Nara Park

奈良公園

Nara Park is a very large park of about 660 hectares in the eastern part of Nara City. About 1,300 wild deer live here in herds, and they are protected as a national natural treasure. Famous places such as Todai-ji and Kasuga Taisha are nearby. The deer are wild animals, so please stay calm around them and do not tease them.

Open in Google Maps ↗ Directions ↗

Visitor information

Admission: Admission to the park is free, and it is open all year.
Getting there: About an 8-minute walk from Kintetsu Nara Station, or about 20 minutes on foot from JR Nara Station.

Hours and fees can change. Please check the official website before you go.

Good to know

The deer are wild animals. Do not startle them or pretend to give them deer crackers (shika senbei).
Do not feed the deer anything except deer crackers.
There are no trash bins in the park, so please take your trash with you.

Tips for Muslim visitors

Feed the deer only the special deer biscuits, giving them one by one quickly. Deer may bite when excited, and they may try to eat plastic bags, maps or pamphlets you carry.
Male deer with antlers can become aggressive, especially in autumn, so take extra care then.
Natural sites may have few facilities. Bring water, a travel prayer mat and a qibla app, and check the weather; mountains and lakes can be much colder than the city.
Restrooms for wudu can be far apart on trails. Many Muslim travellers carry a small water bottle for wudu.
Plan your visit around prayer times. Below are today's prayer times for Nara and the verified places to pray nearby.
Food stalls and shops near popular sights usually do not have halal certification. Check the ingredients, or choose from the verified places on this site.