2022/9/16
In November 2022, special autumn night event “Syuya-no-Naratabi”, meaning Autumn Night Trip to Nara, will be held every Friday and Saturday in Nara City Centre.
Unwind yourself in serene atmosphere through a special nighttime visit to the World Heritage shrine and temples, and a panoramic view from Mt. Wakakusa at sunset.
Special Night Visits take place at the following World Heritage Sites: Kasugataisha shrine, Kohfukuji temple and Gangoji temple.
Unlike the daytime, there will be few lights in the city and Nara Park, where you will be surrounded by a solemn atmosphere.
Each event will be held on a different day of the week, so please make sure to check the following information before heading out.
Every Saturday during the period, a special nighttime visit to the Kasutataisha shrine and Kasuga Wakamiya Reconstruction Celebration Mantoro will be held to celebrate the vicennial reconstruction of Wakamiya shrine, which is a subsidiary shrine within the precincts of Kasugataisha shrine.
About 3,000 lanterns in the precincts will be lit with cleansing fires.
Tokae, the candle light festival will be also held on the same days in the precinct of Kasugataisha shrine.
📅November 5th (Sat), 12th (Sat), 19th (Sat), 26th (Sat), 2022
🕐 5:30 p.m.- 8:00 p.m. (Gates close at 5:00 p.m. Reception closes at 7:45 p.m. )
*Goshuin is available until 8:00 p.m. Parking lot parking until 7:30 p.m.
* No reservation required
Free admission
At Kohfukuji temple, a special evening visit to the National Treasure Hokuendo Hall will be held.
Of all the octagonal halls in Japan, Hokuendo Hall is praised as the most beautiful one. In the hall, you can see the sitting statue of Miroku Nyorai and the standing statue of Mujaku and Seshin Bodhisattva, which are both national treasures created by a Buddhist sculptor Unkei (Kamakura period).
It is the first time in 21 years that it will be open to the public at night.
📅November 4th (Fri), 5th (Sat), 11th (Fri), 12th (Sat), 18th (Fri), 19th (Sat), 25th (Fri), 26th (Sat), 2022
🕐5:30 p.m.- 8:00 p.m. (reception closes at 7:45 p.m. On November 4 and 5, the daytime reception closes at 4:45 p.m. as well as the door at 5:00 p.m., then reopening at 5:30 p.m.)
*Goshuin is available until 8:00 p.m.
*No reservation required
Admission fee: 700 yen for adults (including college students), 500 yen for students (junior high and high school students), 200 yen for children (elementary school students), Free for preschoolers
Every Friday and Saturday during the period, special evening visits to the national treasure Gokuraku-do Hall (main hall) and light-up of the precincts will also be held at the World Heritage Gangoji temple.
In addition, some doors of the national treasure Zen Room which is usually closed to the public, will be opened, and you can see the treasured works of the painter Kokuta Suda displayed in the room.
Viewing of the artworks is from outside only.
📅November 4th (Fri), 5th (Sat), 11th (Fri), 12th (Sat), 18th (Fri), 19th (Sat), 25th (Fri), 26th (Sat), 2022
🕐6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. (Gates close at 5:00 p.m.)
Special admission fee: 500 yen
A special twilight and nightscape bus runs from the center of Nara City to the summit of Mt. Wakakusa during Syuya-no-naratabi autumn night event period (November 4 and 26, 2022)!
The bus takes you to the summit of Mt. Wakakusa, which offers panoramic sunset* and nightscape views of the city.
As a side note, the night view of Mt. Wakakusa is registered as one of the New Three Major Night Views of Japan.
On the way back to the stations, you can get off at Kencho-mae (in front of Nara Prefectural Office) or Kasugataisha Shrine for the nighttime visit to Kohfukuji temple, Gangoji temple and Kasugataisha Shrine.
*Note: only on sunny days.
Round-trip Fare:
Adults 600 yen, children 300 yen
Bus stops::
JR Nara Station – Departing at 4:00 p.m. from JR Nara Station East Exit Bus stop No. 4
Kintetsu Nara Station – Departing at 4:05 p.m. from Nara Kotsu Bus Bus stop No. 20
Every Saturday during the period, a special loop bus service is available connecting World Heritage Kasugataisha Shrine, Kohfukuji temple and Gangoji temple. It operates every 15 minutes, 100 yen per ride.
📅November 5th (Sat), 12th (Sat), 19th (Sat), 26th (Sat), 2022
💰100 yen per person (elementary school students and older)
Route: JR Nara Station→Aburasaka Funahashi Shotengai→Kintetsu Nara Station→Kencho-mae→Kasutagaisha Honden→Kencho-mae Kohfukuji (get off only) →Gangoji Naramachi→JR Nara Station
🕐Every 15 min. 5:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Note: Buses departing from JR Nara Station after 8:00 p.m. will not stop some stations.
