Nara is 35 kilometers south of Kyoto City and about 28 kilometers east of Osaka.
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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!
While six or eight hours is ideal for a daytrip, you might find yourself with a mere half day to spend in Nara. If that is the case, don't despair: A half-day (four hours) is enough to see a lot of Nara's major sights.
Osaka and Kyoto 1-Week Itinerary SummaryA good breakdown is 2 days in Osaka and 4 in Kyoto. Kansai International Airport (KIX) is the most convenient airport to Osaka and Kyoto. A Japan Rail Pass is not a good idea for this itinerary, but a Kansai Thru Pass may be.
Nara, once known as Heijo-kyo, was the first capital of Japan (710-794). It's home to 3 of Japan's World Heritage Sites and many impressive shrines, temples and ruins.
It depends on how much you want to see in Nara. A day trip will be just fine for major sites in central Nara such as Todaiji, Nara Park, Tofukuji and Kasha Shrine, but if you want to see sites not in central Nara such as Horyuji, Toshodaiji and Yakushiji, then you should spend a night.
Osaka 1-Day Itinerary SummaryOne day is enough to get a good taste of Osaka. Stay in a place like Kita, Central Osaka or Minami to save time. The must-see attractions in Osaka are Osaka Castle, the Kita District and the Minami District.
It takes around 2 hours and 15 minutes to get from Tokyo to Kyoto. It takes around 45 minutes to get from Kyoto to Nara. You can purchase Tokyo to Kyoto shinkansen tickets online and have them delivered to your Tokyo hotel.