A Day Trip to Nara from Kyoto and Osaka: From Kofuku-ji Temple to Todai-ji Temple, Nigatsu-do Hall, and Kasuga-taisha Shrine

Starting on foot from Kintetsu-Nara Station, you will take in the Buddhist statues in the National Treasure Museum of Kofuku-ji Temple, the deer of Nara Park, the Great Buddha of Todai-ji Temple, and the view from the stage of Nigatsu-do Hall. Finally, you will walk south past Tamukeyama Hachimangu Shrine to Kasuga-taisha Shrine nestled in the forest. This is a walking course that can be enjoyed as a day trip from both Kyoto and Osaka.

History and Local Charm

The setting for this course is Nara Park, which stretches across the central part of Nara City, and its surroundings. Kofuku-ji Temple was moved to this site under the plan of Fujiwara no Fuhito during the transfer of the capital to Heijo-kyo in 710, flourishing as the family temple of the Fujiwara clan. Kasuga-taisha Shrine enshrines the tutelary deities of the Fujiwara clan. It is said to have begun in the early Nara period when Takemikazuchi-no-mikoto was welcomed to the summit of Mt. Mikasa from Kashima to protect the capital of Heijo-kyo.

At Todai-ji Temple, Emperor Shomu issued an imperial rescript to cast the Great Buddha in 743, and a grand eye-opening consecration ceremony was held in 752. In that same year, 752, Jitchu initiated the Shuni-e ceremony at Nigatsu-do Hall. In 1180, during the Siege of Nara by the Taira clan, most of the halls of Kofuku-ji Temple and the Great Buddha Hall of Todai-ji Temple burned down, but both were rebuilt. The Shuni-e has been handed down without a single interruption, even through the times when Todai-ji Temple lost most of its grand temple complex.

Nara Park originated when the former grounds of Kofuku-ji Temple, which had become government-owned land in the Meiji period, were designated as parkland, officially opening in 1880. Because the deity is said to have arrived at Mt. Mikasa riding a white deer, the park's deer have been cherished as divine messengers of Kasuga-taisha Shrine. In 1998, Kasuga-taisha Shrine, Kofuku-ji Temple, Todai-ji Temple, and the Kasugayama Primeval Forest in this area were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list as the "Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara."

Key Highlights

• ​Kofuku-ji Temple​​: Chukon-do Hall, the core of the temple complex, was rebuilt in 2018 in its original architectural form from its founding. Tokon-do Hall features statues arranged around the principal image of the seated Yakushi Nyorai carved in the Muromachi period, while the National Treasure Museum houses the statue of Ashura, renowned as a masterpiece of Tenpyo sculpture, and a 7th-century Buddha head brought from Yamada-dera Temple in Asuka. The 50.1-meter-tall Five-Story Pagoda is currently undergoing preservation and repair work and is covered by a temporary protective roof structure, so its exterior cannot be seen.
• ​Nara Park​​: Around 1,300 deer roam freely within the park, feeding primarily on the park's grass. Because deer are wild animals, avoid approaching them carelessly, especially male deer during the breeding season. Please do not feed the deer any food other than deer crackers (shika-senbei).
• ​Todai-ji Temple​​: Standing in the Nandaimon main gate are the Kongo Rikishi statues, slightly under 8.4 meters tall, which were crafted in just 69 days by master sculptors including Unkei and Kaikei. The current Great Buddha Hall was consecrated in 1709 and is one of the world's largest wooden structures. Inside, the 14.98-meter-tall Great Buddha, Rushana Buddha, is enshrined. On the Octagonal Lantern, a National Treasure dating back to the temple's founding, visitors can see low-relief carvings of Onjo Bodhisattva playing musical instruments.
• ​Nigatsu-do Hall​​: A National Treasure hall built facing west on a sloping cliffside. When you ascend to the wooden stage, you can view the great roof of the Great Buddha Hall directly ahead and look out across the Nara Basin. Every year from March 1 to 14, the main rites of the Shuni-e are performed here, with large torches lit every night.
• ​Kasuga-taisha Shrine​​: The head shrine of roughly 3,000 Kasuga shrines across Japan. The South Gate (Nanmon), entered from the main approach, is the largest tower gate at Kasuga-taisha Shrine at 12 meters in height. Within the precincts stand about 3,000 lanterns that have been dedicated since the Heian period. The "Sunazuri-no-Fuji" wisteria just inside the Keigamon Gate produces flower clusters that stretch over one meter in length around early May.

Recommended Route and Duration

The recommended duration is about 6 hours, with a walking distance of approximately 4 kilometers. To reach Kintetsu-Nara Station, it takes about 40 minutes from Osaka-Namba Station and about 50 minutes from Kyoto Station on the Kintetsu Kyoto Line. From Exit 2 of the East Ticket Gate, Kofuku-ji Temple is about a 5-minute walk away.

After visiting Kofuku-ji Temple, walk about 1.1 kilometers east to Kasugano Park in Nara Park. This is the largest multipurpose open space in the park, offering views of Mt. Wakakusa to the east, the Great Buddha Hall to the northwest, and the Nandaimon Gate to the west. Double back slightly westward toward the Nandaimon Gate, look up at the gate before passing through, and proceed to the Great Buddha Hall.

After paying your respects at the Great Buddha Hall, extend your walk about 430 meters east to Nigatsu-do Hall. Enjoy the view from the stage, pass in front of Tamukeyama Hachimangu Shrine just to the south, and continue south for about 830 meters to reach Kasuga-taisha Shrine. Inside Kasuga-taisha Shrine, take your time exploring while viewing the South Gate and lanterns.

For the return trip, you can take a bus back to Nara Station from the Kasuga-taisha Honden bus stop. Buses bound for Kasuga-taisha Honden take about 11 to 15 minutes from JR and Kintetsu Nara Stations. As service and schedules vary by season, please check before boarding.

Experience Summary

Beginning with Tenpyo-era Buddhist statues, encountering wild deer, standing before the soaring Great Buddha, looking out over the Nara Basin from the stage, and finally arriving at the lantern-lined shrine in the forest—this day-long route links historic temples and shrines dating back to the Heijo-kyo era in one continuous walk. As you stroll, take a moment to picture Kofuku-ji Temple's Five-Story Pagoda, which is currently concealed under its protective cover.