Things To Do In Nara - May 2025 Events
- NARA Visitor Center & Inn
- 21 hours ago
- 7 min read
The end of April and heading into May is the busy ‘Golden Week’ vacation period in Japan. Festivals happening in May include an ‘ice blessing’ with picturesque frozen life ice-block displays, a fan-throwing festival, and a 12-animal zodiac parade through a rose garden. For Children’s Day, at the Man’yo Botanical Garden, there’s a traditional Gagaku music festival and a blooming wisteria grove. Mid-month is perfect for temple rose gardens, but if you want to catch thousands of blooming azaleas while hiking the Nara countryside, the first half of May is best. A lot is happening this month too with arts, crafts, and not-to-be-missed exhibitions.
Best things to do in Nara in May 2025:
Nara Art and Craft Fair (05/16-17)
Scary Noh masks by bonfire light (05/17)
Zodiac animal parade through 2000 roses at Ryosen-ji Temple (05/18~)
More roses at Ofusa Kannon Temple (mid-mnth~)
Azaleas and Hiking Mt. Katsuragi (05/01-18)
1. Ice Blessings at Himuro-jinja Shrine
Date: Thurs 01
Entry: Free
Time: 11:00 to 15:00
Location: 1-4 Kasuganocho, Nara City
Transport: 10-min-walk from Nara -Kintetsu Station
On the first day of May, Himuro-jinja Shrine holds an ice-block festival. It features two impeccable ice pillars—one with a sea bream and the other a carp frozen in still-life. There are other offerings like still-life flowers and shaved ice. The shrine is tucked away in a side street on the main Omiya Dori Road heading towards Nara Park.
During the reign of the Empress Genmei (707–715), the shrine was appointed the official ice storehouse to the imperial court. On the 1st day of the 6th lunar month, ice blocks were examined for their thickness—thicker ice meant a better rice harvest year. Now, ice makers from around the country come to the shrine to receive blessings for the year’s business ahead.
2. Nara Period ‘Tenpyo’ Parade and Costume Dress-up
Date: Sat 03
Entry: Free entry / 2,000 yen for costumes
Time: 12:00 to 15:00
Location: Heijyo Palace Site
Transport: Bus from Kintetsu-Nara Station or 20-min-walk from Kintetsu Yamato Saidaiji Station
On the national holiday of May 3—Constitutional Memorial Day—there will be a grand Nara period costume parade. Nara citizens dressed as the Emperor Shomu and Empress Komyo will lead a parade of elegant nobles in front of Suzaku-mon Gate at the Heijo Palace Site, accompanied by a gagaku courtly music. For a fee of 2000 yen per person, you can rent a Nara period costume and tour the historical sites of Heijo-kyo. You can also browse a recreation of an historic market and purchase local produce and souvenirs.
3. Children’s Day Man’yo Garden Gagaku Festival
Date: Mon 5
Entry: 700 yen / 300 yen children
Time: 13:00
Location: Kasugu-taisha Shrine greater precinct
Transport: 20-min walk from Kintetsu Nara Station
May 5 is Children’s Day, the most popular holiday during Golden Week. On this day, the Man’yo Botanical Garden holds an special Gagaku Festival. There will be displays of ancient court music, dancing, and poetry on the lake’s iconic and picturesque platform. The show is included in the entry fee, and you can enjoy their stunning wisteria grove and blooming azalea. You can read more about the Man’yo Garden and its teahouse in our the Kusuga-taisha Shrine guide.
4. Nara Art and Craft Fair
Date: Sat 17, Sun 18
Entry: Free
Time: 10:00 to 16:00
Location: Nara Convention Center
Transport: 12-min walk from Kintetsu-Shinomiya Station
Nara City will be holding a spring event for its biannual craft fair. The fair is held outdoors in the plaza of the Nara Convention Center, a 12-min walk from Shinomiya Station and opposite the JW Marriott hotel. Original items such as woodworking, illustrations, art, accessories, miscellaneous goods, interior design, fashion, and pottery will be on sale. Food and drinks will also be available.
5. Scary Noh Masks by Bonfire Light
Date: Fri 16, Sat 17
Entry: Standing free / 5 000 yen for a seat
Time: 17:30
Location: Kohfuku-ji Temple, Nara
Transport: 15-min walk from Kintetsu Nara Station
On the third Friday and Saturday of May, Kohfuku-ji Temple holds a traditional evening bonfire Noh performance. Noh is a traditional Japanese drama incorporating music, dance, and masked characters. Noh Takigi recaptures the atmosphere of more ancient times when Noh was performed around large bonfire torches. The location is outside, near to Kohfuku-ji Temple. Limited seating should be booked in advance, standing is free.
6. A Fan Festival at Toshodai-ji Temple
Date: Mon 19
Entry: 1,000 yen
Time: 15:00
Location: 13-46 Gojocho, Nara City
Transport: Bus or train from Yamato-Saidaiji Station to Nishinokyo.
At Toshodai-ji Temple, you can join their annual Uchiwa Maki fan-throwing festival. This event celebrates the Buddhist principle of compassion, warding off mosquitos with fans rather than killing them. Over 1000 fans or ‘uchiwa’ are thrown into the crowds of worshipers. These fan talismans can ward off illness, evil spirits, and ensure safe childbirth. Toshodai-ji Temple is loved for its tall shady trees, rocky gardens, and large Buddha statues, which are national treasures. From Toshodai-ji, you can easily walk to Yakushi-ji Temple. Just follow the signs, and there are local shops and restaurants along the way.
7. Zodiac Animals Parade Through 2,000 Roses at Ryosen-ji Temple
Date: May 18 for the Baraeshiki Eto Festival
Entry: 700 yen; Rose Garden 600 yen
Time: 13:00
Location: 3879 Nakamachi, Nara
Transport: A bus or 25-min-walk from Kintetsu Tomio Station
Ryosen-ji (or Reizan-ji) Temple is probably the most famous rose garden near to Nara City. To get there, you need to take the No.50 bus from Kintetsu Tomio Station bound for Wakakusadai. You can also walk there in 25 minutes along the Tomio River.
The temple, founded in 734, has some 2,000 roses of 200 varieties. It also has a small hot spring mineral bath, and the cafe in the rose garden area serves teas, including rose tea, coffee, and snacks. During the blooming season, you can enjoy the Baraeshiki Eto festival featuring 100 people and 12 participants wearing masks for the 12 zodiac signs.
8. More Roses at Ofusa Kannon Temple
Date: Mid-month to end May
Entry: 500 yen
Time: 07:00 to 16:30
Location: 6-22 Kobocho, Kashihara City, Nara
Transport: JR Manyo Mahoroba Line from JR Nara Station
Ofusa Kannon also has a beautiful rose garden that blooms mid-May into late-June. The temple is also well-known for its historic and traditional tearooms, where you can enjoy Japanese tea with traditional sweets. It’s a 15-minute walk from JR Unebi Station or 25 minutes from Yamato-Yagi Station. Miwa Station, with access to Miwa-jinjya Shrine, is three stops away from JR Unebi, but with only one train per hour on the Manyo Mahoroba Line, make sure to check schedules and plan accordingly.
9. Azaleas and Hiking Mt. Katsuragi
Date: First half of May best
Entry: 1,500 yen return trip; children 750 yen
Time: Katsuragi Ropeway 09:10 to 17:00
Location: Kujira, Gose, Nara
Transport: Train to Gose Station, then a bus and ropeway
Mt. Katsuragi is part of the Kongo-Ikoma mountain range, with fantastic views over Osaka. In spring, and especially from around May 10th, thousands of Azaleas bloom on the summit. There are various hiking courses to enjoy on Mt. Yamato-Katsuragi. The way there is a train to either Kintetsu-Gose or JR Gose station, and from there, a bus bound for the ropeway base station, Tozanguchi. The Katsuragi Ropeway homepage has bus and ropeway times.
10. More Azaleas on Mt. Kamino and Yamazoe Village
Date: First half of May best
Entry: Public space
Time: All day
Location: Yaazoe Village
Transport: Private vehicle
Yamazoe is a small village on the eastern boundary of Nara that perfectly encapsulates the ‘satoyama’ experience. In the first half of May, Yamazoe’s Mt. Kamino is aflush with azaleas and at night, there’s a popular stargazing platform. The best way to explore Yamazoe Village is by car, although a couple of highway or IC bus stops serve the area. You can enjoy hikes and walks, forest zip-lining at Adventure Forest, and cycling around Lake Nunome. During vacation periods, there are various workshops and other things for kids to do. There are a few small local places to stay. Ume, Yamazoe ryokan can organize a pick up for you, or you could try your hand at glamping at Deluxs Outside Resort.
What’s on in Nara! - Music and The Arts, May 2025
May has several special exhibitions and music concerts. On Thurs, May 8, there’s a free admission to the Yashiro Yukio collection at the Yamato Bunkakan Museum. Concert seating is usually 30 min before the start, and for exhibitions, last entry is 30 min before closing.
04/05‒05/18: New Ways of Seeing Japanese Art, new perspective on ancient art, Nara Prefectural Museum of Art, 9:00‒17:00, 400 yen.
04/12‒05/25: Special Exhibition—Yashiro Yukio collection, Yamato Bunkakan Museum, 10:00‒17:00, 1100 yen, 05/08 FREE ADMISSION.
04/19‒06/15: Nara National Museum 130th Anniversary Special Exhibition, "Super National Treasures - The Brilliance of Prayer", a grand collection of national Buddhist treasures, 09:30‒17:00, 700 yen
05/03‒07/13: Atsuyuki Uemura Memorial Exhibition, famed Japanese painter of esp. birds, Shouhaku Art Museum, 10:00‒17:00, 820 yen.
05/11: Don Armas, Spanish guitar trio, Kashihara Cultural Center Large Hall, 15:00‒17:00, 5,500 yen.
05/18: Nara Philharmonic Orchestra, Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, DMG Mori Yamato Koriyama Castle Small Hall (0743-54-8000), 15:00, 1000 yen.
05/27: Gary & Ulla Japan Tour 2025, popular int. Music duo, Hut35 Higashikidocho, Nara, 18:00‒21:00, 3000 yen.
05/31: Nara for Culture special concert, classical quintet incl. countertenor Daichi Fujiki, Brahms, J. Strauss II and Handel, Rachmaninoff and Mahler, Yamatotakada Sazanka Large Hall, 14:00 16:00, 2500 yen.
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