Nara National Museum : The Museum opened in 1895 to protect and exhibit art works and artifacts relating to Buddhism. Japan's second oldest museum, the Nara National Museum is located adjacent to Todaiji and Kofukuji Temples and Kasuga Taisha Shrine. Its vast collection of Buddhist art works. Kasuga Taisha Shrine: This is the most famous shrine in Nara, with its large tabernacle painted in beautiful vermilion. The garden is planted with nearly 300 kinds of flowers and plants, including trees featured in Man'yo- shu (oldest collection of Japanese poems) and wisterias, the symbol of the Shine. Gango- ji Temple :Gango- ji is one of the oldest Buddhist temples in Japan. Of the Temple's buildings constructed 1,300 years ago, the buildings' ancient construction materials and roof tiles have been miraculously well preserved, showing the historical significance of Nara.

Nara is a shopper's paradise, offering everything from high- tech gadgetry and electronics to traditional arts and crafts. Large department stores, specialty shops, fashion boutiques, hotel arcades and shopping centres abound. Popular buys include cameras, watches, CD players, hi- fi equipment, silk goods, lacquer ware, Japanese dolls, and woodblock prints.

The climate of Nara Prefecture is overall warm, while there are important differences between the north- western basin area and the rest of the prefecture, that is, in the mountains.Winter temperatures average about 3 to 5C, and 25 - 28C in the summer with highest reaching close to 35C.The annual accumulated rainfall ranges as much as 3000 to 5000 mm, which is among the heaviest in Japan. Spring and fall are both temperate and beautiful.