NaraLeisure

Iroha Grand Hotel Kintetsu Nara Ekimae (いろはグランホテル近鉄奈良駅前)

Flow of the course

Previous stop: Feel the scale of the Nara-period capital at the reconstructed Daigokuden and its vast grassy plain

About 30 min from the previous stop

About 90 min here

About 15 min to the next stop

Next stop: Claim a spot in the temple grounds before the show and enjoy the atmosphere of an old temple at night

About this spot

A hotel standing along the bustling Konishi Sakura-dori shopping street (小西さくら通り商店街), a 2-minute walk from Kintetsu Nara Station (近鉄奈良駅). The 1st-floor restaurant 'Yamato Komachi' (やまと小町) serves Nara specialties including kakinoha-zushi (persimmon-leaf sushi), with menus featuring ingredients grown in Nara Prefecture. The shopping street is lined with a variety of shops, including cafes and bakeries, that you can stroll around before or after your meal. Build up energy for the fireworks festival over dinner here, then after eating, take the Kintetsu express from Kintetsu Nara Station, transferring at Yamato-Saidaiji, toward Tomio Station (富雄駅).

Tips

Right by the ticket gates of Kintetsu Nara Station (近鉄奈良駅). The area gets busy in the evening on the day of the fireworks festival, so it's a good idea to arrive early at popular restaurants. After the fireworks end, the area around Tomio Station also gets crowded, so check your return train times in advance. If you're carrying a lot of luggage, leaving extra items in a coin locker at Kintetsu Nara Station before heading to Ryosen-ji Temple (霊山寺) will let you travel lighter.