Three days in Nara: where will you go on day two?
After seeing the Great Buddha in Nara Park on day one, choose Horyuji's wooden buildings or Ishibutai's huge stone chamber for day two. Horyuji uses JR Nara and the Yamatoji Line; Ishibutai uses Kintetsu and local buses. Add a final-day Naramachi walk if there is time before departure.
Choose an itinerary for 3 days / 2 nights
Nara Park and Horyuji
Give Nara's Great Buddha and Horyuji's old wooden buildings a day each. Stay two nights near JR Nara Station and walk Naramachi's streets on departure day if time allows.
Nara Park and Horyuji →3 days / 2 nights BNara Park and Asuka's stone tomb
See the Great Buddha, then Asuka's huge stone chamber the next day. Stay two nights near Kintetsu-Nara Station, walking on day one and using Kintetsu and buses for day two's return trip.
Nara Park and Asuka's stone tomb →Nara Park and Horyuji
Give Nara's Great Buddha and Horyuji's old wooden buildings a day each. Stay two nights near JR Nara Station and walk Naramachi's streets on departure day if time allows.
Day 1: Great Buddha Hall, then accommodation near JR Nara
Start at JR Nara Station. Travel to this local station and airport return journeys are excluded.
- JR Nara Station → Approach to Todai-ji
From JR Nara Station, take a bus stopping at Todaiji Daibutsuden–Kasugataisha-mae, then walk about five minutes to Todai-ji. Great Buddha Hall adult admission is JPY 800, paid in cash. Allow extra time to follow the grounds signs to its desk and queue, then pay and visit the hall.
- Great Buddha Hall → JR Nara Station and your booked accommodation
Have a meal near the park and take a JR Nara Station-bound bus. Go to your booked accommodation on arrival. Check stands, fares and return buses for your date in official guidance. For a late arrival, shorten the visit around the hall's seasonal closing time. The museum and Kasugataisha are not basic visits today.
Check your JR Nara city bus stand, both directions and fare first. Allow time to walk to the hall and reach your booked accommodation.
Day 2: a day at Horyuji
- JR Nara Station → JR Horyuji Station
At JR Nara Station, take a Tennoji-bound Yamatoji Line train stopping at Horyuji. Check departure and arrival times, fare and return service for your date in official JR journey search.
Tourist office's exit-specific accessOfficial JR journey searchStation platform guidance
- JR Horyuji Station north exit → Horyuji visiting areas
Walk about 20 minutes from the north exit to the south gate, then continue to paid admission. The western precinct, Daihozoin and eastern precinct combined ticket is JPY 2,000 for adults, payable in cash. Hours are 8 am–5 pm from 22 February to 3 November and 8 am–4:30 pm from 4 November to 21 February. Admission ends 30 minutes before closing; late arrival may limit access to some facilities. Allow extra time beyond the south gate for moving through the grounds and sightseeing.
Tourist office's exit-specific accessOfficial JR journey searchStation platform guidanceOfficial Nara Prefecture Horyuji fees and seasonal hoursOfficial Horyuji combined ticket, cash payment and admission cutoff
- Horyuji visiting areas → Your starting station and the same accommodation
After lunch nearby, return to the same north exit. Choose your actual return train first, then work back from the station-arrival time, allowing separately for the grounds, walk from the south gate and ticket gates. Official guidance lists platform 2 towards Nara; follow any on-site changes. Return to the same accommodation near JR Nara.
Tourist office's exit-specific accessOfficial JR journey searchStation platform guidanceOfficial Nara Prefecture Horyuji fees and seasonal hours
Check Horyuji Station's platform 2 guidance and any current changes. Look up return trains and fares for your actual date, allowing separately for the grounds, walk to the station and ticket gates.
Day 3: Naramachi walk, then departure
Take a short street walk if there is time before departure. For an early train, omit the walk and go straight to the station.
- Accommodation near JR Nara Station → Naramachi streets
Use Gangoji (Gokurakubo), 11 Nakaincho, as a reference for a walk through nearby Naramachi. Official walks of about 20 minutes from JR Nara or 15 minutes from Kintetsu-Nara describe temple access, not a full street walk. Temple interiors are excluded from basic costs.
Official temple accessNara City tourism association hours and fees
- Naramachi streets → Return towards your departure station
Head from your walk endpoint to the departure station. Finish with enough time to walk back and board your train.
Allow time from your walk endpoint to the departure station.
Included: Great Buddha Hall JPY 800 + Horyuji JPY 2,000
Additional costs: The following costs are excluded: Return JR, city buses, paid reserved seats, Gangoji interiors, accommodation, meals and final departure.
Adult admission totals JPY 2,800: Great Buddha Hall JPY 800 + Horyuji JPY 2,000. Return JR, city buses, accommodation, meals, Gangoji interiors, paid reserved seats and final departure are excluded. Check JR times and fares for your actual date in official journey search.
Official Todai-ji visitor guidanceOfficial Nara Prefecture Horyuji fees and seasonal hoursOfficial Horyuji combined ticket, cash payment and admission cutoff
Nara Park and Asuka's stone tomb
See the Great Buddha, then Asuka's huge stone chamber the next day. Stay two nights near Kintetsu-Nara Station, walking on day one and using Kintetsu and buses for day two's return trip.
Day 1: walk to the Great Buddha Hall
Start at Kintetsu-Nara Station. Travel to this local station and airport return journeys are excluded.
- Kintetsu-Nara Station → Approach to Todai-ji
Walk towards Noborioji from Kintetsu-Nara Station for about 20 minutes to Todai-ji. This is the temple approach; allow extra time through the grounds to the Great Buddha Hall desk and for queues.
- Great Buddha Hall admission after approaching Todai-ji → Great Buddha Hall visit
Pay JPY 800 in cash to visit the Great Buddha Hall, then have a meal in Nara Park or on your return towards the station.
- Great Buddha Hall → Your booked accommodation near Kintetsu-Nara Station
Walk to your booked accommodation near Kintetsu-Nara Station. Kasugataisha requires additional walking and worship time, so it is excluded from today's basic plan.
Today covers the JPY 800 Great Buddha Hall visit and a meal in Nara Park. Extra walking to Kasugataisha is excluded from the basic itinerary.
Day 2: Asuka by train and bus
- Kintetsu-Nara Station → Kashiharajingu-mae Station
Travel from Kintetsu-Nara to Kashiharajingu-mae, changing at Yamato-Saidaiji.
- Kashiharajingu-mae Station east-exit stand 2 → Ishibutai bus stop
At Kashiharajingu-mae Station's east-exit stand 2, take an Asuka Station-bound bus stopping at Ishibutai. Check both directions in the weekday timetable or the timetable for Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays for your date. From Nara City, allow time from the train arrival to the bus stand.
Official village timetable, 1 September 2026–31 March 2027Current Nara Kotsu guidance
- Ishibutai bus stop → Ishibutai Tumulus
Walk about three minutes from the Ishibutai stop to the tomb. Hours are 9 am–5 pm, with last entry at 4:45 pm. Pay JPY 500 adult admission, explore and have lunch nearby, then return to the Kashiharajingu-mae-bound stop.
National park: revised 2026 Ishibutai fees and walkAsuka tourism association: current Ishibutai fees and hours
- Ishibutai Tumulus → Your starting station and the same accommodation
After the bus, take Kintetsu via Yamato-Saidaiji back to your Nara accommodation. Match the return bus arrival with a Nara-bound train for your date.
Current Nara Kotsu guidanceOfficial village timetable, 1 September 2026–31 March 2027Current national park guidanceKintetsu routes and interchange stations
Choose both buses in your date's timetable first, then match the Nara train arrival and walk to the east-exit stand. Check the return bus-to-train connection towards Nara.
Day 3: Naramachi before departure
Take a short street walk if there is time before departure. For an early train, omit the walk and go straight to the station.
- Accommodation near Kintetsu-Nara Station → Naramachi streets
Use Gangoji (Gokurakubo), 11 Nakaincho, as a reference for a walk through nearby Naramachi. Official walks of about 20 minutes from JR Nara or 15 minutes from Kintetsu-Nara describe temple access, not a full street walk. Temple interiors are excluded from basic costs.
- Naramachi streets → Return towards your departure station
Head from your walk endpoint to the departure station. Finish with enough time to walk back and board your train.
Allow time from your walk endpoint to the departure station.
Included: Great Buddha Hall JPY 800 + Ishibutai JPY 500 + Kashiharajingu-mae east exit–Ishibutai bus JPY 440 each way, JPY 880 return (replace with JPY 750 relevant route day pass if chosen)
Additional costs: The following costs are excluded: Kintetsu railway, city buses, Gangoji interiors, Kasugataisha special visit, accommodation, meals and final departure.
Admission and Asuka return buses total JPY 2,180 adult, or JPY 2,050 if you choose the JPY 750 day pass for the same bus route. Kintetsu, accommodation, meals, final departure and shrine special visits are excluded. Do not apply weekday bus examples to weekends or public holidays.
Official Todai-ji visitor guidanceNational park: revised 2026 Ishibutai fees and walkCurrent Nara Kotsu guidance
Frequently asked questions
Is the Asuka bus day pass worth comparing for just a return trip?
Adult Kashiharajingu-mae east exit–Ishibutai fares are JPY 440 each way, JPY 880 return. The relevant JPY 750 sightseeing bus day pass saves JPY 130 on this segment. Kintetsu and tomb admission are excluded. Check both buses and rail connections for your date.
Official sources and check dates
- Approach to Todai-ji ·
- Official Todai-ji visitor guidance ·
- Tourist office's exit-specific access ·
- Official temple access ·
- Nara City tourism association hours and fees ·
- Current national park guidance ·
- Official JR journey search ·
- Station platform guidance ·
- Current Nara Kotsu guidance ·
- Official village timetable, 1 September 2026–31 March 2027 ·
- Kintetsu ·
- Asuka tourism association: current Ishibutai fees and hours ·
- National park: revised 2026 Ishibutai fees and walk ·
- Official Nara Prefecture Horyuji fees and seasonal hours ·
- Kintetsu routes and interchange stations ·
- Official Asuka sightseeing bus segment fares and day pass ·
- Official Horyuji combined ticket, cash payment and admission cutoff ·