Parks in Nara

Nara Park (Nara Koen) is a vast 660-hectare public park and the heart of Nara's sightseeing district. The park is home to over 1,000 free-roaming sika deer, officially designated as national natural treasures and considered messengers of the gods in Shinto tradition.

Kasuga Primeval Forest (Kasugayama Genshirin) is a UNESCO-protected ancient forest covering 250 hectares on the hillside behind Kasuga-taisha shrine. A logging ban imposed over 1,000 years ago has allowed this forest to develop into a pristine, old-growth ecosystem unique in a populated area of Japan.

The Manyo Botanical Garden within Kasuga-taisha cultivates over 300 species of plants mentioned in the Man'yoshu, Japan's oldest poetry anthology compiled in the 8th century. Each plant is labeled with the poem that references it, creating a living literary garden.

Yoshikien is a beautiful three-part Japanese garden offering a tranquil escape adjacent to Isuien. Unusually, it is completely free for international visitors, making it one of the best-value cultural experiences in Nara.

Isuien is Nara's most exquisite Japanese garden, composed of two distinct sections created in different eras. It masterfully employs the technique of shakkei (borrowed scenery), incorporating the roof of Todai-ji's Great Buddha Hall and the slopes of Mount Wakakusa into its composition.