The Japan Times reports about a new free English language magazine aimed at foreign tourists who visit Nara:

With the launch of Nara Explorer this month, there is now an English magazine that introduces the area’s long and complex history in a clear and concise way and offers practical information to overseas visitors that is hard, if not impossible, to find elsewhere. The quarterly publication is free and available in the city.

The premiere issue introduces cultural attractions like the Great Buddha at Todaiji Temple, natural wonders like the Mount Kasuga Primeval Forest and a calendar of summer events in the city and prefecture.

Gourmets will appreciate the list of restaurants ranging from small shops serving plum-flavored noodles to a cafe offering dishes with “kodai-mai,” an ancient rice variety symbolic of Nara. Nara Explorer also has advertisements for English-language walking tours and practical information for the foreign traveler on where to exchange money or get more information in English.

For more info, check out NaraExplorer.jp.