Guide to Visiting Yoshikien Garden in Nara Japan

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Looking for hidden gems in Nara Japan? Be sure to visit Yoshikien Garden, a classical Japanese garden that is completely free.

I originally set out to visit Isuien Garden in Nara, but I stumbled upon Yoshikien Garden right next door. Yoshikien was free, so we walked in and were completely in awe.

Yoshikien Garden is stunning, especially in the fall, and I had to share about it so you can add it to your list when visiting Nara Japan.

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About Yoshikien Garden in Nara

When you enter Yoshikien, you can take a map and brochure of the garden to tell you about the history of the garden. The brochure is translated into four languages — English, Japanese, Chinese, and Korean.

Here is some history about Yoshikien Garden from the official brochure:

Yoshikien Garden is named after the Yoshikigawa River, which runs beside the garden, and was built on temple grounds. In the Meiji period (1868-1912), it became a privately owned site, the former residence of the Shoin family.

The garden was constructed in 1919 and the ownership of the garden was soon transferred to Nara Prefecture. The grounds cover approximately 8,900 square meters.

Since April 1, 1989, the garden has been open for public viewing and tea ceremonies.

In March 2011, the house was designated a tangible cultural property of Nara Prefecture as a modern Japanese style house from the Taisho period.

With fresh greenery in the spring and brightly covered leaves in the autumn, Yoshikien Garden offers beautiful landscapes of the ancient capital in each of the seasons.

a girl in front of a view of the pond garden in Yoshikien Garden — Yoshikien Garden, Nara

Quick Facts about Visiting Yoshikien Garden

Cost: Free entry
Hours: Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (last entry at 4:30 p.m.)
Annual closure: From February 24 to the end of February

A sign on the door that says "Yoshikien Garden is open Admission free" — Yoshikien Garden, Nara

a lantern in front of the pond garden in Yoshikien Garden — Pond garden, Yoshikien Garden, Nara

a girl turned away looking at a view of the trees in Yoshikien Garden — Yoshikien Garden, Nara

the front page of the Yoshikien Garden guide map featuring Japanese text and a map of the garden in Japanese and English — Page 1 of the Yoshikien Garden Guide Map

Things to See and Do in Yoshikien Garden

Yoshikien Garden is made up of 3 unique types of Japanese gardens that you can admire:

The pond garden includes a gazebo on a hill (called the “resting place”), which has an incredible view of the pond. This garden is the standout of Yoshikien with slopes and curves from the Edo period. The focal point is the large traditional pavilion which can be booked for private tea ceremonies.
The moss garden is covered in hair moss and includes a smaller detached, single-story thatched teahouse. The moss garden has a quiet secluded atmosphere and is said to have the same water source as Tobihino in Nara Park.
The tea-ceremonial flower garden is a simple, charming place with seasonal flowers that are grown to be displayed during tea ceremonies.

a small stone lantern in Yoshikien Garden — Yoshikien Garden, Nara

a small stone temple statue in the garden — Yoshikien Garden, Nara

When to Visit Yoshikien Garden

Yoshikien Garden is beautiful year-round but particularly during these months:

Autumn. I recommend visiting specifically in autumn when the garden turns a rich red and yellow thanks to the maple tree foliage. I visited in late November and the autumn colors were nearly at their peak.

Summer. During the summer months, you’ll find many flowers blooming and lots of greenery.

Spring. During the cherry blossom season (which varies year to year), the garden turns a beautiful pink. Many other flowers will begin to bloom in the spring as well.

red maple leaves on a tree in Yoshikien Garden — Yoshikien Garden, Nara

dropped yellow maple leaves in the water — Yoshikien Garden, Nara

Should You Also Go to Isuien Garden?

I originally set out to visit Isuien Garden but ended up visiting Yoshikien Garden instead.

Isuien Garden is pricier. We didn’t even go to Isuien Garden at all because we felt it was much too pricey at 1200 yen, which was more than the cost to visit Himeji Castle.

Isuien Garden is comparable to Yoshikien in beauty. I was content after our visit to Yoshikien Garden, which was beautiful and full of fall foliage. Do you need to see more than one garden? It’s up to you!

So if you only have the time, money, and energy to visit one garden, make it Yoshikien Garden.

view of the Pond Garden from the gazebo — Pond garden, Yoshikien Garden, Nara

Don’t Miss the Nearby Irie Taikichi Historical Residential Museum

The Irie Taikichi Historical Residential Museum was another hidden gem I stumbled upon while walking around Nara. It’s the house of a photographer, Irie Taikichi, and you can tour it for just 200 yen.

It’s a small traditional Japanese house, but it’s interesting to see how this photographer lived and worked. You can even take a peek inside his darkroom.

Shoes are not allowed to be worn inside, so you’ll just leave them by the entrance. There wasn’t many people there when I visited, just one other group, so it’s not a big tourist attraction. But it’s definitely worth looking in.

Location: 49-2 Mizumoncho, Nara City, 630-8208
Hours: 9:30-5 p.m. Closed Mondays
Admission fee: 200 yen (free for high school students and younger or those over age 70)
No parking lot so use public transport.

Where to Eat Near Yoshikien Garden

If you are looking for lunch, look no further than Yoshino Hon Kudzu Tengyokudo Nara, which is just around the corner from Yoshikien Garden and in front of the most beautiful ginkgo trees.

We were seated right by the window and treated to such beautiful views of the ginkgo and maple trees outside.

The restaurant is also really interesting as they sell traditional sets of udon noodles, sesame tofu, and kudzu mochi.

I tried several food items for the first time here and thought it was a cultural experience.

Location: 1-6 Oshiagecho, Nara, 630-8273, Japan
Hours: 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays

a bowl of udon noodles on a table next to a window with a view of a beautiful ginkgo tree outside — Yoshino Hon Kudzu Tengyokudo Nara

two trees next to each other, one with yellow ginkgo leaves and one with red maple leaves

How to Get to Nara from Kyoto

It’s quite easy to reach Nara from Kyoto if you are heading there on a day trip, like I did.

Take the Kintetsu Limited Express from Kyoto Station to Kintetsu-Nara Station.

Duration: About 35 minutes

You must get TWO tickets for each person when riding the Kintetsu Limited Express train — a limited express ticket and basic fare ticket.

How to book your limited express ticket: You can book your limited express ticket in advance online, and you will also be able to pick your seats. After purchasing, print out your tickets to have on hand during your trip. You’ll be able to make changes to your ticket (such as the departure time) up to three times. You can also screenshot or save your tickets on your phone.
How to pay the basic fare ticket: You can easily pay the basic fare by tapping your IC card when you enter the station.

How long to spend in Nara: I’d recommend spending at least 7.5 hours in Nara. During my day trip, I arrived in Nara at 9:30 a.m. and left about 6:30 p.m., spending about nine hours in Nara. I wanted to give myself a lot of time and not feel rushed. However, I would have been fine leaving at 5 p.m.

Learn more about taking the the Kintetsu Limited Express train to be fully prepared for your trip.

Map of Hidden Gems in Nara Japan

Where to Stay in Kyoto for a Day Trip to Nara

I decided to make my visit to Nara a day trip during my stay in Kyoto.

There are a lot of options of where to stay in Kyoto, and in the end I’m glad I chose not to stay in the super touristy areas.

Where I stayed: I stayed at the ANA Crowne Plaza Kyoto, which is in a quiet neighborhood, by a major subway station — Nijojo-mae Station — and right across the street from the beautiful Nijo Castle. The hotel is in the process of being renovated, and we were fortunate to be put in one of the newly remodeled rooms (you can request one, too).

Free shuttle service: ANA Crowne Plaza Kyoto offers a free shuttle bus service to Kyoto Station. We used it almost every morning for day trips.

This is the most current shuttle bus schedule that matched the one I saw during my visit in November 2024. It may be different today, so call the hotel if the shuttle doesn’t appear. Some of the staff at this hotel also speak English.

Nearby restaurants: During our stay in Kyoto, we did three day trips including the one to Nara, and because of this we often returned late. It was so nice to have a go-to ramen restaurant for dinner and to be staying in such a quiet, safe neighborhood. It’s a fond memory of heading into the warm ramen shop every night, leaving the rain outside, and slurping the best noodles we had in Japan.

Ramen Fukuchian – Nijō-jō Castle: This corner ramen shop is open until 9 p.m. and it is so good. I also tried the famous Ichiran ramen while in Japan, and this ramen shop was way better. For vegetarians, they offer a vegetarian miso ramen!
Colorado Masusan: Just steps away from the hotel is this cute cafe that serves the most delicious egg toast and matcha milk. I am now a huge fan of the thick Japanese toast, and I loved eating here every morning.
7-Eleven: We became obsessed with the smoothie machine at 7-Eleven, and we walked here often, morning and night, to make our daily smoothie.

How to save money: For Americans, I recommend applying for an IHG credit card to receive a sign-up offer that will cover several nights at the ANA Crowne Plaza Kyoto hotel. That is what I did, and I was able to cover my entire stay with points.

view from the Ana Crowne Plaza Kyoto hotel which shows the adjacent Nijo Castle lit up at night — View from the Ana Crowne Plaza Kyoto hotel

a bowl of ramen on a table inside a ramen shop in Kyoto — Ramen Fukuchian

What to Pack for Your Trip to Japan

Comfortable and convenient footwear

You’ll likely walk a lot while visiting Japan, so a good pair of walking shoes is a must. However, one additional recommendation is make sure your sneakers are slip-in.

Why wear slip-in sneakers?

Many traditional places in Japan require guests to remove shoes before entering. Shoes with a lot of laces are hard to get off. But slip-ins? A breeze.

Slip-in sneakers — I wore this pair of slip-in sneakers from Skechers my entire trip to Japan, and it was so convenient! I didn’t even have to sit down to take off my shoes, like everyone else did. My shoes just slipped right off. I also felt comfortable in these shoes despite walking 20,000 steps every single day.
Ankle socks — Be sure to wear ankle-covering socks with your shoes so you don’t get blisters with all that walking. I wore these Hanes ankle socks every day of my trip to Japan and didn’t get a single blister.

Favorite travel essentials

I really recommend these compression packing cubes. They’re very thick and durable and allow you to pack more than you expect.
I also love this travel backpack that opens like a suitcase, fits almost as much as a carry-on, and has tons of pockets as well as a strap to attach to your luggage handle. It makes traveling so much easier and more organized.
I bring this AirFly receiver for AirPods with me on long-haul flights, so I can connect to the plane’s video screen with my own AirPods.
I no longer hop on a flight without wearing my Sockwell compression socks because they really do help relieve/prevent leg cramps from sitting so long in one place. I have the lotus pattern, but there are other patterns to choose from, such as this cat pattern or this flower pattern. See all sock patterns in the Sockwell storefront.
For Americans, I recommend getting the Capital One Venture X credit card to relax and eat free food in select airport lounges. I’ve had my Capital One Venture X credit card for a few years now, and accessing airport lounges is my absolute favorite perk of the card. Every lounge is different, but most have a buffet available where you can eat and drink to your heart’s content. The annual fee of this card is high, but it evens out with the $300 annual travel credit and 10,000 anniversary miles you get (on top of lounge access and free TSA PreCheck or Global Entry)!