Nara
Todai-ji and Kofuku-ji: which ticket to buy
Both temples charge hall by hall, and both sell a combined ticket. Each combined ticket is worth buying in exactly one situation. Here is which, worked out from the temples' own price lists.
Todai-ji 東大寺
Buy the combined ticket only if you will go into both: the Great Buddha Hall and the Museum. It then costs ¥1,200 instead of ¥1,600, saving ¥400. For anything less, pay at each door — either one on its own costs ¥800.
Every way of visiting, priced
| If you visit | Separately | Set | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Great Buddha Hall | ¥800 | ¥1,200 | Separate tickets |
| Museum | ¥800 | ¥1,200 | Separate tickets |
| Great Buddha Hall + Museum | ¥1,600 | ¥1,200 | The set |
Adult prices. Sold at the Great Buddha Hall or at the Museum.
Prices and hours
| Hall | Adult | Teen | Child | Open |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Great Buddha Hall (Daibutsuden) | ¥800 | ¥800 | ¥400 | 07:30–17:30 (April to October); 08:00–17:00 (November to March) |
| Hokke-do (Sangatsu-do) | ¥800 | ¥800 | ¥400 | 08:30–16:00 |
| Kaidan-do | ¥800 | ¥800 | ¥400 | 08:30–16:00 |
| Todai-ji Museum | ¥800 | ¥800 | ¥400 | 09:30–17:30, last entry 17:00 (April to October); 09:30–17:00, last entry 16:30 (November to March) |
| Great Buddha Hall and Museum set ticket | ¥1,200 | ¥1,200 | ¥600 | — |
Adult: Adults (university and over). Teen: High school and junior high. Child: Elementary school. Cash only. Source: Todai-ji — opening hours and admission.
Kofuku-ji 興福寺
Buy the combined ticket only if you will go into all three: the Central Golden Hall, the Eastern Golden Hall and the National Treasure Museum. It then costs ¥1,600 instead of ¥1,900, saving ¥300. For anything less, pay at each door — any two cost at most ¥1,400.
Every way of visiting, priced
| If you visit | Separately | Set | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central Golden Hall | ¥500 | ¥1,600 | Separate tickets |
| Eastern Golden Hall | ¥500 | ¥1,600 | Separate tickets |
| National Treasure Museum | ¥900 | ¥1,600 | Separate tickets |
| Central Golden Hall + Eastern Golden Hall | ¥1,000 | ¥1,600 | Separate tickets |
| Central Golden Hall + National Treasure Museum | ¥1,400 | ¥1,600 | Separate tickets |
| Eastern Golden Hall + National Treasure Museum | ¥1,400 | ¥1,600 | Separate tickets |
| Central Golden Hall + Eastern Golden Hall + National Treasure Museum | ¥1,900 | ¥1,600 | The set |
Adult prices. Sold from 09:00 to 16:00 only. After 16:00, only single tickets are on sale.
Prices and hours
| Hall | Adult | Teen | Child | Open |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Golden Hall (Chukon-do) | ¥500 | ¥300 | ¥200 | 09:00–17:00, last entry 16:45 |
| Eastern Golden Hall (Tokon-do) | ¥500 | ¥300 | ¥200 | 09:00–17:00, last entry 16:45 |
| National Treasure Museum (Kokuhokan) | ¥900 | ¥800 | ¥500 | 09:00–17:00, last entry 16:45 |
| Three-site combined ticket | ¥1,600 | ¥1,100 | ¥600 | — |
Adult: Adults (university and over). Teen: High school and junior high. Child: Elementary school. Cash only. Source: Kofuku-ji — visitor information.
Getting between them
Kofuku-ji is the closer of the two to Kintetsu-Nara station, and Todai-ji is a proper walk beyond it. Walking times, buses and where to leave your bag are on the station page.
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to enter Todai-ji?
¥800 for an adult to enter the Great Buddha Hall, and ¥800 each for the Hokke-do, the Kaidan-do and the Todai-ji Museum. Elementary school children pay ¥400. Payment is in cash only.
Is the Todai-ji set ticket worth it?
Buy the combined ticket only if you will go into both: the Great Buddha Hall and the Museum. It then costs ¥1,200 instead of ¥1,600, saving ¥400. For anything less, pay at each door — either one on its own costs ¥800.
How much does it cost to enter Kofuku-ji?
¥500 for the Central Golden Hall, ¥500 for the Eastern Golden Hall, ¥900 for the National Treasure Museum, for adults. Payment is in cash only.
Is the Kofuku-ji combined ticket worth it?
Buy the combined ticket only if you will go into all three: the Central Golden Hall, the Eastern Golden Hall and the National Treasure Museum. It then costs ¥1,600 instead of ¥1,900, saving ¥300. For anything less, pay at each door — any two cost at most ¥1,400. It is sold only until 16:00.
Can I pay by card at Todai-ji or Kofuku-ji?
No. Both temples state that admission is paid in cash only.
Individual adult prices, read from each temple's own page. Group and disability rates exist and are on the temples' pages; they are not repeated here.