Nara

Nara , known for its historic temples and roaming deer, is located 42km (26 miles) south of Kyoto, so we visited it on the way from Kyoto to Osaka. It was a lovely little day trip.

Japanese and foreigners alike flock to Nara for a glimpse of old Japan. Many of Nara's historic buildings and temples remain intact, and long ago many of these historical structures were enclosed in the peaceful confines of the large and spacious Nara Park. Wandering throughout the park and temple grounds are loads of deer, who are protected as a treasure and regarded as messengers of the gods and are fed a lot by visitors!

Little pagoda on the way to the main attractions

Colourful shrine

Kofukuji is a Hosso Buddhist temple. One of the great temples of the Nara period, it features a tall five-story pagoda and many Buddhist art treasures

Deer being fed by some visitors

Tim getting up close and personal with a deer

Stone lanterns along the path to Kasuga Shrine

Water feature deer statue in the Nara park

Entrance to Kasuga Taisha

At Kasuga Taisha, thousands of bronze lanterns hang from the
shrine buildings. Nestled in the midst of the woods, Kasuga Taisha is approached via a long pathway intended to give the visitor time to prepare for worship.The shrine itself features vermilion-colored pillars and 3,000 stone and bronze lanterns.

We sat down for a picnic lunch of sushi among the blossom

Todaiji is a temple of grand proportions: it has the largest wooden building
and largest Buddha statue in all of Japan. This is especially impressive in light of the fact that the present reconstruction (from 1692) is only two thirds of the original temple's size.

Entrance, or exit, to Nara Park

Street vendor, the Japanese love their sweet potatoe