Nara is just an hour by train from Kyoto so we visited for a day trip, stopping for coffee and a snack when we got there. Can you believe this sandwich – banana and squirty cream in white bread – strangely delicious!
According to tradition, the thunder god Takemikazuchi arrived in Nara in 768 riding on a white deer to guard the newly built capital. Since then, deer have been considered sacred and are still protected, with around 1500 of them roaming freely.
It wasn’t long before we saw them … round every corner!
The deer seem quite at home with all the visitors and many have even learned to bow their heads to ask for food. As we walked along, we watched people feeding them with special crackers sold in the park.
Temples and shrines abound here, and we started with Kofuku-ji, the family temple of the powerful Fujiwara clan. The pagoda was hidden under hoarding being restored, but we visited the Central Golden Hall and Treasure Hall.
The path leading to the Kasuga Taisha shrine is lined with moss-covered stone lanterns, left as donations over centuries …
… and inside there were hanging bronze lanterns lining the open-air wooden corridors.
There were signs warning the deer can be aggressive …
…. but they all seemed pretty well behaved so I bought some crackers. I must just have picked the wrong spot, as I was soon surrounded by a gang of deer, staking out the cracker stall and determined to relieve me of my crackers! I became quite intimidated and ended up dropping them on the ground and leaving them to it!
Later we saw others being chased by deer, and one lady got her bottom nipped as she walked away!
We had lunch in the temple grounds at Rokumeien, a noodle shop serving Shojin Udon, a traditional Japanese vegetarian and vegan noodle soup topped with deep fried tofu and mountain herbs.
Lastly, we visited Todai-ji, the Great Buddha Hall which is the crown jewel of Nara and one of the largest wooden buildings in the world dating to the C8th.
Inside, the Great Buddha sits 15m tall …
… and is protected by a couple of fierce guardians.
There is a wooden pillar with a hole through the base which is the same size as the Buddha’s nostril and it is said that anyone who can squeeze through will gain enlightenment in their next life … so people do!
By the time we left, we were walked off our feet so we didn’t check out the historic district with its arts and crafts shops and instead headed back to Kyoto.
That evening we walked back to Renton-ya in Pontocho Alley and chose a variety of small dishes giving me the chance to try some local fish and meat filled gyoza while Chris had tempura and tofu.
