When in Kyoto, you can’t miss a day trip to the beautiful city of Nara! It’s about an hour outside of Kyoto and famously home of the Nara deers. I’ll help you with the logistics, details, and everything you need to know to plan your day trip Kyoto to Nara!

Getting to Nara from Kyoto.

The best way to get to Nara is via train. In Kyoto, we were staying at the Granbell Kyoto. In order to get to Nara, we took Keihan Main Line to Tambabashi Station. We were able to use our Suica card. From Tambashi Station, we had to buy a specific ticket for the Kintetsu Limited Express to Kintetsu-Nara Station. I honestly thought this was pretty confusing online, so I just went to Tambashi Station and asked an attendant for help. They bought me a direct ticket to Nara and we got on the train!

You can look up the time tables here. 

How long is the trip from Kyoto to Nara

The time can vary based on the route you take and the type of train you take. Roughly I would say an hour on the trains from Kyoto to Nara. Our route was as follows

6 min walk to Gion-Shijo Station, free

10 min train on Keihan Main Line to Tambabashi Station, 320 JPY (on Suica)

10 mins buying ticket and waiting for Kintetsu limited express train

28 min train on Kintetsu Limited Express to Kintetsu-Nara Station, 1,200 JPY

Total: 55 mins, 1,520 JPY (~$9.64)

You could also take the Kintetsu – Kyoto Line (not limited express) which takes 39 mins and costs 680 JPY

We took the train from Kyoto leaving at about 9:30 am and arrived in Nara around 10:30 am. 

First Stop – Noborioji Park & Kofuku-ji Kokuhokan:

Walking from Nara-Kintetsu station toward central Nara, you will pass the Noborioji Park. I honestly thought this was the Nara Deer Park because it is FULL of deer. Nara has become famous for its deer and this will likely be your first sighting! We got so excited that we spent 45 mins roaming around here and feeding deer.

Kofuku-ji Kokuhokan was under construction when we were there so we just saw it a bit from the outside. You can usually go inside and the admission fee is 700 JPY per person (900 JPY now in 2026). The construction is not planned to be done until 2031 to 2034.

What to know about feeding the deer:

We got so excited to feed the deer, but little did we know, there are deer everywhere in Nara. There are vendors selling deer crackers that you can feed the deer. Make sure you only feed them these crackers.

Once you have crackers in your hand and approach the deer, some get a little excited or even aggressive and will come after the crackers. What you’re supposed to do is approach a deer, bow to it, it will bow to you, then you feed it the cracker. I recommend immediately walking away or they might keep coming at you for more crackers.

Next Stop: Isuien Garden and Neiraku Museum

This beautiful zen garden and museum is a peaceful oasis in Nara. The entrance fee is about 1,200 JPY per person (still correct in 2026), and you can spend about an hour roaming around. They even had free tour guides who walked with us and told us history and details of the garden. The museum is included in the entrance fee and you can check out whatever rotating exhibit they have.

Lunch and Mochiidono Shopping Street:

By this point, you’ll probably be hungry for some lunch. Since I am gluten free, I went and got a gf/vegan bento box from Naramachi Vegan Nabi ならまちヴィーガン菜美 and then took it to Sarusawa-ike Pond to eat and enjoy. It is considered rude to eat and walk, so I had to find a good place to sit and enjoy

Then you can wander down Nara Mochiidono Shopping Street and grab some authentic mochi at Nakatanidou.

Afternoon at Todai-ji Namdaimon:

This temple complex is guarded with a massive wooden gate and swarming with deer. We were pretty tired at this point so we didn’t actually go in, but I would recommend it if you have the energy. There is a joint ticket for the Great Buddha Hall and the Todaiji Museum for 1,200 yen (~$7.60) for adults (ages 13 and older) and 600 yen for children (ages 6 to 12). It’s 800 yen (~$5) each if you buy them individually. Updated 2026.

The complex itself is massive. We wandered around a bit and checked out the Todaiji Shoro (Bell Tower). You can spend hours here if you have the time and energy.

Higashimuki Shopping Street:

On your way back to the station, grab some snacks or souvenirs from Higashimuki Shopping Street.

Head back:

Finally, grab the train back to Kyoto.

Is Nara worth the day trip from Kyoto?

Absolutely yes — Nara is one of the best day trips from Kyoto and worth every minute. The deer alone make it unforgettable, but the combination of zen gardens, ancient temples, and incredible food make it a full and satisfying day.

Eating gluten free in Nara? Check out my Gluten Free Kyoto, Nara & Osaka Guide.