Time's Place Nara
Good to know before you go
- Getting there
- Kintetsu-Nara Station (Kintetsu Nara Line)
- Admission
- Free
- Time needed
- 15–30 min
- Best time to go
- 14:00–18:00, when all dessert counters, souvenir stalls, and the sake bar operate simultaneously before commuter sellouts
About
Located directly inside Kintetsu-Nara Station, Time's Place Nara is a convenient underground shopping and dining arcade perfect for a quick bite or last-minute souvenir shopping. It features a great selection of local Nara sweets, craft sake, and casual eateries, including a standing bar where you can sample regional sake. It is the ultimate spot to grab traditional persimmon leaf sushi (kakinoha-zushi) before boarding your train.
What Japanese guides note
Time's Place Nara extends along the underground B1F concourse connecting the east and west exits of Kintetsu-Nara Station. Because the shops are outside the ticket gates, visitors can enter freely from the street or Higashimuki Shopping Arcade without buying a platform pass. Individual tenant schedules vary widely, and popular items like persimmon leaf sushi boxes can sell out by late afternoon.
Details from local sources
- Unlike Time's Place branches at Yamato-Saidaiji or Osaka-Namba stations, which sit inside ticket barriers and require paid platform admission for non-passengers, Time's Place Nara is located outside the ticket gates. [source]
- Caffè Ciao Presso and Nara brewer Yamato Brewery opened a combined venue in the arcade on September 20, 2023, serving espresso and draft craft beers together. [source]
- The arcade concentrates regional producers selling specialty souvenirs such as Yoshino arrowroot starch sweets, warabimochi, and persimmon-leaf-wrapped sushi. [source]
Insider Tip
Look for the Yamatoji Shop inside to buy unique Nara-made crafts and food souvenirs that are hard to find at standard convenience stores.
Frequently asked
Do I need a train ticket to enter Time's Place Nara?
No train ticket or platform pass is needed. Unlike the Time's Place installations inside Yamato-Saidaiji or Osaka-Namba stations, this concourse is located completely outside the ticket gates on the B1 level and is freely open to the general public.
What are the opening hours of Time's Place Nara?
Operating hours depend on each individual tenant rather than a uniform complex schedule. Breakfast stops like Caffè Ciao Presso open at 07:00, most confectionery and souvenir counters trade between 10:00 and 19:00 or 20:00, and the Kuramoto Hoshuku sake bar opens from 14:00 to 21:00.
Can I buy traditional Nara food specialties here?
Yes. The concourse features specialized stands including Izasa Sushi for boxed kakinoha-zushi, confectionery specialist Tengyokudo for Yoshino kudzu starch delicacies, and Mahoroba Daibutsu Pudding for Nara-themed desserts packaged for transport.
Our Nara walking tours
Photos
