The last time we were here, a deer ate a good chunk of our map. This time, we were ready. Emerging from the depths of Kintetsu-Nara station, we quickly obtained at least 3-4 maps for our rather large group (7 of us). That being said, the amazing people at the Tourist Information Centre circled a few places, smiled, and said, “We have cherry blossoms today!” Sarah’s Luck had finally rubbed off. LOL. After a quick run to the bathroom - off we went! One of the great things about Nara was how you could see the transition from the city-area to the suburban and sacred spots. In a sense, this place embodies the attraction of Japan to many people - the balance of the bustling, efficient city, and its accessibility to the calmer, peaceful country-esque locations that speak “Japan”. Like what happened before, we encountered the deer just a short walk from the station. Following trusty Google Maps and the main road, we found ourselves in front of the Himuro Jinja Shrine, with trees in full bloom and neighbouring shops selling grilled mochi and ice cream to add to the experience. For a person who has not seen Cherry Blossoms in real life, I do get why it’s such a big deal - they bloom in various shades - pink, pale pink, red, white - but the flowers only stay open for a few days before fluttering to the ground. Needless to say, the place was packed with tourists and locals alike, so we made our way to Todaiji soon after taking the photos we wanted. Standing tall and grand, the Todaiji Temple is a Buddhist Temple that survived two major fires (and countless incidents) since its construction in 752 AD. One of the incidents got so bad that craftspeople had to replace the Buddha head because it got too badly damaged. That’s why you could see the different shades between the Buddha’s body and head when you enter the temple. Apart from its vast, zen aura, Todaiji Temple is peppered with various other Prayer Halls, each there for anyone to visit. But remember, keep to their rules - both out of respect for the people, and respect for the place:
That being said, we had a pleasant time at Todaiji. And the sweet potato (along with the other snacks) we had on the way back to the station helped too. AND NOW - TO THE FOOD. We were a big group (7 of us), so I thought Kameya was more up to our speed in terms of space and food. Check it out: Mainly teppenyaki-cooked food from the area - Okonomiyaki, Yakisoba, Yakiudon, and the Yakisoba Rooru, which is Omelette-wrapped Yakisoba, and apparently our favourite. If you’re looking for a family-friendly place, or just a place to sit a group that’s larger than 4 people, where you can eat the local cuisine and hang out, I’d suggest Kameya. BONUS: It’s just down the road from Nakatanidou Mochi - where we were fortunate enough to have front row seats to a fresh batch of mochi being made. You can catch a glimpse of the video I took on my Instagram here. PLACES WE WENT TO: Places of Interest: Todaiji Temple 奈良市雑司町406-1 406-1 Zoushi-cho, Nara-shi Entrance Fee: ¥500 (Temple only) Food: Kameya 樽井町7, Taruichō, Nara-shi, Nara-ken 630-8218 Estimated Prices: ¥1,000 to 1,500 per person Nakatanidou Mochi 29 Hashimotocho, Nara 630-8217 Prices: ¥130 for 1 freshly-made Soybean-filled mochi Note: There are also many street vendors from Nara station to Todaiji so do grab a few snacks along the way if you'd like. Just take note of the deer (Yes, they'll snatch your food away from you). So that’s it for us in Nara! Check out the rest of my trip to Osaka and Kyoto over April under the tag #Osakejiak18. Or access all the posts for this trip here.
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