When to catch the colours in Nara?
Average cherry blossom and autumn foliage dates for Nara, from the Japan Meteorological Agency's 1991–2020 normals — the fortnight to aim for, not a promise for any particular year.
- Cherry blossom
- First flowersMar 28
- Full bloomApr 4
- Autumn foliage
- Leaves turnNov 21
- Peak viewingNov 21 – Dec 5
Where to look next?
The prefectures we've mapped so far, nearest to Nara first.
Frequently Asked Questions
The bowing deer of Nara Park, the Great Buddha of Tōdai-ji — the world's largest bronze Buddha in one of the world's largest wooden buildings — plus Kasuga Taisha's lantern paths and Hōryū-ji, the world's oldest wooden temple.
The park, Tōdai-ji and Kasuga Taisha make a comfortable day trip from Kyoto or Osaka (both under an hour). Add Hōryū-ji or the old Naramachi lanes and an overnight starts to pay off — evenings in the park are deserted and lovely.
They're wild, sacred by tradition, and shameless: buy the official shika senbei crackers and they'll bow for them — hide the stack or they'll help themselves. Don't feed them anything else, and mind bags and paper.