prefecture of Japan
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Asia > East Asia > Japan > Kansai > Nara (prefecture)

Nara Prefecture (奈良県 Nara-ken) is in the western Kansai region of the main Japanese island Honshu.

Understand

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Nara has a creditable claim to be the home of Japan's Imperial family, and the prefecture houses no fewer than three ancient capitals: Asuka (538-694), Fujiwara (694-710) and Nara (710-784). The plain around Nara is scattered with grand temples and imperial burial sites known as kofun.

Tourist Information Site

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Visit Nara is the prefecture's official guide site in English.

Cities

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Map
Map of Nara (prefecture)
  • 1 Nara Japan's capital before Kyoto, with temples and shrines laid out in a vast park
  • Gojo
  • 2 Ikoma
  • 3 Kashihara the site of Japan's capital city, Fujiwarakyo (藤原京), before Nara.
    • 1 Imai (今井町) a preserved district of old merchant houses from Edo period in Kashihara
  • Sakurai
  • 4 Tenri Tenri, Nara on Wikipedia
  • 5 Uda
  • Yamato-Koriyama

Other destinations

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Ishibutai Burial Mound in Asuka
  • 2 Asuka Asuka, Nara on Wikipedia (飛鳥/明日香) the homeground of Japan's earliest historical capital city, Asukakyo (飛鳥京)
  • Ikaruga
    • 3 Horyuji (法隆寺) Ancient temples named as UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Ikaruga (斑鳩) Town
  • Shimoichi
  • Takatori
  • 4 Tenkawa
  • 5 Totsukawa Totsukawa on Wikipedia
  • 6 Yamazoe Yamazoe on Wikipedia
  • 7 Yoshino (吉野) the mountain area which comprises a part of another UNESCO World Heritage, and Japan's most famous cherry blossom viewing spots

Get in

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By plane

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By train

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Nara Prefecture is accessible by both JR Railways and Kintetsu Railways.

From Osaka take the JR Yamatoji Line Local towards Nara. It takes 50-60 minutes. If you are near Tsuruhashi Station, it's cheaper to take the Kintetsu Line to Kintetsu Nara Station. From Kyoto, the difference between Kintetsu and JR is not so great, but JR is generally slightly faster while Kintetsu is cheaper. Kintetsu has some direct trains, but in general a transfer is required at Yamato-Saidaiji Station for Nara City.

Outside the capital, Kintetsu Railways provides much greater access to the prefecture than JR. Many places, such as Yoshino, Asuka, and Sakurai are only accessible via Kintetsu Railway.

Kintetsu Railway is also the best way to get into Nara Prefecture from Wakayama Prefecture and Mie Prefecture.

By bus

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Get around

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Drink

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Go next

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This region travel guide to Nara is an outline and may need more content. It has a template, but there is not enough information present. If there are Cities and Other destinations listed, they may not all be at usable status or there may not be a valid regional structure and a "Get in" section describing all of the typical ways to get here. Please plunge forward and help it grow!