A Walk through Nara Park

Nara Park, located in Nara city, was established in 1880 and encompasses a wide area including major attractions such as Kofukuji temple, Nara National Museum and Todaiji. One thing that Nara has become famous for is the hundreds of wild deer that roam around – they are more or less now a symbol of the city.

The park covers almost the entire eastern part of Nara city. As you begin your walk, you will see friendly deer almost everywhere. You can get deer crackers (shika sembei) from one of the stalls to feed the deer. For 150 yen, you will get a stack of crackers with around 10 pieces. Be warned though, once you start feeding them, they will follow you around and ask for more! The other thing that you may notice is that, before or after you feed them, they will bow their head as if they are saying thank you which personally I found incredible. This is also a great place just to relax and have a picnic if you wish to, while enjoying the deer companions and some people watching.

A visit to Nara Park can easily be made into a day trip from Osaka. If you start early in the morning, you can have breakfast around Nara station where there is a range of eateries and then go venture towards the park and visit the temples on your way. There is also a popular eatery called Kamameshi where they specialise in making kamameshi meal (where they cook the rice in an iron pot with ingredients on top of it and serve it to you piping hot). This can be a great option if you are looking to try a traditional meal.

One of the best ways to reach Nara is by taking the train to Kintetsu Nara Station. From the station, drop by the information counter where you will be able to get a local map and information regarding the different temples.