Course 07
Take a leisurely walk around Nara, whose enchanting nighttime scenes are becoming increasingly popular with visitors, and take your fill of the achingly beautiful ancient capital at dusk.
Todai-ji Temple
Nigatsu-do Hall
Sarusawa Pond
Nara Hotel: “The Bar”
Approx. 5.7 km
Approx. 1 hr 10 min (Not including time spent at locations)
Enjoy the sight of Nara’s nighttime cityscape from the platform of Nigatsu-do Hall. The light from paper lanterns and hanging garden lanterns alike shines beautifully through the darkness, and creates an entirely different effect from the daytime scenery. Each March at this very site, springtime in Nara is announced with the Shuni-e Ceremony (Water-drawing ceremony).
This pond presents a special sight at night, where weeping willows cast their shadows across the surface of the water alongside Kyofuku-dera Temple’s five-storied pagoda. The view of the moon floating across the pond is famous as one of the “Eight Views of Nara.
Nara Hotel is one of Nara’s representative official guest houses. At this hotel’s esteemed and authentic bar, guests are invited to enjoy their time in elegance. (The Bar operates as a tea lounge during the daytime.)
Related Information
Festivities that enliven the night in Nara
“Nara-machi Night Culture” is an exciting Nara nighttime event, offering a variety of seasonal experiences to visitors. Because the event is only held for short periods, please make a reservation in advance.
Nara’s arts color the night with beautiful lights
In the summer, Nara is lit up with the exquisite candlelight of the Touka-e Festival. In winter, the Ruri-e event sets Nara splendidly alight again. Both are relatively new events that have melded into the culture of the Ancient Capital.
