Gribeco (Kimon Berlin) / CC BY-SA 4.0

A tranquil Edo- and Meiji-era strolling garden tucked beside Todai-ji's Nandaimon gate, Isui-en is actually two gardens in one, blending ponds, stepping stones and teahouses with 'borrowed scenery' of Mount Wakakusa and Todai-ji's rooftops in the distance. It's the only kaiyushiki (walking) garden in Nara and shares its grounds with the small Neiraku Museum of East Asian art.

Best season

Autumn (nov) foliage · Fresh spring greenery (apr-may)

Crowd level

Moderate

Rating

4.5· 1,348 reviews

Opening hours

Mon 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM Tue Closed Wed–Sun 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM

Usual hours — confirm with the official site for holidays + seasonal closures.

Nearest station

Kintetsu Nara Station

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