Nara, you can walk everywhere!New and old attractions of Kasuga Taisha Shrine and JR Tokai “Izaza Nara” in the Takahata area greeted by the deer-Travel Observation

JR Tokai’s new TV commercial opens with actor Ryohei Suzuki’s line “Now, now, Kasuga Taisha!” In this article, we will report on the second half of our media visit centered on Kasuga Taisha Shrine and attractions in the Takahata area.

⇒ first half click here

Click here for all the attractions I have visited this time

Unfortunately, it was raining, but Nara is humid so that was fine too.

Arrive in Nara by sightseeing express “Awoyoshi” and stay at Nara Hotel on the first day. After checking out, I went shopping in this order the next day.

• Taikichi Irie Memorial Museum Nara City Museum of Photography
• ice cream shop
• Air cake.
• Fufu Nara “Japanese Cuisine Tekisui”
• Former Residence of Shiga Naoya
• Takahata Tea Theory
• Kasuga Taisha National Treasure Museum
• Yusai Naraizumi

To my amazement, you can walk around all of these places! (If it is the last stop, take the bus to Izumi Yuzhai)

I think you can see how attractive the Kasuga Taisha/Takahata area is.

The fluffy and light bonus snack “Air Cake”.

beautiful entrance

Next, about 10 minutes on foot from the gelato parlor, is the popular cake and coffee shop “Kuuki Cake” in a quiet residential area. Here, we ate the “air cake” with a light texture, which is also the name of the store. Castella cake with milk mousse and red bean paste. The mousse was fluffy and the castella dough was light so I ended up with two pieces.

Choose from Original or Matcha

A cross section looks like this.Red bean paste and mousse are the best combination

Delicious looking cakes in a display case

A selection of Nara local sake souvenirs

Nara Izumi Yusai It’s a 7-8 minute walk across the shopping street from Kintetsu Nara Station.

Take the bus from Kasuga Taisha to Kintetsu Nara Station, and then go to the last attraction, Nara Spring Yusai. A local sake specialty store that sells 120 kinds of sake from 28 breweries in Nara, the birthplace of Japanese sake. Here, you can have a pleasant chat with Mr. Yamanaka, the owner who knows everything about Nara sake, and taste all the sake (for a fee). If you want to have Nara sake as a souvenir, why not come? Mr. Yamanaka gave me a few tips when I asked Mr. Yamanaka for a clean and dry taste. On this trip, I bought a junmai sake called Shinomine and went home with kakiba sushi.

Tasting time with accompanying journalists

The beautiful sound of Nara’s sake pouring

If you plan to bypass this route, we recommend “Kasuga Taisha National Treasure Museum and Optional Sightseeing Coupon”!

It comes with an admission ticket to Kasuga Taisha National Treasure Museum and 2 mogiri tickets that you can choose from 6 facilities.

In “Zurashi Tabi”, which can change the time, place and behavior of travel, launched by JR Tokai, a collaboration plan “Izaiza Nara Kasuga Taisha / Takahata x Zurashi Tabi” appeared. In the optional experience that comes with the travel product transfer trip, we have prepared a sightseeing coupon for visiting the Kasuga Taisha National Treasure Museum and choosing 2 of the following 6 facilities, mainly in the Takahata area (experience contents in parentheses).

1. Zhenyaoshi Temple (Visit)
2. Shiga Naoya Former Residence (Entrance)
3. Irie Taikichi Commemorative Nara City Photographic Art Museum (Visit)
4. Air cake. (Original Assorted Baked Desserts)
5. Gelateria Fiore (ice cream single item 550 yen or less)
6. Naraizumi Yusai (staff recommended tasting set)

Valid until June 30. Learn more here.

For example, you can buy baked desserts at “Air Cake” and sample local sake at Nara Izumi Yusai.I will use two mogiri tickets like this

Walking tours sponsored by the Nara City Tourism Association are also offered.

Sponsored by the Nara City Tourism Association, a joint project with “Izaiza Nara” will be hiking with a local guide. In the Kasuga Taisha/Takahata area, you can fully appreciate the charm of history, culture, and nature (Guided Tour of Kasuga Taisha/Shinyakushiji Temple, Kasuga Mountain Primeval Forest Tour Wakakusa Mountain Course).