Nara, city of World Heritage is one of the most historically- important cities in Japan. It was the location of the capital of Japan in ancient times, 710-784 A.D. Many important designated Cultural Assets and National Treasures can be found there, as well as temples, shrines, statues, carvings and paintings. In Nara Park, nature and history are beautifully preserved as they are, which include Todai-ji Temple, Koufuku-ji Temple, and Kasuga Grand Shrine. Nara park is also famous for its hundreds of tame deer that roam freely.
Transportation to Nara from abroad is shown in the following diagram. The most convenient means of transportation is to take a direct flight to the Kansai International Airport (KIX). From there, the simplest route to Nara is by the Airport Limousine Bus, which takes approximately 85 minutes to arrive at Nara Hotel and Nara Station (Kintetsu and JR lines). This costs JPY 1,800 one way, per person. Buses depart from stop No.9 and are scheduled to depart approximately once every 60 minutes. Should there be any inquiries regarding access to Nara, please ask at the Information Desk at the airport on the first floor in front of the arrivals area.
From Nara Station, city bus numbers 2 or 6, or buses bound for Takabatake-cho may be taken to bus stop, "Daibutsu-den Kasugataisha Mae" (approximately a 5 min. ride). From there it is only a three-minute walk to the Nara-ken New Public Hall (Shin-kokaido). Buses run every five minutes. The basic fare for a taxi is JPY 590 per 1.5km. The cost of a taxi from JR Nara Station, or Kintetsu Nara Station to the Nara-ken New Public Hall (Shin- kokaido) should be around JPY 680 - JPY 800.
It is recommended that participants planning to travel in Japan purchase a Japan Rail Pass. This pass encompasses all JR trains including the Bullet train (Shinkansen) and the Narita Express. Please note that this pass must be purchased prior to arrival since it can not be purchased in Japan. The price for a 7-day pass is about JPY 30,000.
