The Nara City Guides tackle the questions a first visit throws up: when to reach Tōdai-ji before the tour groups, where to eat persimmon-leaf sushi away from the souvenir strip, which temples stay quiet in winter and where Naramachi still pours a drink after dark. Every guide is a short list with a clear point of view: why each place earns its spot, what to order or look for, and one practical tip. It opens in your browser as soon as you have paid.
About the Nara City Guides
- 145 places
- 6 guides
- 13 languages
- Works offline
- Print or PDF
- Instant access
- Free updates
The six Nara guides
Food guide
24 places
Persimmon-leaf sushi, kamameshi rice pots, mochi pounded in front of you, Naramachi izakaya and local sake with pickles.
Things to do guide
24 places
Tōdai-ji before the crowds, Kasuga Taisha and its lanterns, free gardens and rooftop views, old merchant houses and three short train trips.
Family guide
24 places
The deer of Nara Park, a toy museum where kids may touch everything, koi ponds, indoor backups for wet days and easy food for small eaters.
Nightlife guide
25 places
Tiny Naramachi izakaya, standing sake bars, a hotel bar from 1909, lit-up temples on an evening walk and the last bowl of ramen.
Day trips guide
23 places
Hōryū-ji and Ikaruga, the tombs and temples of Asuka, Hase-dera on its hillside, the mountains of Yoshino and Koyasan, and Uji on the Kyoto side.
Budget guide
25 places
Free temples and gardens, the one ticket worth buying, mochi and udon for little money, cheap sake and a city you can cover on foot.
Why an interactive guide beats a list
Tick places off
Mark each place as done and watch your progress, so you always know what is left.
Your own notes
Write notes on any place and add your own finds. They stay on your phone.
One tap to Maps
Every place opens in Google Maps, and the day route puts your picks in a sensible order.
Open now, near me
Filter by what is open right now or what is closest to you.
Works offline
Open the guide once with a connection and it keeps working without data.
Print it or save as PDF
On a computer, print any guide or save it as a PDF to take with you.
Three places from the guides
Mizuya Chaya
Inside Nara Park, Kasuga-no
A rustic tea house on the path to Kasuga Taisha, serving hot udon and soba with free tea from the urn. Order the udon with wild mountain plants: no lunch inside the park is better value. From the food guide.
Shin Yakushi-ji
Takabatake-cho, south of Nara Park
An old, modest hall where a Medicine Buddha sits inside a ring of twelve guardian statues. Photos are not allowed, and in winter you may have it almost to yourself. From the things to do guide.
Hōryū-ji
Ikaruga, 20 min walk from JR Horyuji station
Seventh-century halls that are the oldest wooden buildings on earth: the pagoda and Kondo in the western precinct, the Dream Hall in the eastern one. From the day trips guide.
Plan your days in Nara
Day one: start early at Tōdai-ji, cross Nara Park to Kasuga Taisha, have lunch at a tea house in the park and spend the evening in a Naramachi izakaya. Day two: take the train to Hōryū-ji or Asuka with the day trips guide, then come back for sake at a Naramachi standing bar. For a rainy or slow day, combine the Nara National Museum, the Karakuri toy museum from the family guide and a mochi stop from the budget guide.
Questions about the Nara guides
What do the Nara City Guides cover?
145 places across six guides: food, things to do, family, nightlife, day trips and budget. For every place you get why it is worth it, the area, notes on opening times and a practical tip.
Where do I find my guides once I have paid?
The links appear on your order page straight after payment and arrive by email too. They open in the browser of any phone, tablet or laptop, with no app and no account.
Can I use the Nara guides without internet?
Yes. Open each guide once while online and it keeps working without a connection, ticks and notes included. Opening places in maps needs data.
What languages can I read the guides in?
The guides open in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, Portuguese, Greek, Polish, Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Arabic. You can switch the language inside the guide at any time.
How much does one Nara guide cost?
One guide is €4.99, two are €8.99, four are €15.99 and the full set of six is €19.99.
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