Nara: A Classic City of Deer and Charm

This is the eighth blog post in a series about my backpacking trip to Japan during the Songkran holiday. This short post focuses on Nara, a small yet charming city known for its freely roaming deer population.

My journey began on April 12th and ended on April 20th, covering a total of five prefectures. In this post, I'll share my experience exploring Nara, a place that left a lasting impression despite its size.

Nara's claim to fame is its deer, which coexist peacefully with the city's residents, similar to the monkeys in Lopburi, Thailand. Accompanied by my friends Aem and Tum, I embarked on a cycling adventure to encounter these fascinating creatures.

Note: Throughout the trip, I captured the journey through snapshots while walking, on trains, and even buses. Please excuse any blurry or tilted images, as I prioritized capturing the essence of the experience over perfectly still photographs.

Date: April 18, 2017

This morning, we woke up early and checked out of Hostel Namba-minami KANON, where we stayed last night (as mentioned in the previous blog post). We left our luggage at the hotel and headed to Shinimamiya Station to travel to Nara Prefecture.

We took the JR Yamatoji Line to Nara, which cost ¥560 and took approximately 40 minutes.

The original text is already in English. Therefore, no translation is required.

Is there anything else I can help you with?

Early in the morning, there are not many people around. The weather is great, and the model looks fantastic.

We need to take the green line, the JR Yamatoji Line.

As the train journey continues, vast rice fields emerge on either side of the tracks.

The quaint villages and towns along the way showcase a timeless charm, reminiscent of ancient Japan. Their beauty is truly captivating.

We have arrived at Nara Station! The iconic deer logo welcomes us to the city.

Wow! Bigger than the deer, it's this guy's face! 55555

Upon arrival, we initially planned to explore the city by bus.

However, upon examining the map, we realized the city was not overly expansive and the weather was pleasant.

Therefore, we decided to embark on a cycling adventure for a fun and unique experience.

We inquired at the station's information desk, and the staff kindly directed us to a nearby bicycle rental shop.

Following the directions provided by the staff, we soon arrived at our destination, located a short distance from the station.

We rented regular bicycles (there were electric ones, but they were expensive lol). We rented them for a full day at the full price.

Each person rode their own bike, with Hi Tum leading the way (following Google Maps like a pro).

Following each other like a line of ducks, Aem Sri called out to Kan Na to see the cuteness of this place.

The deer symbol appears everywhere in this city, even on the manhole covers.

Oh!! Deer Park, but... Aem Sri told me to go to the Big Buddha Temple first, and then I'll come back here later.

He leads sometimes, I lead sometimes. As for kale, I don't lead. Kale will take pictures. 5555

I've been cycling for a while now, but I haven't seen any sign of the temple yet... It's tiring to exercise after a long time, haha.

We've arrived, haven't we?

Look how relaxed we are while riding the kale smoothie. We were too busy taking pictures that our friends have already gone far ahead.

"Parking our bicycles, let's head into the temple. Oh, and look who tagged along!"

"Todaiji Temple / The Great Buddha Statue [Check-In 24/30]"

I parked my bicycle and was about to enter the temple when I encountered a young deer walking towards me.

This was the first time in my life that I had been so close to a deer. It was incredibly cute and tame.

The deer was so close that I could almost touch it. It was a truly magical experience.

Walking past the deer cub just now, walking along the path

You will find this place with a huge wooden gate, over a thousand years old, called "Nandaimon".

This is also the ticket booth, and this temple is probably the first place where I think I've met the most people on this trip.

Tickets secured! Only ¥500 each.

After purchasing our tickets, we walked through the ticket booth at the front gate and entered the temple. This temple is a very famous wooden temple in Nara Prefecture and is registered as a World Heritage Site.

Notice the back, how big the temple is. People look tiny in comparison.

The main building of this temple is the largest wooden building in the world!!

Come here. Before entering the temple, you must come here. Many of you who have read this far have already passed many temples.

You should already know what to do. So let's do it together now. Here we go!

"Wash your left hand, wash your right hand, wash your mouth, wash the ladle, clap your hands three times, clap! Clap! Clap!"

Very good! ^O^

Here's a close-up look. The wood has a beautiful grain, and each piece used in the construction is incredibly large.

Although it appears old, there's no fear of it collapsing. Instead, it conveys a sense of strength and stability.

Will I be able to go inside today? I'll walk and take photos every three steps. 55555

Wow! We have entered the temple.

This is the Great Buddha statue, or Daibutsu in Japanese.

It is the largest Buddha statue in Japan, standing at a height of fifteen meters. Wow!!!

This Great Buddha statue is a representation of Vairocana Buddha,

which means the Buddha whose radiance reaches all directions like the light of the sun.

The statue weighs approximately 500 tons and is a wooden Buddha statue built during the Edo period.

It's crowded in front, so I have to take a side angle like this. Oh well, any angle is good for the heart.

May your wishes come true, may you be successful, you must make a wish and then strike the gong.

(According to Thai beliefs, we strike the bell.)

In addition to the Great Buddha statue, on the left side, there is also the Phra Jinadamanee Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva.

Various deities are also present in the surrounding area.

On the left side, you will find the deity Ko-Umoku-Ten, a god who can see everything.

The statue is also carved from wood and is very large, beautiful, and exquisitely crafted.

The enormous wooden panels are a testament to the skill and patience of the artisans who carved and constructed them.

One can only imagine the time and effort required to complete such intricate work.

The back of the Buddha statue is magnificent and beautiful from every angle.

Walking behind the Buddha statue, there is a model of the original temple.

It is speculated that this is a display of the logs used to build this temple.

This corner features intricate wood carvings, which are likely to be the faces of various deities.

To our right is the mighty Thamorn Mountain, home to the deity who hears all sounds.

The colossal statue inspires awe, its intricate wood carvings a testament to exquisite craftsmanship.

This is another highlight of the temple: a giant wooden pillar.

Kancha read that the circumference of this pillar is the same as the nostril of Luang Pho To.

At the bottom of the pillar, there is a small opening, about a foot wide.

Aem Sri told us that passing through this opening will bring good luck and enlightenment (similar to the Thai belief that passing under the belly of an elephant will bring good luck).

Kancha didn't hesitate and immediately joined the queue of Chinese tourists (the queue was not long, there were few people).

Kanna stuffed herself into the hole, and Aem had to pull her out. 555555555

There were quite a few people watching from the other side of the pillar, so it was a bit embarrassing.

But since we were already there, we decided to just go for it and have some fun. Let's go all the way!

And Aem managed to rescue her friend from the hole.

In the end, it wasn't just luck that saved us from the pillar. It was having Aem as a friend. I love her the most.

You can now crawl out. There is a souvenir shop inside.

Turn left after exiting, and you will find the wooden statue of Phra Bing Si Ru.

It is different in that it has a red cloth covering it, allowing you to pray to the deity, who is believed to cure serious illnesses.

If you are ill, come and pray to the deity to boost your morale.

Walking from above, passing through a long souvenir stall, until reaching a wide open space.

You will encounter many tame deer.

Okay, we've walked around the entire temple. Now my heart is filled with joy. Let's continue our journey...

Walking from the temple (following a confusing path), there is also a deer park.

The park is a spacious public park with cherry blossom trees and a variety of lush green trees.

But it is open and airy, and the deer are roaming freely.

But look, why doesn't the fawn pay attention to me? I call it, but it doesn't come. Oh, no!

After playing with the deer in the park for a while, we wanted to move on to another place.

But this time, my boyfriend was really tired. He wasn't just sitting there looking handsome, haha.

We're all rested up, so let's get back on the road! We're going to cycle until our legs are about to burst.

And before long, we arrived at our next destination...

"Nara Park [Check-In 25/30]"

"Deer Park" or "Nara Park"

This is the place we cycled past earlier, on our way to the Todai-ji Temple.

Upon arrival, we found a place to park our bikes and discovered a shop selling deer crackers for ¥150.

We bought some, as we wanted to lure the deer closer for photos.

Even with blurred vision, her sharp eyes could still see the senbei in her hand.

She tried the senbei and said, "You should try it too! It's so good, I'm eating it like a deer!"

The taste is like ordinary bread, with a slightly burnt aroma (but not burnt).

I guess it must be baked at a high temperature to get the aroma, because the deer seems to like it (just a guess). 5555

This photo was taken by chance. I was pressing the shutter button without planning or focusing on anything. The deer just happened to walk into the frame, so I quickly pressed the button and got this clear shot of its face.

Deception until the deer, look at the hands 5555

The deer are attracted to us when we have food, but they won't come near us if we don't. 5555

Okay, we've played with the deer enough. Let's head back now. It's already mid-morning.

As I cycled along, I came across a signpost that left me wondering, "Where do I go from here?"

Ultimately, I decided not to explore further. As I mentioned earlier, this town is quite small, with its main attractions being various temples.

We had already visited the Big Buddha Temple, so I felt content with just getting a feel for the place.

Therefore, I cycled back to the train station to return the bicycle.

After cycling back to the station, let's take a break to rest our legs... We won't just sit around, though. We'll have some snacks and drinks. Delicious~

Red bean coconut milk, this original size is definitely satisfying. 5555

This is a big one from the boss, seriously, let's get full.

After finishing the snacks, we walked back into the station.

Inside, there were small tables with rubber stamps and paper. Kan Na was hesitant to play with them.

But the brave Hi Tum went and stamped the fawn logo, then gave it to Kan Na as a souvenir.

But... the stamp was upside down 55555.

He walked to stamp it so coolly, but it turned out upside down, the head was upside down! But Hi is cute, I forgive him. >///<

After a tiring trip, these crowded aisles are making me dizzy. 55555

After spending half a day, we booked tickets to return to Shinimamiya Station by train for ¥560.

Upon arriving at Shinimamiya Station, we searched for the path leading to the Namba district. The reason for our visit to this area will be revealed later!

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We have now checked in to two more beautiful locations in the charming city of Nara. What do you think of this place?

In the next blog post, I will cater to our shopping enthusiasts.

I will take you on a shopping spree in Osaka, a bustling hub of shops, people, and delicious food!

What treasures will I find? What exciting discoveries await?

I will share my experiences in the next blog post, coming soon! 5555

For now, I would like to express my gratitude to all of you for following along.

As always, I apologize for the slow pace of my blog posts.

I am incredibly busy with my own business, but I am dedicated to my work. 5555

My motto remains: "Work hard to travel and buy makeup!" Hahaha!

If you'd like to experience the same kind of wandering and exploration as me,

feel free to ask questions in the comment box below.

And if you have any praise, criticism, or compliments,

don't hesitate to share them with me. 5555555

Page >> https://web.facebook.com/TheLocationKana Click here >///<

Thank you so much everyone!

>>> Join me on a shopping spree! <<<