Traditional performing arts can be enjoyed at this annual festival held since the 12th century. Named after the Wakamiya shrine that resides in the larger Kasuga-Taisha shrine complex, this On-Matsuri was originally held to pray for a rich harvest an..
Nara City (奈良市) is the capital of Nara Prefecture located in the Kansai region of Japan. The city occupies the northern part of Nara Prefecture, directly bordering Kyoto Prefecture. Geography Downtown Nara City is in the eastern side of the ancient Heijo Palace site, occupying the northern part of w..
Inhabited since ancient times, the city area nurtured paddy field agriculture in the fertile Nara Basin since its pre-history. Large keyhole type burial "kofun" mounds were constructed in the northwestern part of the city around the 5th century. With the introduction of West..
Gose city was formed in 1958, has an estimated population of 33,000 people. Some of the more notable locations in Gose include: Kamotsuwa Shrine Kamoyamaguchi Shrine Takakamo Shrine Katsuragi Hitokotonushi Shrine Mount Yamato-Katsuragi (959.2 m) Inorinotaki waterfall Bodaiji temple Fushimi-Hachiman..
Just a 3-minute walk from Kintetsu Nara Station and close to the Higashimuki Shopping Arcade, Cafe Wakakusa is one of Nara's lovely little treasures. Run by Hiro and Sumie, a global-minded couple, Cafe Wakakusa welcomes travelers and locals ali..
Nara city was a former capital of Japan and is now currently the capital of the Nara Prefecture. The city is most famous for the sacred creatures that roam the city - the "shika," or deer. The sites of Todai-ji and Kasuga Taisha Shrine are ..
My steak arrived rare and still sizzling on a teppan hot plate. After turning each slice of steak a couple of times to cook them to my liking and then dressing them with the provided sauce, digging into the lean juicy steak and roast vegetables it ca..
Branded as an ancient paradise beyond memory, Sasayuri-ann in Nara Prefecture is a unique lodging with rich history and fascinating cultural activities set in the birthplace of the Japanese ninja. This mountain villa is the perfect combination of Ja..
The narrow mountain road descended below the clouds at last and into a beech forest still clinging to the last sparse patches of fall foliage. The road plunged deep into a valley and then followed the course of a river upstream to a tiny island of ci..
Until recent years, the exquisite sasayuri lily flourished across the Japanese countryside. Due to environmental factors and development, this once common flower is now a rarity to behold. Similarly, the iconic thatched roof lodgings of Japan's p..
A part of the Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountains, and designated as part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Mount Yoshino is famous for its thousands of sakura or cherry trees. It is one of Japan's most loved cherry blossom vie..
The Yamato region in Nara prefecture is well-known for being the birthplace of ancient Japan and Japanese culture. Thousand year-old traditions as sumo, Japanese Buddhism, sake, rice and tea all originated here during the Asuka and Nara periods. Vast..
Tanzan Jinja, deeply set into the Sakurai Mountains in Nara prefecture, is a shrine well-known for its dazzling autumn colors and luminous, red buildings. Autumn in Japan is known worldwide for its momijis, red maple trees which color in a variety of..
