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Nara Prefecture (奈良県), located in the Kansai region of Honshu, Japan’s main island, is situated south of Kyoto Prefecture and bordered by Osaka, Wakayama, and Mie Prefectures. Its capital city is Nara.
Nara Prefecture is renowned for its historical sites, natural beauty, and traditional culture. One of the most famous attractions in the prefecture is Nara Park, where visitors can interact with and feed wild deer that roam freely. The park is also home to several important historical landmarks, including Todai-ji Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site housing the world’s largest bronze statue of Buddha.
Other notable landmarks in Nara include Kasuga Grand Shrine, a stunning Shinto shrine known for its vermillion-lacquered buildings and numerous stone and bronze lanterns, and Kohfuku-ji Temple, a vast Buddhist temple complex encompassing several pagodas and museums, particularly famous for its five-storied pagoda.
Nara Prefecture is also celebrated for its natural beauty, exemplified by Yoshino-Kumano National Park, which features rugged mountains, waterfalls, and hot springs. Yoshino Mountain, a part of the park, is renowned as a prime cherry blossom viewing spot. The prefecture is also famous for its traditional crafts, such as Nara-yaki pottery and Nara-fu (wheat gluten) confectionery. Nara’s culinary specialty, Narazuke, pickled vegetables in sake lees, is also a popular souvenir.
Destinations in Nara
Links and Resources
| Nara Prefecture | https://www.pref.nara.jp/ |
| Nara City | https://www.city.nara.lg.jp/ |