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All Japan Nara

The Atlas Obscura Guide To Nara

3 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Nara, Japan

Updated November 5, 2021

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Unusual Attractions in Nara

Nara, Japan

Tōdai-ji Daibutsuden (The Great Buddha Hall)

This massive wooden building contains a giant Buddha, healing pillars, and tame deer wandering the grounds.

Nara, Japan

Buddha's Nostril

Devoted Buddhists can earn enlightenment in the next life by crawling through this symbolic nostril.
Permanently Closed

Nara, Japan

Nara Dreamland

The abandoned Japanese amusement park once loomed as a dystopian Disneyland.
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Ikaruga, Japan

Hōryū-ji

Home to the world's oldest wooden building.
6 miles from Nara

Neyagawa-shi, Japan

Kayashima Station

A Japanese train station built around a 700-year-old camphor tree.
11 miles from Nara

Asuka-mura, Japan

Takamatsuzuka Tumulus

This frescoed ancient burial mound is a colorful window into China’s influence in early Japan.
15 miles from Nara

Osaka, Japan

Izakaya Toyo

Blowtorches, tuna, and a jolly, chain-smoking proprietor mark this beloved street-food stand.
15 miles from Nara
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Artisans & Exiles: Exploring the Hidden Traditions of Japan’s Sado Island

Exploration through a history of exile, gold rush, and thriving cultural traditions.

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Explore Nara, Japan

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Stories About Nara

In the Home of Japan's Ice Deity, the Art of Kakigori Reaches New Heights

Inside one man's quest to bring frozen glory back to Nara.
by Florentyna Leow
November 5, 2021

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