See

Kasuga-yama Primeval Forest

春日山原生林

A gorgeous hill of wild, undeveloped forest leading to Kasuga Taisha and some of the other sights in Nara Koen. The path is clearly marked, though, so don't worry about getting lost. It's a quiet walk at any time of day. If you're determined to feed some deer, save your biscuits for the ones out here instead of the loafers by Todai-ji.

outdoors

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Listing from Wikivoyage: Nara, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Updated 28 Sept 2026. Something wrong? Tell us.

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Kasuga Taisha
春日大社
Worth a visit for the beautiful approach, through the Kasuga-yama Primeval Forest (see below), more than the temple itself. What Kyoto's Fushimi Inari Taisha is for torii, Kasuga Taisha is for stone lanterns. Notice the giant rack of sake barrels near the front gate and the fountain-statue of a giant buck. The temple is occasionally closed for services, but a walk around the outside is likely to be no less rewarding.
Grounds free, inside of shrine ¥500, treasure hall ¥400
See
Shin-Yakushi-ji
新薬師寺
It's a single hall with twelve ferocious warrior statues (each with his own collection plate) standing guard by a Buddha of healing. The statues are quite impressive — this is as well-protected a Buddha as you're likely to find.
Closed · opens 9 amAdults ¥600, JHS-HS students ¥350, children ¥150
See
Nara City Museum of Photography
奈良市写真美術館
The steel-and-glass building sits as if reflected upon the linear pond that surrounds it. Inside, there are reasonably interesting exhibits of photography on local subjects like the Mount Wakakusa Fire Festival (see below).
Closed · opens 9:30 am¥300
Do
Shuni-e (Omizu-tori)
修二会 (お水取り)
An annual Buddhist memorial service that has been carried out first in 752 AD and continues today without a year off. Priests run around the Nigatsu-dō carrying large flaming torches.
Mar 1-14, evening