Nara is the first permanent capital of Japan and is one of the most rewarding destinations in the Japan. Nara is often omitted from a tourist's itinerary, especially if they are pressed for time. But there are a lot of things to see in Nara if you take time for it.
It has a quaint and provincial feel to it. I find it similar to Taiwan.
From Fushimi Inari, we got to Nara by sunset already. We wanted to push it because, as I've said earlier, my sisters were already going back to Manila the next day. We wanted to visit Nara with them.
As with all trips, flexibility with the schedule is key to enjoying the trip. We originally wanted to head back home to Osaka for dinner and do some sightseeing around Dotonbori. But having reached Nara at dusk, we knew we would be too tired for sightseeing by the time we got back home to Osaka.
The sunset makes for beautiful photographs, noh! But we couldn't stop to pose for photographs because we wanted to get to Nara Park before it got too dark.
When you consider the antiquity of this former capital of Japan, everything around you takes on a certain timeless quality.
Most of Nara's sights, including temples, shrines and the deer park, are concentrated in Nara Park, a wide space of greenery. According to legend, the god of the Kasuga Taisha came riding a white deer in the old days, so the deer enjoy protected status as envoys of the god.
Nara Park is a large park in central Nara. Established in 1880, it is the location of many of Nara's main attractions including Todaiji, Kofukuji and the Nara National Museum.
The deers are tame, and used to being photographed even at close range.
Deer cookies are for sale for 150Yen.
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| How cute is this! The deer waits in anticipation for his snacks! |
For my kids, the number one must-see attraction are the free roaming deers. Though generally quite tame, the deers can be quite pushy trying to get their treats.
Kofukuji Temple is one of the Seven Great Temples of Nara. Kofukuji's five story pagoda is Japan's second tallest and is one of the oldest wooden buildings in the world. It is both a landmark and symbol of Nara. It was first built in 730, and was most recently rebuilt in 1426.
The Nan-endo Octagonal Hall at Kofuku-ji Temple.
Although our Nara trip was very short, the kids were happy to experience the deer at such close range. We practically spent our whole time in Nara at the Deer Park.
It was already close to 8 in the evening when we were ready to leave. We passed by Pinocchio, and since the resto looked nice enough, we decided to step in and have dinner there.
Enjoy looking at our food photos! I ca't remember what we ordered already. But the restaurtant can be compared to UCC. It's sort of like a mix of Italian and Japanese cuisine. The food is good, and the prices are affordable.
PINOCCHIO
24 Shimosanjocho, Nara 630-8236, Nara Prefecture
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I visited Nara once, in my younger years. Wish I was back in Asia. The Fong cousins and family are planning a 2017 visit to Philippines. I want to plan a stop in Japan, but perhaps Nara will be out of the question. Nevertheless, I enjoyed your fantastic post.
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