1st August
Today I commute to Osaka after some insightful days in Kyoto, before I head to Osaka though I wanted to give an Insight into Nara another very popular tourist location in Japan. The former capital Nara is a small but important city in Japan, located not too far from Kyoto. It’s known as the Japans first permanent capital and was established in 710. This lead to todays long history filled with ancient temples and cultural landmarks. One of its main attractions is the Todai-ji temple in which the Great Buddha was built. Many want to visit this massive bronze statue.
Another thing that makes Nara unique is are the hundreds of wild deer. Most of them live in Nara Park and they’re considered sacred. Locals and tourists love feeding them special crackers, though the deer can get a bit pushy sometimes! I myself have yet to be pushed by one but there are many warnings signs about them throughout the park. A fun fact is that some deer even bow their head for food if you bow before them. These deer probaly got trained by all the people who feed them and got used to this practice.
Nara used to be and still is a center for Buddhism in Japan. So you get to see many monks and lots of temples and shrines. While it’s not as busy as cities like Tokyo or Osaka it can still get crowded. But it has a quieter atmosphere and the well-preserved heritage give it a peaceful charm. It’s perfect for those wanting to take a step back in time. Simple and calm, but definitely worth a visit if you’re into history or deer.
