Favorite Corners - Nara
Come to Nara for the deer, but stay for the many other amazing sites that are here. What else is there to see in Nara? Oh, just a couple of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, one of the largest wooden buildings in the world, and lots and lots of lanterns.
Kofuku-ji is a Buddhist temple that is one of Nara's UNESCO Heritage sites. The most eye-catching is the five story pagoda which is the second tallest to Japan (the largest one resides at Toji Temple in Kyoto).
Todai-ji is one of the largest wooden structures in the world. The current structure is from the 1700's, but building has gone through several earlier incarnations (all the way back to 752) that were even larger.
There is a reason for Todai-ji's large size. It houses Japan's largest bronze Buddha or Daibutsu, weighing in at 500 tonnes
Kasuga-taisha - founded in the 700's, rebuilt in the 1800's and known for the myriad of bronze lanterns housed within its walls.
The paths and steps around Kasuga-taisha are lined with 3000 beautiful stone lanterns.
I'm not sure how they do it, but the lanterns are lit on specific times during the year, February for Setsubun Mantoro in February and Obon Matsuri in August.
No, their not beating Slimer to a pulp, they're making mochi (a soft chewy glutinous rice dough). The green color comes from mugwort, and once all of the pounding and chanting has subsided, the dough is rolled around a sweet filling and ready to eat.
Deer crosswalks. The deer actually use them too.
Bambi's Japanese cousin on a sewer lid.
The Yoshiki-en garden is free for overseas tourists. Just show them your passport.
Nigatsu-do is a sub-temple of Todai-ji on the hillside (don't worry, it's a gentle hillside) of Mount Wakakusa.
It's a little out of the way, but well worth the walk up to escape the crowds and see some beautiful lanterns up close.
The balcony offers great views of the Great Buddha hall and the rest of Nara. A perfect place to end the day.