We’re back on accommodation form in Nara as we check into a hotel more typical of our trip. The futon mattress is as thin as the wall, so my first night here yields even less sleep than usual. We’ve wedged this brief, one day, two night visit to Nara after some research from James.
Nara is renowned for being the first permnanet capital of Japan back in the 700s, and for its deer, and we find out about the latter straight away. As we walk towards the park, there are deer, tourists, and deer biscuit vendors throughout. Tourists attempting to savour their special moment with the deer (captured on camera of course), deer attempting to get the biscuits out of the human hands as quickly as possible. You can imagine these are conflicting desires. Despite signs reminding people that the deer are wild and can bite, barge, and whatever else, and they should not be touched, of course everyone is. This is Japan, if there are people selling deer biscuits, they are being allowed to sell people deer biscuits, so this is somewhat conflicting messaging!
Children cower against railings. Adults hold the biscuits aloft. A woman throws her purse to the ground as she runs away. Deer casually tug at shirts and gobble up biscuits before phone cameras can even be turned on. The tourists are new to this game, the deer are the pros. No-one is harmed mind. Everyone is taking it in good spirits, realising their own follies as they are outsmarted by the pros to this match. It’s hilarious watching. And cleverly, because the deer are only allowed to be fed these biscuits, they don’t hassle you for real food. Smart.
Our day in Nara is spent having a long walk around and admiring what used to be the capital of Japan. We first stop at a beautiful garden, so peaceful and intricate.
There’s a huge gate with the standard terrifying guardians, and a temple/castle/pagoda that we see through the fence.
Then we head on up to Mount Wakakusa, not realising we have to pay, or that it’s actually a pretty steep ascent. But when have we let that stop us? We need to undo all the enforced lethargy from the heat of SE Asia. So we climb.
We decide to loop down a different way through the Primeval forest. So lush and green and peaceful, like so many places we’ve experienced in Japan.
As now becomes tradition in Japan, as we start to tire and think about heading back, we happen upon an amazing, beautiful complex of traditional buildings, sculptures and greenery.
We also find a free garden next to the one we paid to go in earlier which is almost just as beautiful. This one has a moss garden, and a man carefully tends to it. Such a different approach to the endless moss-lawn battles in the UK.
We head back for a rest, and then reward ourselves with two pizzas, chips, and some craft beers at a brewery down the road. It really hits the spot, especially the cream cheese and salmon topping. How we miss cheese!
It’s then off to another pub for an overpriced beer before calling it a night, as we’re off to Kyoto tomorrow.
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Adventure – exploring another Mount on a whim
Excitement – watching all the tourists getting attacked by demanding deer, over and over again
Trauma – the schnuffleupagus returns, a kid chasing a deer with a stick.
1 Comment
The deer sound amazing, the picture of the one bowing you sent was incredible. Sounds a lovely place , love the imitation of the statue 🤣. Hope the schnuffleueupagus has dissappeared. X