One of the earliest capitals of Japan, Nara makes an interesting day trip—or preferably overnight visit—from Kyoto. The ancient architecture of Nara is well worth seeing, especially Todaiji Temple. The temple qualifies for two mentions in
Guinness World Records: Its Buddha is the largest bronze statue in the world, and its main structure is the world's largest wooden building. (It's dark inside the building, so the Buddha is difficult to photograph—buy postcards, instead.) The temple sits in a huge park where small deer have free rein—they mingle with visitors, mooching biscuits that you can buy from vendors for a few yen. These deer can get fairly aggressive—one ate not only the biscuit we offered but also a big chunk of our city map.
Another delight is Kasuga Shrine, festooned with thousands of paper lanterns. The shrine is next to Kofukuji, a complex built in 1426 with a dramatic five-story pagoda. The Nara National Museum, renowned for its ancient sword collection, also hosts special exhibitions of the priceless antiquities that have been stored in the Shoso-in treasure chamber since the eighth century, many of which show influences from the other end of the ancient Silk Road (every May and November).
Nara also has a modern face. Along its pedestrian-friendly streets you'll find open-air souvenir shops, as well as department stores selling the latest fashions and music. Make sure to explore Nara-machi, a quiet neighborhood of old wooden merchant houses now sprinkled with antiques shops, galleries and small museums.
Just outside Nara is Horyuji, one of the most important temples in Japan. The temple was built around 607 by Prince Shotoku (who promoted Buddhism as a national religion and whose picture appears on the ¥10,000 currency). The central pagoda and some of the original wooden structures are still standing. 20 mi/30 km east of Osaka or 25 mi/45 km south of Kyoto.
