The Atlas Obscura Guide To Nara

6 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Nara, Japan

Updated January 29, 2026

Unusual Attractions in Nara

Nara, Japan

Tōdai-ji Daibutsuden (The Great Buddha Hall)

This massive wooden building contains a giant Buddha, healing pillars, and tame deer wandering the grounds.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXiVVAVfiWw

Nara, Japan

Buddha's Nostril

Devoted Buddhists can earn enlightenment in the next life by crawling through this symbolic nostril.

Nara, Japan

Nekodan (Cat Stairway)

According to local legend, anyone who falls on these temple steps will turn into a cat.

Nara, Japan

Shōsōin

A raised Japanese building has preserved 8th-century artifacts for more than a millennium, earning this log cabin a reputation as the "world's oldest museum."

Nara, Japan

Naramachi Nepalese Window

A traditional Nepalese window blends into the historic merchant district of Old Nara Town.

Nara, Japan

Nara Dreamland

The abandoned Japanese amusement park once loomed as a dystopian Disneyland.

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Ikaruga, Japan

Hōryū-ji

Home to the world's oldest wooden building.

6 miles from Nara

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Stories About Nara

In Nara City, Japan, sika deer have been protected for over a thousand years due to their sacred status in Shintoism.

Decoding the Sacred Genetics of Japan's Sika Deer

The deer of Nara Park are part of a millennium-old genetic lineage—does that make them more deserving of protection?

by Roxanne Hoorn

April 9, 2024

Housekibaco’s kakigori with caramel milk syrup, raspberries, and—in a nod to a local Nara specialty—persimmon-leaf tea meringue.

In the Home of Japan's Ice Deity, the Art of Kakigori Reaches New Heights

Inside one man's quest to bring frozen glory back to Nara.

by Florentyna Leow

November 5, 2021

Popular Destinations

The Atlas Obscura Guide To Nara

6 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Nara, Japan

Unusual Attractions in Nara

Unforgettable Experiences Nearby

Explore Nara, Japan

Nara Leaderboard

Places Added

Places Edited

Places Visited

Recent Nara Activity

Stories About Nara

Decoding the Sacred Genetics of Japan's Sika Deer

In the Home of Japan's Ice Deity, the Art of Kakigori Reaches New Heights

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