# Nara Park > Nara Park is a large free park in central Nara where about 1,500 deer roam freely. They're a protected Natural Monument and bow for shika senbei crackers, about ¥200 a pack. In and around the park are Todai-ji, Kofuku-ji and Kasuga Taisha. The park is always open. It's 5 minutes on foot from Kintetsu-Nara station. Web page: https://yesgo.io/japan/nara/nara-park - City: [Nara](https://yesgo.io/japan/nara), Japan - YesGo score: 48/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 1 h 30 min - Opening hours: Open 24 hours; temples and museums in the park keep their own hours - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Free, always open - Deer: About 1,500, roaming freely - Senbei crackers: About ¥200 a pack - In the park: Todai-ji, Kofuku-ji, Kasuga Taisha, museum - Time needed: 1.5 hours — half a day with temples - Getting there: Kintetsu from Osaka ≈ 40 minutes; 5 minutes on foot from the station - Coordinates: 34.68545, 135.84341 - Facts checked: 09.11.2026 ## Key facts - **1,465** — deer counted in summer 2025 — a record (source: nippon.com) - **1880** — the year the park was founded (source: en.wikipedia) - **Monument** — Nara's deer are a protected Natural Monument of Japan (source: en.wikipedia) - **Messengers** — in legend, the deer are messengers of the Kasuga gods (source: en.wikipedia) - **≈ ¥200** — a pack of shika senbei crackers (source: travel guides) - **UNESCO** — the temples around the park — Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara (source: en.wikipedia) - **Free** — entry to the park (source: en.wikipedia) - **5 minutes** — on foot from Kintetsu-Nara station (source: travel guides) ## What is Nara Park? **Nara Park**, Nara-koen, is a large city park on the eastern side of central Nara, founded in **1880**. It isn't a fenced park with gates but a huge open area of lawns, woods and ponds that holds the main temples of the ancient capital: **Todai-ji**, **Kofuku-ji**, **Kasuga Taisha** shrine and the Nara National Museum. The park's highlight is its **deer**. About **1,500** sika deer roam freely: in summer 2025, 1,465 were counted — more than ever before. In legend the deer are messengers of the Kasuga shrine's gods, and today they're a protected **Natural Monument** of Japan. They aren't tame in the usual sense, but they aren't afraid of people. > **The deer are wild animals** Feed the deer only the special shika senbei crackers — bread, fruit and snacks are bad for them. Deer can push, butt or nip, especially stags in autumn and mothers with fawns in early summer. Don't tease them with crackers, show empty hands when you've run out, and don't keep bags or maps in open pockets. ## How to feed the deer **Shika senbei** — round crackers of rice flour and bran — are sold at stalls throughout the park for about **¥200** a pack. The money goes to deer conservation. As soon as you buy crackers, deer will gather round, so hand them out one at a time. Many deer **bow** to ask for a treat: bow back, and they'll bow again. When the crackers run out, show your empty palms — the deer understand. There are few bins in the park, so take your wrappers with you; deer may eat them. ## What to see - **Deer** — on the lawns and by the temples. - **Todai-ji** with its Great Buddha. - **Kofuku-ji** with its pagoda at the park entrance. - **Kasuga Taisha** and its avenues of stone lanterns. - **Sarusawa Pond** on the southern edge. - **Mount Wakakusa** — a view over the park. ## How to get to Nara Park 1. **From Osaka** — Kintetsu from Osaka-Namba to Kintetsu-Nara, about 40 minutes; then 5 minutes on foot east. 2. **From Kyoto** — Kintetsu with a change or a direct limited express, about 45 minutes; or JR to Nara station. 3. **From JR Nara** — about 20 minutes on foot along Sanjo-dori, or a city bus. 4. **Around the park** — on foot; about 20 minutes from the station to Todai-ji. 5. **Loop bus** — links the stations with the main temples. ## Nara Park or Arashiyama in Kyoto | | Nara Park | Arashiyama | | --- | --- | --- | | Highlight | Deer and ancient temples | Bamboo grove and river | | Entry | Free | Free | | From Osaka | ≈ 40 minutes | ≈ 1 hour | | Time | Half a day with temples | Half a day | ## How long do you need? A walk round the park with the deer takes **1.5 hours**. Add Todai-ji, Kofuku-ji and Kasuga Taisha and it becomes **half a day** — the classic trip from Osaka or Kyoto. The best time is **morning**: the deer haven't been overfed yet, the temples are just opening and there are fewer groups. In autumn the park turns red with maples, in spring the cherry trees bloom, and in October the traditional antler-cutting of the stags takes place. An easy route: from Kintetsu-Nara station past Kofuku-ji, across the park to Todai-ji, then to Kasuga Taisha and back to the station via Sarusawa Pond. Along the way there are plenty of lawns and shady woods to sit and watch the deer. ## Is Nara Park worth visiting? Yes: deer among ancient temples are the most unusual sight near Osaka and Kyoto, loved by children and adults alike. The YesGo take: by the main cracker stalls the deer can be pushy and jostle, which may scare small children. Head deeper into the park, where the deer are calmer and there are fewer people. And don't stop at the deer: Todai-ji and its Great Buddha are worth the trip on their own. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] Change for senbei crackers - [ ] Bags and maps in a closed bag - [ ] Comfortable shoes - [ ] Set off in the morning - [ ] Todai-ji on the route ## Nature walks: compare and choose Parks and natural sights rated by YesGo. - [Nara Park](https://yesgo.io/japan/nara/nara-park) — YesGo score 48/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · free - [Kasuga Taisha](https://yesgo.io/japan/nara/kasuga-taisha) — YesGo score 37/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · outer area free; corridors ¥700 - [Mount Wakakusa](https://yesgo.io/japan/nara/mount-wakakusa) — YesGo score 35/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · ¥150 ## Nara in a day The deer and Kofuku-ji in the morning, Todai-ji's Great Buddha at midday, and the lanterns of Kasuga Taisha in the afternoon. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers. 1. [Kofuku-ji](https://yesgo.io/japan/nara/kofuku-ji) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · grounds free; museum ≈ ¥900 2. [Nara Park](https://yesgo.io/japan/nara/nara-park) — YesGo score 48/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · free 3. [Todai-ji](https://yesgo.io/japan/nara/todai-ji) — YesGo score 51/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h 30 min · ¥800 4. [Kasuga Taisha](https://yesgo.io/japan/nara/kasuga-taisha) — YesGo score 37/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · outer area free; corridors ¥700 ## Good to know Nara Park is not the closed Nara Dreamland amusement park. It is also known simply as the Nara deer park. ## Tips - Feed the deer only senbei crackers. - Bow — the deer will bow back. - Show empty hands when the crackers run out. - The deer are calmer in the morning. - The main sight nearby: [Todai-ji](https://yesgo.io/japan/nara/todai-ji). ## Questions ### Is there an entry fee for Nara Park? No, the park is free and always open. ### How many deer are there? About 1,500: 1,465 were counted in summer 2025. ### What can I feed the deer? Only shika senbei crackers, about ¥200 a pack. ### Are the deer dangerous? They can push or nip, especially stags in autumn; don't tease them. ### How do I get there from Osaka? Kintetsu from Osaka-Namba to Kintetsu-Nara, about 40 minutes. ### What is there to see in the park? Todai-ji, Kofuku-ji, Kasuga Taisha and the National Museum. ### How long do you need? 1.5 hours for the park, half a day with the temples. ### Why do the deer bow? That's how they ask for crackers; bow back to them. ## How we checked The founding year, the deer's status and the legend are from Wikipedia. The deer count is the Nara Deer Preservation Foundation's 2025 survey as reported by nippon.com. Cracker price and access are from guides; the price is marked 'being checked'. Safety advice is the YesGo assessment. ## Sources - English Wikipedia: Nara Park — founding, the deer as a Natural Monument, the messenger legend - nippon.com — the deer preservation foundation's July 2025 count - Travel guides — cracker price, access, deer tips (unofficial) - Wikidata Q1186358 — coordinates --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.