Day Trip to Nara
I woke up pretty early this morning. Around 6 AM. While the streets were full of tourists by late morning, in the early morning, I figured I could see the city as it normally functions. I went on a jog around the city, following the major roads and cycling routes. Like any metropolitan city, I saw many people hurrying to work and getting crammed into subway cars. However, the people in Osaka didn’t seem as hurried or busy as many were in Tokyo.
After my run, I went to Starbucks to use the wifi, and had a latte. Then on couchsurfing, a request popped up to go to a nearby city of Nara. I knew nothing of the city, but after a quick google search, it seemed like a good idea. Through the app, I met Diana, a Mexican college student who was also traveling across Japan alone. We decided to meet and go together to Nara.
Going to Nara was very easy. We just had to walk to the nearby Namba Station and take the Kintetsu-Nara Line. It only cost 560 yen. Be sure you go to the right company, as there are many gates for different lines of the train.
Nara is famous for its deer, that roam around the city freely. The deer in Nara are considered a national treasure and considered in the Shinto religion to be a gift from the gods. The deer have seemed to have adjusted to the constant stream of tourists. They were aggressive and were expecting to get fed! I was even scared because one of the deer ate my map while I was trying to find my way to the main shrines and temples. It was both a weird, yet interesting experience interacting with the deer.
You can buy a stack of deer cookies for 150 Yen. I heard a lot of cursing as the deer clamored to get the cookies out of the hands of the tourists.
Diana and I hiked the mountain together exploring the small shrines and temples on every path. However, we got lost a few times, as we opted to take less travelled side paths around the mountain.
One of the most important places to visit in Nara, in my opinion, is the Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara. You can see the relics of what used be the capital of Japan from 710 to 784. Nara’s historic monuments, shrines, temples, and excavated sites can give you an idea of what life was like in Nara in the 8th century, as they went through a cultural and political renaissance.
The Daibutsu, commonly known as the great buddha, is one of the largest bronze statues in the world and the biggest Buddha, sitting at around 16 metres high. It is made out of bronze and covered in Gold. The statute still is standing strong, after enduring many fires, earthquakes, and other disasters. The big buddha is surrounded by other smaller statues that represent the gods of wisdom and memory.
After visiting the sites, and taking many many pictures, we went for a treat! Mochi is an amazing thing to try in Japan. Mochi is Japanese rice cake made of mochigome, a special type of starchy short grained rice. The rice is pounded into paste and molded. It is a cheap, delicious snack!
As it was only a day trip, I only got to see a sliver of Nara. Nara is an amazing place to learn about the culture and history of Japan, and has the second most Unesco heritage sites, next to Kytoo. I highly recommend a day trip to see the sites, learn a bit about Japanese history, and to meet the friendly, sometimes aggressive deer!
Originally published at dailycrusade.com on August 16, 2017.
