Head off the beaten path and visit the
Nara Prefecture, which is full of World
Heritage Sites and picturesque villages...
C
The Culture Vulture
Rather than just visit a temple,
why not stay in one? Mount Shigi
offers such lodgings, where you can
sample shojin ryori cuisine (the traditional
dining style of Buddhist monks) and take
in the temple grounds at night.
As the centre of trade between Japan
and the Silk Road, Nara was the first place
to receive new ideas from overseas.
Buddhism also spurred innovation, from
the cloth for priests’ garments to the
calligraphy brushes, paper and inks used
for copying sutras and the tea whisk
(Chasen). Look out for these traditional
crafts in the shops of Nara.
Mount Yoshino, Horyuji Temple and Nara
City are all World Heritage Sites, providing
an insight into the area’s unique history.
F
The Foodie
In the towns along the pilgrimage
routes through Nara, a special
type of sushi evolved. Kakinoha-zushi,
meaning ‘persimmon-leaf sushi’, is a
small portion of rice topped with a slice
of raw salmon or mackerel and wrapped
in a persimmon leaf. The leaves have
anti-bacterial properties that keep the
sushi fresh. Well worth a taste test.
Somen, fine white noodles that are often
eaten chilled in summer, originated in the
Mount Miwa area. And there are plenty
of options for fine dining, too, with 20
Michelin-starred restaurants in Nara.
A
The Adventurer
The best way to discover Nara
at your own pace is by bike.
In the city there is a 25km World
Heritage Tour that takes in the main
landmarks, or head out into the
countryside for a 40km ride on
the Yamanobe-no-Michi Trail,
a section of Japan’s first
road that takes you
to ancient sites.
At Asuka,
rent an
electric bike
to discover
beautiful terraced rice fields
as well as temples, tombs
and giant stones, and stop
by a cozy café for a break.Nara is full of adventures. Traditional
martial arts Yagyu-Ryu (swordsmanship)
and Hozoin-Ryu Sojutsu (spearmanship)
were founded in Nara 460 years ago.P
The Party Animal
Refined sake has a 400-year
history in Nara, with the area
offering visitors brewery and tasting tours.
To the south of Nara Park, where you can
see deer, is the old town of Naramachi.
The narrow streets of traditional merchant
houses now host shops, galleries, cafés
and bars. It’s an easy area to cover on foot
and is the perfect place for a night out.For more travel information...
http://www.visitnara.jpNara
RW PromotionTravel
Delve into the living history book
that is the first capital of Japan
Get there
Nara is easily
accessible by train from
Japan’s big cities. It’s just a
half-hour rail journey from Kyoto
or Osaka, one-and-a-half hours
from Kansai International Airport
and three-and-a-half hours
from Tokyo