10 Best Day Trips from Nara

The city of Kyoto is the former capital of Japan and one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country. 1600 Buddhist temples, 17 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and more than 400 Shinto shrines will give you a deep insight into Japanese culture and history. The train ride from Nara to Kyoto takes about 30 minutes. My list of must-see spots in Kyoto is endless, but I would always start with Fushimi Inari-Taisha.

Osaka is the 3rd largest city in Japan. The train ride from Nara to Osaka takes less than 45 minutes. The city has many great sightseeing spots to offer. These were my highlights: Umeda Sky Building (enjoy the view from the observation platform), Osaka Castle, Dotonbori area (crazy nightlife, best food in town), and America Mura (great shopping district).

Kobe belongs to the list of most beautiful cities in Japan. I can tell you this is not a lie. It takes approx. 1.5 hours by train from Nara. One of the three Chinatowns in Japan (Yokohama, Nagasaki, Kobe) is located here. Enjoy the cosmopolitan atmosphere of the city. For good food and shopping possibilities explore the Kobe Harborland area.

Himeji Castle is the most beautiful and most visited castle in Japan. The UNESCO World Heritage Site can be reached by train within 2 hours from Nara. The castle is undamaged for over 400 years. One of the last remaining original castles in Japan is my must-see recommendation for you.

The train ride from Nara to Otsu at Lake Biwa takes approx. 1 hour. The largest freshwater lake in Japan offers beautiful scenery with high mountains in the background. Buy a ticket for a boat tour and enjoy the trip. Btw do not miss the major attraction of Hikone Castle.

Mount Yoshino is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site - Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range. It is the most popular cherry blossom spot in Japan. The scenery is amazing and you will find there many great ancient temple areas like Kimpusen-ji, Yoshimizu-jinja Shrine, Yoshino-jingu Shrine, and Yoshino Mikumari Shrine. It takes approx. 1.5 hours by car to get there from Nara.

Koya-san, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, belongs to the Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range. It takes approx. 3 hours from Nara to Mt. Koya. You should plan an overnight stay there in one of the famous temple inns called shukubo. Take your time to visit more than 100 temples in this area.

The Tendai Buddhist temple Seiganto-ji (Temple of the Blue Waves) in the Wakayama Prefecture is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site - Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range. Seiganto-ji is one of the most scenic spots in Japan. It takes approx. 3.5 hours by car to get there from Nara.

The over 1000-year-old Buddhist Temple complex Shoshazan Engyo-ji at Mt. Shosha belongs to the Tendai sect and is a very popular tourist spot within the Himeji region. Btw Tom Cruise made a movie here called The Last Samurai. It takes approx. 3 hours by train to get there from Nara.

The capital of the Okayama prefecture is famous for the Okayama Castle (because of its black color nicknamed the Crow Castle) and the beautiful Korakuen Garden. Okayama-jo is also part of the list of the top 100 castles in Japan. It takes approx. 2 hours by Shinkansen to get there from Nara.

I have visited Japan nearly every year since 2004. This is my collection of the 100 best moments in my favorite country. Enjoy the pictures and I hope you will start your own journey soon.
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Reading books is a great source of inspiration for me. Check out my recommended list of books about the fascinating country Japan.
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