Where History Meets Home
Nara, Japan's ancient capital, is home to the oldest towns and cities in Japan. Buddhism, Buddha statues, green tea, Japanese noodles, and many more uniquely Japanese things all have their origins in the Nara of 1300-1400 years ago. The highest number of World Heritage sites in Japan are concentrated in Nara, and Nara Park is the only place in Japan where deer will eat senbei crackers right out of your hand! Although your plane to Japan won't land in Nara, getting here and into all this adventure is easier than you might think.
Bullet Train to Kyoto
Japan’s bullet train, or Shinkansen in Japanese, is renowned worldwide for its speed, comfort and efficiency. It doesn’t go directly to Nara but it is the easiest most hassle free way to complete the first and longest leg of the journey from Tokyo to Nara. Get the Japan Railways (JR) Tokkaido-Sanyo Shinkansen from Tokyo or Shinagawa Stations and take it all the way to Kyoto Station. The Nozomi service is the fastest train available completing the journey in 2 hours and 18 minutes for ￥13,080 each way. Nozomi services are not covered by the JR National Rail Pass, however, but the Kodama and Hikari Shinkansen services are. Hikari services complete the Tokyo to Kyoto leg in around 2 hours and 40 minutes. Kodama services complete the run in 3 hours 48 minutes and, for those not using a JR Rail Pass and looking for a discount, the Puratto Kodama Economy Plan offers a reserved seat and a free drink at a 25% discount over the regular non-reserved fare if booked 24-hours in advance at a Tokai Tours ticket office at Shinagawa or Shinjuku Stations in Tokyo.
Kyoto to Nara via the JR Nara Line
Once the Shinkansen has dropped you off in Kyoto you have two options: stay on the JR lines by transferring to the Nara Line’s local or Miyakoji Express services or switch to the Kintetsu Line. The JR Nara Line has 4 departures per hour (2 local and 2 Miyakoji Express services) and is the cheapest option for those traveling with a JR Rail Pass or regular ticket fare. The transfer gate from the Shinkansen to the Nara Line is inside the Shinkansen departure and arrival concourse making the transfer from bullet train to local train quick and easy.
Kyoto to Nara via the Kintetsu Line
Switching to the Kintetsu Line is more time effective than transferring to the JR Nara Line and it only costs ￥80 more than using the JR Line (or ￥620 for those using the JR Rail Pass). The Kintetsu Line also offers a much higher service frequently than the JR Line (9-12 departures per hour vs. 4 departures per hour). Some of those service go directly to Nara and some of them connect with Nara bound trains at Yamato Saidaiji Station. The fastest Kintetsu Service completes the Kyoto to Nara run about 5 minutes more quickly than the JR Line and Kintetsu Nara Station is much closer to Nara Park and its World Heritage sites than JR Nara Station is (a ~200m walk from Kintetsu Nara vs. a 1.2km walk from JR Nara). The entrance to the Kintetsu Line is just opposite the Shinkansen’s ticket gates at Kyoto Station making the transfer easy.
So what are you waiting for?
Comments