With so many cruise port excursions, and a variety of new places to see in each country that you visit, it could get very costly to see and do everything... especially if you are looking for a unique experience.
We would like to share our itinerary of what we did on our inexpensive day drip to Nara Park, Japan, from the Osaka Cruise Port Terminal, where we were docked on the Holland America's Westerdam ship.
What was so special about our day trip to Nara Park? How did we get there? What additional experiences did we have on our independent excursion? Find out below!
We discovered Nara Park, Japan
We had arrived in Osaka, Japan, from the Holland America's Westerdam ship. It was our second time stopping in the cruise port within the same month in Osaka, Japan for our second time in a month, and wanted to do something a little bit different, while keeping our budget in mind.
After some research, and asking a few other cruise ship passengers from both of our Japan cruises on the Holland America Westerdam, we had learned about a fantastic park located just over an hour away from the cruise ship port terminal in Osaka, called "Nara Park".
Nara Park was described to us as a beautiful place where literally hundreds of deer roam freely in the street! This sounded amazing and we had really got excited about going, but there was no cruise ship excursion to Nara Park. So, we decided to explore Japan on our own and take the Japan train system ourselves!
What is so special about Nara Park, Japan?
Nara Park, as a description from someone else that suggests that you go there, doesn't do it justice. This place really exceeded our expectations, and we couldn't believe our luck to have made the best decision to discover it on our own.
Nara Park, located in the city of Nara, Japan, is a historic and picturesque park that is home to several iconic landmarks and is famous for its friendly population of wild deer. Here are the highlights of Nara Park:
The Highlights of Nara Park
One of the main attractions of Nara Park are the free roaming deer. They are considered sacred and they are protected as a national treasure. Visitors can feed them specially prepared deer crackers called "shika senbei" and interact with them up close. The deer have become a symbol of Nara and are known to even bow to visitors.
Todai-ji Temple is located within Nara Park, and considered one of Japan's most famous and historically significant temples. It was constructed in the 8th century and houses the Great Buddha, which is the largest bronze Buddha statue in the world. The temple complex also includes several other impressive structures and houses numerous cultural artifacts and treasures.
Another major attraction within Nara Park is Kasuga Taisha, a Shinto shrine known for its beautiful vermilion-colored buildings and lanterns. The shrine is dedicated to the deity responsible for the protection of the city of Nara. The paths leading to the shrine are lined with stone lanterns, which are lit twice a year.
For the museum lovers, there is the Nara National Museum that shows off an extensive collection of Buddhist art and cultural artifacts.
The Isuien Garden is actually adjacent to Nara Park, is a traditional Japanese garden that offers serene landscapes and a tranquil atmosphere. It features a central pond, cherry blossoms, and walking paths.
Nara Park, for us, offered an unexpected day full of fun, interaction with the deer, education on history, and a lot of exploration for all of our senses.
How do you get to Nara Park from the Cruise Ship Terminal in Osaka?
Get ready to have a fantastic day in Nara Park, Japan. We left our cruise ship port from the Holland America Westerdam after having breakfast, and walked a few minutes to the nearby Japan train station.
From our cruise ship room, we just typed in our Google Map "Nara Park, Japan" and we were able to retrieve the directions, with expert ease, on how to get to the train station (10 minute walk), and which train to board. We have also included the train status railway map (above) for you to click on!
This was one of our first times to take the train on our own. Yes, it could be very intimidating to have such a massive transportation system to be faced with, not to mention that everything is pretty much written in Japanese, but it was surprisingly easy!
There are MANY English speakers in the train stations that are willing to help. There are even dedicated people in the area who help tourists by showing them where to purchase their ticket, and point them in the direction of where to go.
The trip duration of the train ride was about an hour to get to Nara Park. Once you arrive in Nara, you will see a ton of shopping, and will only have to continue to walk straight for about a minute, until you start noticing all of the deer walking around you!
Other than your train ticket, you do not have to spend a dime while you are here! Our tickets for the two of us totaled the equivalent of $40 Canadian dollars for both ways, and yes, you buy these tickets at the station. It is a good idea to have your money in YEN, as it is not easy to purchase using a foreign credit card. (It was 960 YEN per person, per way).
Traveling within Japan is safe, quick and easy. People are friendly, respectful and helpful. You have nothing to fear by venturing out from your cruise ship.
To travel from the Osaka cruise terminal port to Nara Park by train, you can follow these directions:
From the Osaka cruise terminal, make your way to the nearby port's train station. The exact station name may vary depending on the terminal you're at, but it could be Osakako Station or Tempozan Pier Station.
Take the Chuo Line (green line) from the port's train station and head towards Osaka Station. You may need to transfer to a different train line at Osaka Station, depending on the specific station you're departing from.
At Osaka Station, transfer to the JR Yamatoji Line (also known as the JR Nara Line) heading towards Nara. The JR Nara Line provides direct access to Nara City.
Ride the train on the JR Nara Line until you reach Nara Station. The journey typically takes around 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the train and its stops.
We went directly to Kintetsu-Nara Station where we were able to start exploring from the shops, then walk directly into Nara Park.
Remember, that it is a good idea to check the train and bus schedules in advance to plan your journey accordingly. Additionally, Nara Park is a popular tourist destination, so it's advisable to allocate sufficient time for exploring the park and its attractions. We left with a few hours to spare before our cruise ship depart time.
What are some tips and recommendations that we learned while in Nara Park?
There is a lot of shopping in the area
There is no shortage of shopping... even in Nara Park, Japan. You can window shop; see some unique things; purchase a kimono; eat an exotic lunch... Whatever!
You can feed the deer
There are special cookies for sale on the streets for you to purchase, so that you can feed the deer. The Japanese name for these cookies is called "shika senbei" and they are known as "Deer Cookies." They cost 500 YEN for a package of cookies.
No word of a lie, we were walking through the park, and we saw a man and his family purchase the "Deer Cookies" (that are meant for the deer to eat), and he was eating them and feeding them to his own family. I guess they thought it was an exotic snack?
There are rules to follow... even in Nara Park, Japan
Yes, Nara Park is a beautiful and unique place. There are rules to follow here as well as everywhere else.
a. Remember to bring your own garbage bag. Japan is VERY clean, and Japan expects that you will clean up from yourselves.
b. The deer should not be provoked. Check out this sign to remind yourself that even though the deer are approachable, they are still a wild animal!
We hope that you experience Nara Park Too
We hope that you have a chance to port in Osaka, Japan, so that you can take the unique train ride to Nara Park and experience all that we did, on a super inexpensive day trip!
Our trip to Nara Park was extremely memorable, and we are happy to share with you. Please like and follow us on our social media. We would love to show you what we are up to!