Three days in Nara: where should you go on day 2?
After day 1's Great Buddha, choose Horyuji wooden architecture or Ishibutai's huge chamber on day 2. Horyuji uses JR Nara and the Yamatoji Line; Ishibutai uses Kintetsu and local buses. Fit a last-day Naramachi walk to departure time.
Choose a 3 days, 2 nights itinerary
Nara Park and Horyuji
Give Nara's Great Buddha and Horyuji's old wooden architecture a day each. Stay two nights near JR Nara; walk Naramachi on departure day if time remains.
Nara Park and Horyuji →3 days, 2 nights BNara Park and Asuka tombs
After the Great Buddha, see a huge stone chamber in Asuka the next day. Stay two nights near Kintetsu Nara, walking on day 1 and taking Kintetsu trains/buses on day 2.
Nara Park and Asuka tombs →Nara Park and Horyuji
Give Nara's Great Buddha and Horyuji's old wooden architecture a day each. Stay two nights near JR Nara; walk Naramachi on departure day if time remains.
Day 1: Great Buddha Hall and JR Nara accommodation
Start at JR Nara. Travel to this station and airport returns are excluded.
- JR Nara Station → Todai-ji approach
Take a JR Nara bus stopping at Todaiji Daibutsuden/Kasuga Taisha-mae, then walk approximately five minutes to Todai-ji. Adult hall admission costs ¥800, payable in cash. Allow internal walking to reception and queues separately; pay at reception before visiting.
- Great Buddha Hall → JR Nara and booked accommodation
Eat near the park and take a JR Nara-bound bus, then go to booked accommodation. Check visit-date bays, fares and returns officially. For late arrivals, shorten admission to fit seasonal hall closing. Art museum and Kasuga are not included in this day's basic visits.
Check JR Nara city-bus bay, return services and fare first. Allow hall approach walks and travel to booked accommodation.
Day 2: give Horyuji a day
- JR Nara Station → JR Horyuji Station
Take a Yamatoji Line train towards Tennoji stopping at Horyuji from JR Nara. Check actual-date outward/arrival times, fares and returns officially.
Tourist information access by exitOfficial JR searchPlatform guidance
- JR Horyuji north exit → Horyuji visiting areas
Walk approximately twenty minutes from the north exit to Nandaimon, then go to paid reception. The adult combined ticket for Saiin Garan, Daihozoin and Toin Garan costs ¥2,000, payable in cash. Hours 08:00–17:00 on 22 February–3 November; 08:00–16:30 on 4 November–21 February. Reception ends thirty minutes before closing; late arrivals may miss some facilities. Allow separate grounds access and visits after the gate.
Tourist information access by exitOfficial JR searchPlatform guidanceOfficial prefectural Horyuji fees and seasonal hoursOfficial Horyuji combined tickets, cash and reception cutoff
- Horyuji visiting areas → Departure station and same accommodation
Have lunch nearby and return to the same north exit. Set visit finish and station-arrival targets after searching actual return trains, allowing grounds walks, gate-to-station access and ticket gates separately. Official Nara-bound platform is 2; follow on-site changes. Return to the same JR Nara accommodation.
Tourist information access by exitOfficial JR searchPlatform guidanceOfficial prefectural Horyuji fees and seasonal hours
Check Horyuji platform 2 guidance and on-site changes. Search actual-date return trains/fares, allowing grounds walks, station access and ticket gates separately.
Day 3: Naramachi walk before departure
Take a short street walk if time permits. For early departures, omit it and go directly to the station.
- JR Nara area accommodation → Naramachi streets
Walk Naramachi around Gangoji (Gokurakubo) at 11 Nakanoin-cho. Official walks of approximately twenty minutes from JR Nara/fifteen from Kintetsu Nara describe Gangoji access, not the whole street walk. Interior temple admission is excluded from basic costs.
Official temple accessNara tourism association hours and fees
- Naramachi streets → Return towards the departure station
Go from your walk endpoint to the departure station. Finish walking with time to reach the station and board.
Allow endpoint-to-departure-station travel time.
Included: Great Buddha Hall ¥800 + Horyuji ¥2,000
Extra costs: JR returns, city buses, paid reserved seats, Gangoji interior, accommodation, meals and final departures
Adult Great Buddha Hall ¥800 + Horyuji ¥2,000 admission total ¥2,800. JR returns, city buses, accommodation, meals, Gangoji interior, paid reserved seats and final departures excluded. Check JR times/fares officially for actual dates.
Official Todai-ji visitor informationOfficial prefectural Horyuji fees and seasonal hoursOfficial Horyuji combined tickets, cash and reception cutoff
Nara Park and Asuka tombs
After the Great Buddha, see a huge stone chamber in Asuka the next day. Stay two nights near Kintetsu Nara, walking on day 1 and taking Kintetsu trains/buses on day 2.
Day 1: walk to the Great Buddha Hall
Start at Kintetsu Nara Station. Travel to this station and airport returns are excluded.
- Kintetsu Nara Station → Todai-ji approach
Walk approximately twenty minutes from Kintetsu Nara towards Noborioji to Todai-ji. This estimates temple access only; allow grounds walking to hall reception and waits separately.
- Todai-ji approach, then hall reception → Great Buddha Hall visit
Pay ¥800 in cash for the hall, then eat in Nara Park or on the return towards the station.
- Great Buddha Hall → Booked accommodation near Kintetsu Nara
Walk to your booked accommodation near Kintetsu Nara. Kasugataisha Shrine would need extra walking/worship time, so it is excluded from this day's basic route.
A day for ¥800 hall admission and meals in Nara Park. Extra walking to Kasugataisha Shrine is excluded from the basic route.
Day 2: Asuka trains and buses
- Kintetsu Nara Station → Kashiharajingumae Station
Travel from Kintetsu Nara to Kashiharajingumae via Yamato-Saidaiji.
- Kashiharajingumae east-exit bay 2 → Ishibutai bus stop
Take an Asuka Station-bound bus stopping at Ishibutai from east-exit bay 2. Check outward/return services in the weekday or weekend/public-holiday timetable for your date. From Nara city, also allow train-arrival-to-bus-bay time.
Official village timetable for 2026-09-01–2027-03-31Current Nara Kotsu guidance
- Ishibutai bus stop → Ishibutai Tumulus
Walk approximately three minutes from the stop to the tomb. Hours 09:00–17:00, last admission 16:45; adults ¥500. Visit, have lunch nearby and return to the Kashiharajingumae-bound stop.
National park 2026 Ishibutai fees and walking guidanceAsuka tourism association current Ishibutai fees/hours
- Ishibutai Tumulus → Departure station and same accommodation
After the bus, return via Kintetsu/Yamato-Saidaiji to Nara accommodation. Match return bus arrival with Nara-bound trains for your date.
Current Nara Kotsu guidanceOfficial village timetable for 2026-09-01–2027-03-31Current national park guidanceKintetsu lines and transfer stations
Choose return buses first, matching train arrival from Nara and east-exit bay access. Check Nara-bound train connections after the return bus.
Day 3: prepare for departure in Naramachi
Take a short street walk if time permits. For early departures, omit it and go directly to the station.
- Kintetsu Nara area accommodation → Naramachi streets
Walk Naramachi around Gangoji (Gokurakubo) at 11 Nakanoin-cho. Official walks of approximately twenty minutes from JR Nara/fifteen from Kintetsu Nara describe Gangoji access, not the whole street walk. Interior temple admission is excluded from basic costs.
- Naramachi streets → Return towards the departure station
Go from your walk endpoint to the departure station. Finish walking with time to reach the station and board.
Allow endpoint-to-departure-station travel time.
Included: Great Buddha Hall ¥800 + Ishibutai ¥500 + Kashiharajingumae east–Ishibutai buses ¥440 each way/¥880 return (replaced by ¥750 for the relevant route day pass)
Extra costs: Kintetsu rail, city buses, Gangoji interior, Kasuga special worship, accommodation, meals and final departures
Adult facilities/Asuka return buses total ¥2,180, or ¥2,050 if actually choosing the ¥750 day pass for the same route. Kintetsu, accommodation, meals, final departures and special worship excluded. Do not apply weekday bus examples to weekends/public holidays.
Official Todai-ji visitor informationNational park 2026 Ishibutai fees and walking guidanceCurrent Nara Kotsu guidance
Frequently asked questions
Is the Asuka day pass worth comparing for only a bus return?
Adult east-exit–Ishibutai fare ¥440 each way/¥880 return. The relevant sightseeing-bus day pass ¥750 costs ¥130 less. Kintetsu and tomb admission excluded; check return buses/train connections for your date.
Official sources and check dates
- Todai-ji approach ·
- Official Todai-ji visitor information ·
- Tourist information access by exit ·
- Official temple access ·
- Nara tourism association hours and fees ·
- Current national park guidance ·
- Official JR search ·
- Platform guidance ·
- Current Nara Kotsu guidance ·
- Official village timetable for 2026-09-01–2027-03-31 ·
- Kintetsu ·
- Asuka tourism association current Ishibutai fees/hours ·
- National park 2026 Ishibutai fees and walking guidance ·
- Official prefectural Horyuji fees and seasonal hours ·
- Kintetsu lines and transfer stations ·
- Official Asuka sightseeing bus section fares and day pass ·
- Official Horyuji combined tickets, cash and reception cutoff ·