Todai-ji
The Todai-ji is a beyond than monumental Buddhist temple complex. You will have a hard time missing the main hall of the ancient temple founded in 728 AD. What you see today, is a reconstruction dating back to 1709 AD, which is 30 percent smaller than the original. Even in that state, it held the title of the largest wooden building in the world until 1998.
Nara Park
Nara Park is a large park in central Nara. Established in 1880, it is the location of many of Nara's main attractions including Todaiji, Kasuga Taisha, Kofukuji and the Nara National Museum. The park is home to hundreds of freely roaming deer. Considered in Shinto to be messengers of the gods, Nara's nearly 1200 deer have become a symbol of the city and have even been designated as a natural treasure. Nara's deer are surprisingly tame, although they can be aggressive if they think you will feed them. Deer crackers are for sale around the park, and some deer have learned to bow to visitors to ask to be fed.
Kasuga Taisha
Kasuga Taisha is Nara's most celebrated shrine. It was established at the same time as the capital and is dedicated to the deity responsible for the protection of the city. Kasuga Taisha was also the tutelary shrine of the Fujiwara, Japan's most powerful family clan during most of the Nara and Heian Periods. Like the Ise Shrines, Kasuga Taisha had been periodically rebuilt every 20 years for many centuries. In the case of Kasuga Taisha, however, the custom was discontinued at the end of the Edo Period.
Hōryū-ji
One of the places you absolutely have to visit is the Hōryū-ji. It is the oldest wooden building in the world. Recent studies suggest that construction might have started as early as 670 AD. Horyuji's temple grounds are spacious and separated into two main precincts, the Western Precinct (Saiin Garan) and the Eastern Precinct (Toin Garan).
Yoshikien Garden
Yoshikien is a pleasant Japanese garden located in central Nara. It is named after the Yoshikigawa River, a small river that runs beside the garden, and was built on the site of Kofukuji Temple's former priest residences. The entry fee to the garden is waived for foreign tourists. There are three unique gardens within Yoshikien: a pond garden, a moss garden and a tea ceremony garden. So, a visit to Yoshikien provides the opportunity to see three different variations of Japanese gardens in one spot.
Nara National Museum
Right in the middle of Nara Park, you will find the Nara Prefectural Museum of Art. It is an amazing museum if you are into Buddhist, ancient art and Japanese culture. It’s actually not the only museum in town, but the most prominent. If you are short on time, you might want to skip it. A wonderful alternative to the Nara National Museum would be the Kofukuji National Treasure Museum just a couple of meters away.
Nigatsu-do Hall
Nigatsu-do Hall is actually one of the halls of Todai-ji Temple. To the east of the Great Buddha Hall and up on the side of Mount Wakakusa, Nigatsu-do (which translates to "The Hall of the Second Month") is a beautiful hall that overlooks the city of Nara and provides a view of its ancient structures and cityscapes. Visitors line up along its balcony to reflect on the spectacular view.