Nara — Places to eat
A 1,300-year-old capital where the deer bow first.
- Izasa (Todai-ji Monzen Yumekaze Hiroba) — Persimmon-leaf sushi sets upstairs on the way to Todai-ji
- Hiraso Nara — Kakinoha-zushi maker since 1861: eat in or take away
- Kasuga Ninai Chaya — Forest teahouse at Kasuga Taisha with monthly tea-porridge
- Imanishi Honten (Narazuke) — Narazuke pickles aged for years in sake lees
- Soba-dokoro Kitahara — Small handmade-soba house by Todai-ji, limited bowls a day
- Kamameshi Shizuka (Koen branch) — Pot rice cooked to order over flame, on the Todai-ji road
- Kamaiki Udon — Sanuki udon in the station arcade; go cold with tempura
- toi Inshokuten — Bib Gourmand Indian thali; queue before opening
- Maguro Koya — Second-generation tuna-bowl shop with tuna karaage
- Mentoan — Kitsune udon hidden inside a tied tofu pouch
- Harishin — Pentagon-box lunch in a Naramachi townhouse
- Nakatanidou — Watch lightning-fast mochi pounding, eat it warm
- Hosekibako — Nara's famous kakigori shop with jewel-like syrups
- Kanakana — Old townhouse café; the tray lunch is the star
- Rokumei Coffee Nara — Nara's best-known roaster, open from 8 a.m.
- Kakinoha Sushi Honpo Tanaka (Nara Main Store) — Persimmon-leaf sushi by the piece, tea room behind
- Kura Izakaya — Small Naramachi sake pub with oden and chicken
- Tengyokudo Nara Main Store — Yoshino kudzu specialist: kuzukiri and kuzumochi
- Mizutani Chaya — Thatched park teahouse with warabi-mochi and udon
- Edogawa Naramachi — Hitsumabushi eel in an old townhouse
- Cafe Cojica — Hand-drip and cheesecake in a renovated old house
- Mahoroba Coffee — A minimalist neighbourhood roastery cafe