7.1 Cultural facilities
7.1.1 Art Museum
Nara Prefectural Museum of Art (Japanese paintings (including ukiyoe) , crafts, sculpture since the Kamakura Period)
Address : 10-6 Noborioji-cho Nara-shi, 630-8213
Phone : 0742-23-3968
Hours : 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.(Entry by 4:30p.m)
Closed : Mondays, (Closed on Tuesday if Monday is a national holiday.) New-Year's holiday (Dec.28-Jan.4)
Entrance fee : 400yen
Access : A 5-minute walk from Kintetsu Nara Station
Shouhaku Art Museum (Paintings by Uemura Syouen, her son Syoukou, Syoukou's son Atsushi)
Address : 2-1-4 Tomigaoka Nara-shi, 630-0004
Phone : 0742-41-6666
Hours : 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Entry by 4:00 p.m.)
Closed : Mondays, (Closed on Tuesday if Monday is a national holiday.) New-Year's holiday
The Museum is also subject to temporary closure for exhibit installations.
Entrance fee: 800yen
Access : From Kintetsu Gakuenmae Station, get off at the"Obuchibashi (Shohaku Bijyutsukan-mae) " bus stop
Yamato Bunkakan (Fine arts in Japan , China and Korea )
Address : 1-11-6 Gakuenminami Nara-shi 631-0034
Phone : 0742-45-0544
Hours :10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Entry by 4:00 p.m.)
Closed : Mondays(Closed on Tuesday if Monday is a national holiday.) New Year's holiday.
The Museum is also subject to temporary closure for exhibit installations.
Entrance fee : 600yen
Access : A 7-minute walk from Kintetsu Gakuenmae Station
Nakano Art Museum (Modern Japanese and western paintings by Japanese artists)
Address : 9-946-2 Ayameikeminami Nara-shi, 631-0033
Phone : 0742-48-1167
Hours : 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Closed : Every Monday (Closed on Tuesday if Monday is a national holiday), New Year's holiday, February, and August
Entrance fee: 600yen
Access : A 8-minute walk from Kintetsu Gakuenmae Station
7.1.2 Museum
Nara National Museum (Museum for Buddhist art. The exhibition of Shosoin treasures ( Shyoin-ten ) takes Place every autumn.)
Address: 50 Noborioji-cho Nara-shi, 630-8213
Phone 0742-22-7771
Hours : 9:30 a.m. to 5:00p.m. (Entry by 4:30 p.m.)
Closed : Every Monday and New Year's holiday (Dec.26-Jan.3). (Closed on Tuesday if Monday is a national holiday).
Entrance fee: 420yen
Access : A 15-minute walk from Kintetsu Nara Station
Nara National Museum
Nara Prefectural Museum of Folk Culture (The museum demonstrates people's life in old times.)
Address : 545 Yata-cho Yamatokoriyama-shi, 639-1058
Phone : 0743-53-3171
Hours : 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Entry by 4:30 p.m.)
Closed : Mondays (Closed on Tuesday if Monday is a national holiday) ,New Year's holiday (Dec.28-Jan4)
Entrance fee : 200yen
Access : From Kintetsu Koriyama Station, take a bus to "Yatadera, Izumihara" and get off at the "Yatahigashiyama" bus stop and walk north for 7 minutes
The Silk Road Exposition Memorial Hall of Nara City ( The museum is located near Heijo Palace Site ( heijokyo ) and demonstrates
life in Heiokyo .)
Address : 3-5-15 Nijyoojiminami Nara-shi, 630-8213
Phone : 0742-33-7157
Hours : 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Entry by 4:30 p.m.)
Closed : Wednesdays(Closed on Thursday if Wednesday is a national holiday), New Year's holiday (Dec.26-Jan.5).
Access : From Kintetsu Nara Station, take a bus bound for "Akahadayama, Gakuendaiwa-cho, Nishitomigaoka 5chome" and get off at the "Nijyoojiminami 2chome" bus stop
7.1.3 Library
Kansai-kan of the National Diet Library
Nara Prefectural Library
Address : Noborioji-cho Nara-shi, 630-8213
Phone : 0742-27-0801
Hours : 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Closed : Mondays, the last day of every month, national holidays, the New-Year's holiday
Access : A 5-minute walk from Kintetsu Nara Station
[Ikoma Public Library]
Address : 238 Tsuji-machi Ikoma-shi, 630-0212
Phone : 0743-75-5000
Hours : 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Closed : Mondays, the first Friday of every month, national holidays, the New-Year's holiday (Dec.27-Jan.5).
Access : A 8-minute walk from Kintetsu Higashiikoma Station
[West Nara City Library]
Address : 1-1 Tsurumainishi-machi Nara-shi, 630-0022
Phone : 0742-45-5669
Hours : 9:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.(Sunday9:30a.m to 5:00p.m)
Closed : Mondays, the last day of every month, national holidays, New-Year's holiday
Access : From Kintetsu Gakuenmae Station, take a bus to and get off at "Tsurumai-cho 6chome" bus stop.
7.1.4 Others
[Kashihara City Insectarium]
Address : 624 Minamiyama-cho Kashihara-shi, 634-0024
Phone 0744-24-7246
Hours : 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (5:00 p.m. between April and September)
Closed : Mondays (Closed on Tuesday if Monday is a national holiday) New Year's holiday(Dec.28-Jan2)
Entrance fee: 310 yen
Access : From Kintetsu Yamatoyagi station, take a bus to and get off at the "Konchukan" bus stop
7.2 Studying Japanese
Japanese class at NAIST
Network Ikoma
Volunteer group (Net Work Ikoma) holds Japanese Language class at NAIST
Place: Graduate School of Information Science, 1F
Time: from 6:30p.m on Tuesday, from 1:30 p.m on Saturday
email: fumiko-y@kcn.ne.jp
Free of charge
Japanese classes outside NAIST
Nara YMCA
Place: Nara YMCA International language center (A 6-minute walk from Kintetsu Yamato Saidaiji Station)
Time: 5-month course Once a week(except Sun, and national holiday), 60min class.
Phone:0742-45-5920
Cost: Private 81300yen Semi Private 45600yen Text actual expense
Nara Nihongo Center NINJA (Nara International Understanding Japanese Association School)
Nara Nihongo Center provides course for long-term residents. (2-year course)
Place:Nara Inter National House (from Kintetsu or JR Nara station , take a buns that follows a circular route and get off at gTkabatakeh
Time: Time schedule will vary depending on course level
Phone:0742-24-4158
Costs: School fee 30,000yen per year , Registration fee: 10,000yen, Text actual expense
7.3 Festivals and Events
7.3.1 Festivals and Events in Nara
January 2nd Sunday
Wakakusa Yamayaki
Wakakusa-yama
A 20-minute walk from Kintetsu Nara Station
March 1st - 14th
Omizutori
Todai-ji Nigatsudo Hall
A 20-minute walk from Kintetsu Nara Station
April 2nd Saturday and Sunday
Ochamori
Saidai-ji Temple
A 5-minute walk from Kintetsu Yamato Saidaiji Station
June 17th
Saigusa Matsuri (Lily Festival)
Izagawa Shrine
A 20-minute walk south from Kintetsu Nara Station
August 14th - 15th
Mantoro (Lantern Lighting)
Kasuga Grand Shrine
From Kintetsu Nara Station, take a bus and get off at "Kasuga Taisha Honden"
August 15th
Daimonji Okuribi
Takamadoyama
From Kintetsu Nara Station, take a bus and get off at "Kasuga Taisha Omotesando"
October Every Sunday & national holiday
Shika no Tsunokiri (Deer-horn Cutting)
Rokuen
From Kintetsu Nara Station, take a bus and get off at
"Kasuga Taisha Omotesando", a 10-minute walk.
December 15th-18th
Onmatsuri
Kasuga Grand Shrine
From Kintetsu Nara Station, take a bus and get off ath Kasuga Taisha Hondenh
7.3.2 Events
There are a lot of community events held in Ikoma City. For more information, Please check city paper
(Kouhou Ikoma ) or contact Ikoma City Office.
Major Events
January
Citizen Marathon
It is held in January. There are three courses, 3km, 5km and 10km.
Admission: 2,000 yen
August
Ikoma Dondoko Festival
Ikoma Athletic Field
several stages, snack stands.
October
Enraku-Oraku-cha (Tea Ceremony with a huge bowl), Izayoi Concert
Takayama bamboo garden in October.
They have a tea ceremony and concert by koto or frute and other instrument.
7.4 Leisure, Sports
7.4.1 Parks, Sports Facilities
[Nara Park]
Phone: 0742-22-0375
Access: From Kintetsu Nara or JR Nara Station, on foot or take a bus that follows a circular route
[Ikoma Sanroku Park]
Phone: 0743-73-8880
Access: 16 minutes from Kintetsu Ikoma Station by free shuttle bus, or 20 minutes from Kintetsu Higashiikoma Station by car.
[Obuchiike Park]
Phone : 0742-47-0700
Access : 20-minute walk, or take a bus to and get off at "Obuchibashi" or "Nakayama-cho 1-chome" from Kintetsu Gakuenmae Station
[Kitayamato Taikukan]
Gym, ground, baseball ground
Phone: 0742-78-1617
Location: Kitayamato 3-chome,Ikomashi
[Seibu Shogai Sports Center]
Gym, indoor pool, tennis court, playground
Phone: 0742-51-1521
Access: From Kintetsu Gakuenmae Station, take a bus and get off at gKumatorih
From Kintetsu Tomio Station, take a bus and get off at gSunachayah
To the tennis court, take a bus and get off at gWakakusadaih from Kintetsu Gakuenmae Station.
Ikoma Sanjo Yuenchi (Mt.Ikoma Amusement Park)]
Location : 2312 Nabata-cho Ikoma-shi
Phone : 0743-74-2173
Access : From Kintetsu Ikoma Station, take the cable-car and get off at Sanjo Station
7.4.2 Others
[Konoike Campsite]
Hiking Train, barbecue
Phone: 0742-78-5151
Access: From Kintetsu Tomio Station, take a bus to gHoujih and get off at gKurond Ikeguchih
[Agricultural Park Shigi-san Nodoka Mura]
Seasonal fruit & vegetable picking, camping, fishing, barbecue
Phone:0745-73-8203
Access: 9minutes from Kinetetsu Shigisanshita Station by free shuttle bus
7.4.3 Spectating Sports
Professional Baseball
[Hanshin Tigers]
Koshien Stadium
In front of Hanshin Koshien Station
Football (Soccer)
[Kyoto Purple Sanga]
Nishikyogoku Stadium
A 5-minute walk from Nishikyogoku Station on the Hankyu Kyoto line
[Gamba Osaka]
Expo'70 Commemorative Stadium
A 5-minute walk from Koen Higashiguchi Station on the Osaka monorail
[Cerezo Osaka]
Nagai Stadium
A 5-minute walk from Nagai Station on the Chikatetsu Midosuji line
[Vissel Kobe]
Kobe Universiade Stadium
A 5-minute walk from Sogo Undo Koen Station on the Kobe Shiei Chikatetsu Line
Sumo
Osaka Prefectural Gym (March Tournament only)
About 5-10 minutes walk from Kintetsu, Nankai, Subway and JR line Namba Station
Rugby Football
Kintetsu Hanazono Rugby Stadium
A 10-minute walk from the Kintetsu Higashihanazono Station