Nara is a peaceful and welcoming city that boasts an impressive number of historically and culturally significant sites within its picturesque borders, on top of which it is the proud home of over 1,200 freely roaming sacred deer.

Located in the Kansai region of Japan, Nara is under an hour away from its larger neighbours Kyoto and Osaka, which makes it a popular choice for day trips with both overseas tourists and local visitors.

However, to really make the most of this charming city, it?s well worth staying overnight or even for a few days, if you can. This gives you the time to explore some of the lesser-known?but no less impressive?attractions, and find out exactly what makes Nara so special.

A Brief History of Nara

Japanese Sika Deer in between stone lanterns in Nara (photo by Richard Fisher CC BY)
As Japan?s first permanent capital, Nara is one of the country?s most important locations both historically and culturally.

From the architecture of its preserved neighborhoods to its wealth of traditional arts, and from its crafts and festivals to the splendor of its eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites, this historical and cultural importance is evident throughout the city.

The abundance of temples and shrines in Nara is indicative of the city?s position as one of the key spiritual centers of Japan. In fact, one of the reasons the capital was moved away from Nara is because the government feared that the city?s Buddhist temples were becoming too powerfu...