When comparing Nara vs Hakata, the Slant community recommends Nara for most people. In the question“What are the best cities to visit in Japan besides Tokyo and Kyoto?” Nara is ranked 2nd while Hakata is ranked 10th. The most important reason people chose Nara is:
There are wild deer roaming all the local parks. You can buy feed for cheap and enjoy being chased by dozens of deers.
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Pros
Pro Wild deers everywhere
There are wild deer roaming all the local parks. You can buy feed for cheap and enjoy being chased by dozens of deers.
Pro Quiet, serene primeval forest
The Kasugayama Primeval Forest behind the shrine is a peaceful place to go hiking. Although it isn't nearly as mysterious in person as 'primeval forest' sounds, it's still a great place to get away from the hustle and bustle of urban cities.
Pro Close to Kyoto
Pro Ancient shrine
Kasuga Shrine is one of the oldest shrines in Japan and the head of the Kasuga branch of shrines. The moss covering much of the architecture is unique compared to the spotless shrines in other parts of Japan.
Pro Capital of southern-style, pork-bone broth ramen
Home of tonkotsu ramen, famous chains such as Ippudo and Ichiran originated from this city. Getting off the train, you can immediately smell the thick fragrance of pork broth all around the city.
Cons
Con Not a lot of cultural attractions besides food
There are a lot of famous foods in Hakata: motsu nabe, tonkotsu ramen, mentaiko. While there's also a few shrines and gardens, Hakata is a fairly modern city and thus doesn't have a lot of traditional cultural attractions.