk to the entrance to the deer park. If you’d prefer to catch a bus, there is a yellow tourist bus on the “Nara City loop line”. There are local buses which you can use if you’d prefer not to walk.
The benefit of this option is that your trip will be covered if you’re in possession of an activated JR Pass.
Note: this Nara day trip is a poor use of your JR Pass. If you already have an activated JR Pass, then you should definitely use it. However, if you’re just basing yourself in Osaka for a few days and doing this Nara day trip, consider not activating a JR Pass for this purpose alone. A JR Pass is generally only worth it when you are covering long distances on the shinkansen line (bullet trains).
Getting around Nara on your day trip
The main sights that we’ll recommend in this Nara day trip itinerary are all in walking distance of each other. The temples are generally on the edges of Nara Park, so it’s a pleasant day of walking between all of the attractions. But there are still a lot of steps required (we did about 20,000 steps on our Nara day trip). So make sure you wear comfortable shoes. The good news is that the paths are fairly flat, with some stairs at different temples.
If you need some help to get around Nara, or arrive into JR Nara station, consider taking the tourist loop line bus. You can purchase one-way or one day unlimited travel tickets. This guide has useful information on the bus service.
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What to see in Nara in one day
Without a doubt, the most popular reason to visit Nara on a day trip is to see the famous bowing deer. But, did you know that Nara also has a fascinating history?
From the year 710, Nara was the first permanent capital of Japan. Buddhism grew in power and influence in the region, which threatened to de-stabilise the government. So, in 784 the capital was moved to a different location.
Given the strong history of Buddhism in Nara, there are many important reminders of this past. For this reason, Ancient Nara has been deemed a UNESCO World Heritage site, encompassing 8 properties. Our day trip itinerary will see you visit 2 of these temples and one shrine.
Would you prefer someone to show you around Nara? This tour from Klook will let you pay a visit with transport and a guide.
Visit your first temple
Just a short walk from the Kintetsu-Nara station is your first stop on this itinerary: Kofukuji temple.
Before you get to the temple grounds though, you’ll likely spot at least a dozen deer around the grounds. That’s right, almost as soon as you leave the station you’ll come across the famous deer! You might even find them wandering down the main road outside the station as we did. It will be hard to tear yourself away from them, but I promise you your day will be filled with lots more deer. Save your photos until you get into the middle of Nara Park.
It’s free to wander the grounds of Kofukuji temple, where the main attraction is the large 5 storey pagoda. Dating back to the 7th century, it is the second tallest pagoda in Japan. Access inside the pagoda is not allowed, so you’ll just need to appreciate it from the outside.
On site you’ll also find the Central Golden Hall, Eastern Golden Hall and the National Treasure Museum. If you’re interested in entering it requires an additional fee, starting at ¥300. We decided that this temple fell into the “nice to observe from the outside” category and saved our time for more Nara exploring.
Head further into Nara Park
I promised you lots more deer spotting, and now is your time to go crazy with photos. Nara Park is a large public space that is filled with the deer that roam the grounds. They’re literally everywhere, trying to get some sweet treats from all the tourists.
To get here from Kofukuji, just keep walking in the opposite direction of the train station until you get to the main road. Cross the road (there is an underpass if you’re walking along the road into the park named ‘Omiya-dori’.) From here, walk up into the park a little and explore. You’ll want to head left, as that’s the spot of the next attraction in your Nara itinerary.
We visited Nara Park at the end of November, and the fall foliage was simply beautiful. There’s a stream that runs through the park and is a wonderful spot for taking photos.
As you walk through the park you’ll spot lots of vendors selling crackers to feed the deer. We decided that we didn’t want to feed the deer, as we have a personal rule not to feed wild animals. If you want to feed the deer, please ensure that this is the only food you give them. The going rate was about ¥200. Just be forewarned that as soon as you’re in possession of the crackers, the deer will seek you out. There are signs around the park warning tourists that the deer can get aggressive too, which includes biting and kicking. If you do have food, give it to the nearest deer and don’t tease them.
As we walked through the park, we spotted some deer that bow. It seems that they’ve learnt to do this over time as a way to get some crackers. It sure is a cute thing to watch!
See the big Buddha of Todaiji temple
Next up on your Nara day trip itinerary is a visit to the most famous temple in Nara, Todaiji. Whilst it’s an impressive structure from the outside, the real highlight here is the big Buddha. It sits at 15 metres high and is housed within the main hall. This hall also held the title for many years as the largest wooden structure in the world.
To see the Big Buddha hall you’ll need to pay an entrance fee of ¥600 (cash only). We thought this entry fee was well worth it.
Once you’re finished viewing the big Buddha, you can explore more of the Todaiji temple complex. We headed up to Nigatsu-do, a hall within the complex. Whilst it did require a few flights of stairs, we were rewarded with great views of Nara down below. If you’re looking for some peace and quiet after the throngs of people in the park, this spot is a nice respite. In one of the side buildings you’ll find a room that has been set up as a chill out area, complete with free tea and toilets.
Keep strolling through the park
From Nigatsu-do, walk south along the eastern perimeter of Nara Park. We loved this part of the park, as you’ll be walking through a concentrated area of temples and halls. There were still quite a lot of deer roaming around these parts too.
You’ll eventually hit a road lined with shops, including souvenir stores and some restaurants. You can stop here if you’re feeling peckish, or take a break in the park opposite the shops.
See the lanterns of the Kasuga-taisha shrine
A must do on your Nara day trip itinerary is a visit to the Kasuga Grand Shrine. The most popular Shinto shrine in the area, it dates back to 768.
This shrine is most well known for its lanterns. Stone lanterns line the path up to the shrine. Once you arrive you’ll be surrounded by rows of bronze lanterns.
It’s free to enter the outer grounds, which includes the path leading to the shrine with the stone lanterns. There is a special admission area, which costs ¥500 for entry. Here you’ll be able to see a darkened hall with the lanterns alight. We opted not to pay to go in, satisfied with the impressive lanterns we could observe from the free area.
Afternoon shopping and treats
By now you’ve had a long day with lots of walking and temple viewing. It’s time for a treat! But first, you’ll need to walk back to Nara town, towards the train station. This time walk down Sanjo dori St.
Stop in for some Japanese treats at Nakatanidou. Here you’ll spot freshly made mochi being whipped up before your eyes. If you’re a little dubious about whether you’ll like them, you can buy one for just ¥150. We’ve no doubt you’ll drop a few more yen after your first though.
From here, head down the Higashimuki Shopping Street. If you’re looking for souvenirs, this undercover shopping arcade is your spot.
Now your Nara day trip has come to an end. If you’re headed back to Osaka on Kintetsu Railway, the train station is just around the corner. If you’re headed back on JR Railway, it’s a 20 minute walk to the station, or jump on a local bus.
Other considerations for your Nara day trip
Whilst there are restaurants all around the vicinity of Nara Park, we opted to grab an early lunch from 7/11 when we arrived in Nara. If you’re not yet acquainted with the humble Japanese convenience store lunch, I can tell you that you’re missing out! Lawsons, 7/11 and Family Mart all have good quality fare on offer, including sandwiches, sushi, cup noodles and hot food. I can highly recommend the 7/11 Egg Salad sandwich, which has a bit of a cult following on social media (partly thanks to Anthony Bourdain). Eating an early lunch meant we were free to explore Nara Park and its temples all day, and headed back to Osaka for dinner.
If you love a Japanese Garden, consider heading to Isui-en Garden. Located close to Todaiji temple, this is a highly rated small garden. It’s closed on Tuesdays, which is the day we visited Nara, so we missed out. It’s not the cheapest attraction, with an entry fee of ¥900. If you’ve been, I’d love to hear how you found it!
During our day in Nara we found toilets within the train station, near the entrance to Todaiji temple and in the rest area at Nigatsu-do. Like many facilities at temples in Japan, there usually is no soap available. It’s useful to carry some antibacterial gel. Particularly if you plan to feed the deer, so you can use it afterwards.
Whilst card is widely accepted throughout the major cities of Japan, most of the temple visits here were cash only. Make sure you’re on top of your money situation and have some cash on hand.
Heading to Nara from Kyoto?
No problem! Nara is also an easy day trip from Kyoto by train. In fact, many people head to Nara in between moving from Kyoto to Osaka. The train stations at Nara have locker facilities, so you can store your bags for a fee whilst you explore the town.
We hope this 1 day Nara itinerary is helpful and you have an amazing time in Japan! If you’ve got any questions please do let us know in the comments below!
