Nara, Japan: things to do, prices and tips 2026

Things to do in Nara (Japan): Nara Park & its deer, Todai-ji & the Great Buddha, Naramachi. Prices, opening times and the author’s tips.

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What to see

🦌Nara Park & its deer

More than a thousand sika deer roam freely around the park and bow back if you bow to them.

Price Shika senbei deer crackers ¥200

Insider tip Only buy the official crackers and don't hide them — the deer nip and headbutt when they smell food. Keep paper bags and maps out of reach: they'll eat them.

🛕Todai-ji & the Great Buddha

One of the largest wooden buildings in the world, housing a 15-metre bronze Buddha from the 8th century.

Price ¥800

Insider tip Find the pillar with a hole at the base: legend says whoever squeezes through gains enlightenment. Watching the queue of kids and adults is entertainment in itself.

🏘Naramachi

An old merchant quarter of wooden machiya townhouses that now hold cafés, sake shops and craft stores.

Price Free

Insider tip Stop by Nakatanidou, where mochi is pounded with mallets at incredible speed — the show runs several times a day.

🏮Kasuga Taisha Shrine

3,000 stone and bronze lanterns in the forest — and two evenings a year when they're all lit.

Secret spot: details and the map pin are in the full guide

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