2 days / 1 night in Nara: choose the park and shrine or Horyuji
Stay a night near Kintetsu-Nara and give the Great Buddha and shrine approach a day each. For ancient wooden buildings and Buddhist statues, use JR Nara as your base and visit Horyuji on day 1. Add Gangoji and Naramachi on day 2 only if time remains before departure.
Choose a 1 night, 2 days itinerary
Great Buddha Hall and shrine in Nara Park
See the Great Buddha and walk the shrine approach, giving each a day while staying near Kintetsu Nara for one night. Shorten worship time for an early day-two departure.
Great Buddha Hall and shrine in Nara Park →1 night, 2 days BFocus on Horyuji
Give day one to Horyuji’s wooden architecture and Buddhist art. Stay near JR Nara for one night and make a return trip. On day two, visit Gangoji and Naramachi if time remains before departure.
Focus on Horyuji →Great Buddha Hall and shrine in Nara Park
See the Great Buddha and walk the shrine approach, giving each a day while staying near Kintetsu Nara for one night. Shorten worship time for an early day-two departure.
Day one: Kintetsu Nara to the Great Buddha Hall
Start at Kintetsu Nara. Transport to the starting station and airport transfers are excluded.
- Kintetsu Nara Station → Todaiji approach
Walk east along Noboriojicho towards Todaiji. The official roughly 20 minutes is station–temple access time, not a confirmed time to the Great Buddha Hall ticket desk.
- Todaiji approach → Great Buddha Hall reception
Follow signs through the grounds to reception. Add walking inside the grounds and queues to the station or bus-stop approach time.
- Great Buddha Hall reception → Great Buddha Hall visit
Pay the JPY 800 adult admission in cash at reception and enter the hall. Hours are 07:30–17:30 in April–October and 08:00–17:00 in November–March. Check notices for events or emergency changes on your date.
- After the Great Buddha Hall → Kintetsu Nara Station
Retrace the walking approach towards Kintetsu Nara. The official 20 minutes describes the station–temple approach and cannot be used unchanged for the hall exit–station return. If switching to a bus, check boarding points, fares and return services for your date separately.
For a late arrival, shorten the visit around closing time and reception queues. Choose a meal or break near the park or station afterwards.
Day two: Kasuga Taisha worship
Follow the lantern-lined approach to Kasuga Taisha. Skip special worship or the shrine visit if time before departure is short.
- Kintetsu Nara Station → Kasuga Taisha approach
Walk towards the shrine. The official 25 minutes describes station–shrine access, not a confirmed time to the ordinary worship area or special-worship reception.
- Kasuga Taisha approach → Worship at the ordinary area
Follow grounds signs to the ordinary worship area, allowing extra walking and waiting time. Ordinary worship is free; hours are 06:30–17:30 in March–October and 07:00–17:00 in November–February.
- After ordinary worship → Optional main-sanctuary special worship
Check suspension notices and on-site reception for your date. Main-sanctuary special worship costs JPY 700 and runs 09:00–16:00, subject to ritual suspensions. Skip this step on suspension days or if time before departure is short.
- After Kasuga Taisha worship → Kintetsu Nara Station
Retrace the approach towards Kintetsu Nara. The official 25 minutes is shrine access guidance, not a confirmed worship-area–station return or total return-trip time.
Special worship costs an additional JPY 700. Add a meal or break on the walk back towards the station after worship.
Included: The total includes JPY 800 for the Great Buddha Hall and free ordinary worship at Kasuga Taisha (JPY 0).
Extra costs: The total excludes Kasuga Taisha special worship, the treasure museum and botanical garden, all transport, accommodation, meals and final onward travel.
Great Buddha Hall adult admission is JPY 800 cash and ordinary shrine worship is free, making JPY 800 basic admission. Add JPY 700 for main-sanctuary special worship when available on your date, making JPY 1,500. Leave it out on suspension days. Treasure museum, botanical garden, all transport, accommodation, meals and final onward travel cost extra.
Todaiji official visitor informationOperations and suspension dates in Japanese
Focus on Horyuji
Give day one to Horyuji’s wooden architecture and Buddhist art. Stay near JR Nara for one night and make a return trip. On day two, visit Gangoji and Naramachi if time remains before departure.
Day one: JR return trip to Horyuji
Start at JR Nara Station. Transport to the starting station and airport transfers are excluded.
- JR Nara Station → JR Horyuji Station
Take a Yamatoji Line service towards Tennoji stopping at Horyuji. Check outward and return times and fares for your date in JR’s official search.
JR official journey plannerTourist information centre access routes by exit
- JR Horyuji north exit → Horyuji South Gate
Walk about 20 minutes from the north exit to the South Gate. Add time to reach paid-visit reception and queue beyond the gate.
- Horyuji South Gate → Paid-visit reception
Individual adult joint admission to the Western Precinct, Great Treasure Gallery and Eastern Precinct costs JPY 2,000 cash. Hours are 08:00–17:00 from 22 February to 3 November and 08:00–16:30 from 4 November to 21 February. Reception ends 30 minutes before closing; some facilities may be inaccessible when arriving late. Allow separate time for moving through the grounds and visiting.
Horyuji official joint ticket, cash payment and admission deadline
- After reception → Horyuji visit
Visit the Western Precinct, Great Treasure Gallery and Eastern Precinct included in the joint ticket. Allow time to move around the grounds; some facilities may be inaccessible near closing.
Horyuji official joint ticket, cash payment and admission deadline
- After Horyuji → JR Horyuji Station
Exit towards the South Gate and retrace the walk to JR Horyuji. The official 20 minutes describes north-exit–South Gate access, not a confirmed return time from the visiting areas to the station.
- JR Horyuji Station → JR Nara Station
Take a Nara-bound train back to JR Nara. The official station guide lists platform 2 towards Nara, Kizu and Kamo, but follow the day’s displays and instructions. Check return departure, arrival and fare in JR’s official search.
Allow for return trains, platforms, north-exit–South Gate walks and the grounds visit. Add lunch and breaks before or after visiting. Reception ends 30 minutes before the seasonal closing time; late arrivals may miss some facilities.
Day two: Gangoji and Naramachi
Choose paid Gangoji admission for a temple visit or a Naramachi street walk. Shorten the visit for an early departure.
- JR Nara Station → Gangoji approach
Walk to Gangoji at the official address, 11 Chuincho. The roughly 20 minutes from JR Nara is temple approach guidance, not confirmed reception access. Distinguish it from the temple and pagoda site with the same name in Shibashinyacho.
Temple’s official access informationGangoji’s official distinction between the two temples
- Gangoji approach → Visit reception
Follow local signs to reception. General adult admission is JPY 700. From 24 October to 15 November 2026, the autumn special exhibition replaces it with JPY 800 including temple admission; this is not an extra charge on top of JPY 700.
Nara City Tourism Association hours and feesNara Prefecture’s official Gangoji 2026 autumn exhibition information
- After Gangoji reception → Gangoji visit
Explore the grounds containing Gokurakudo. Hours are 09:00–17:00, with reception until 16:30; the specified special exhibition uses the same hours. Skip paid admission for an early departure.
Nara City Tourism Association hours and feesNara Prefecture’s official Gangoji 2026 autumn exhibition information
- After Gangoji or at your chosen walking point → Return towards JR Nara
After the temple or street walk, return towards JR Nara. The official 20 minutes describes station–temple access. Check return time from your actual walking endpoint to the station or accommodation separately.
A Naramachi street walk alone does not require Gangoji admission. Meals and other paid facilities cost extra. Shorten visits or walking for an early departure.
Included: The total includes JPY 2,000 for Horyuji and JPY 700 for Gangoji general admission. Gangoji admission is replaced by JPY 800 from 24 October to 15 November 2026.
Extra costs: The total excludes return JR fares between Nara and Horyuji, other transport, accommodation, meals and final onward travel.
Horyuji adult admission JPY 2,000 + Gangoji general admission JPY 700 = JPY 2,700. During Gangoji’s 24 October–15 November 2026 exhibition, JPY 800 replaces ordinary admission, making JPY 2,800. JR Nara–Horyuji return fares and all other transport, accommodation, meals and onward travel are excluded; check JR times and fares for your date. A street-only day without Gangoji leaves JPY 2,000 checked facility admission for Horyuji, with other paid visits extra. Horyuji joint admission is paid in cash and reception ends 30 minutes before seasonal closing.
Nara Prefecture’s official Horyuji fees and seasonal hoursNara City Tourism Association hours and feesNara Prefecture’s official Gangoji 2026 autumn exhibition informationHoryuji official joint ticket, cash payment and admission deadline
Frequently asked questions
Is Kasuga Taisha special worship included in the base cost?
No. The JPY 800 admission total for the 2-day Nara Park route A covers the Great Buddha Hall and free ordinary worship area. Special worship at the main sanctuary costs another JPY 700; check its 09:00–16:00 hours and ritual suspensions. The Treasure Hall, botanical garden, transport, accommodation and meals are also extra.
Kasuga Taisha official worship and access by exitTodaiji official visitor information
Official sources and confirmation dates
- Todaiji approach ·
- Todaiji official visitor information ·
- Operations and suspension dates in Japanese ·
- JR official journey planner ·
- Station platform information ·
- Tourist information centre access routes by exit ·
- Nara Prefecture’s official Horyuji fees and seasonal hours ·
- Temple’s official access information ·
- Nara City Tourism Association hours and fees ·
- Nara Prefecture’s official Gangoji 2026 autumn exhibition information ·
- Gangoji’s official distinction between the two temples ·
- Kasuga Taisha official worship and access by exit ·
- Horyuji official joint ticket, cash payment and admission deadline ·