Nara, Japan, Was Just Named the City With the Most Hidden Gems

In 2024, Japan welcomed 36.87 million visitors. Most people who come to Japan often spend their time exploring Tokyo or Kyoto, and while there’s nothing wrong with that, the country has so much to offer to those who venture off the typical, well-trodden tourist paths.

A recent study by Bounce—a luggage storage network with drop-off locations across the globe—sought to pinpoint where Japan’s most overlooked destinations are. After building a list of Japan’s most populous cities, it used information from travel sites like The Invisible Tourist and Japan Travel Pros to determine the percentage of hidden gem attractions in each city and region. It then used Tripadvisor reviews, and other digital tools to find out which places had the highest number of “excellent” reviews.

After evaluating all the data, it found that Nara was the Japanese city with the most hidden gems.

Nara City (the capital of the eponymous prefecture of Nara) is home to a little over 367,000 people and is located just 20 miles east of Osaka and 28 miles southeast of Kyoto. It is well-connected to both via trains and buses, making it an easy option for a day trip.

The charming city is perhaps best known for the 1,400 wild deer who roam around Nara Park and bow for treats. Legend has it that during ancient times, the Japanese god of thunder came to Nara on a white deer, and the descendants of that deer now populate the town’s park—they’ve been cherished as “messengers of the gods” for more than 1,000 years and are now protected “Natural Monuments.”

However, keep in mind that even though Nara Park is a popular (and adorable) photo hotspot, the deer are still wild animals and must be treated with respect. Don’t feed them anything other than the deer crackers that are available for purchase, and be mindful of your litter. In 2019, nine deer died after eating plastic bags and wrappers that were not properly disposed of.

Also be wary that deer are smart and know when you have cookies. “During my visit, I found the deer can sometimes swarm you if they see you holding bags of cookies,” Susmita Baral, a senior editor at Travel + Leisure said. “You’ll see some with shaved off antlers—they’re the ones likely to headbutt you for a treat. It’s safe but just be mindful that these are wild animals.”

Most visitors to Nara stop by the park and then head on their way to Kyoto or Osaka, but with over 499 attractions within city limits, there’s much to do here. Nara is home to some of the most stunning temples in Japan as well as several beautiful gardens and shrines. The Buddhist temple Yakushi-ji is considered to be one of the most important and oldest temples in Japan, and dates back to the late 7th century. On the edge of town near the Kasugayama Primeval Forest, you can find Kasuga Taisha, Nara’s most celebrated Shinto shrine, which is famous for its eye-catching cypress frame and its gorgeous hanging lanterns.

In the study, Nara was followed by Kyoto, Kanazawa, and Takamatsu—all of which are conveniently connected to Tokyo via the Shinkansen, aka Japan’s bullet train system.

For the full list of destinations, check out bounce.com.