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Post date: 27-Nov-2009 12:49:09
Colin and I took a 40 minute express train from Osaka to
Nara. Nara used to be the capital of Japan from 710 to 784. When we arrived, we headed to the park and purchased special crackers for the deer that the locals make and sell for 150 yen a dozen.
The deer know where the deer cracker booths are located and stalk the sidewalks where they are sold. We saw them bunting people in the butt to try and get crackers. Some of the deer look a little mean and you would not want to mess with them. However, they are quite harmless. People live side by side with the deer and the deer walk down the sidewalk as citizens of Nara. People even sweep the deer droppings up behind them. We missed the Deer Antler Cutting Ceremony in October (Shika no Tsunokiri). I guess the deer have been protected by the people of Nara because in ancient times the god of Kasuga was seen riding on a white deer. In the Edo period there were lots of deer, so the event started to protect local people from the deer. Men known as Seko hold down the deer while a Shinto priest gives the deer water to keep him calm while his antlers are cut off. The antlers of course grow back again the Spring.
We stopped for lunch in the park and enjoyed our first delicious meal of sushi complete with cute little fish bottles of soya sauce.
We visited Todaiji Temple which is the largest wooden structure in the world. It also contains the great buddha of Nara which is the largest buddha in Japan. Inside the temple, various good luck charms were for sale. We saw people selling travel accident, traffic accident, good marriage, friends, etc charms. We didn't buy any, but we did have our fortunes written in Kanji.
The temple grounds are surrounded by beautiful gardens
An HDR of Colin taking an HDR
School children climb through the hole in one of the columns for "good health." The hole is the same size as one of the buddha's nostrils. I don't think we would have fit through.
We ate an amazing meal at a little local restaurant. It cost only 39 Cdn and we had the following:
Yakisoba: one piece of bacon, soba noodles, cabbage, pickled rasish, onion, rectangular pieces of some sort of jelly stuff and spices stir fried on a grill in a great sauce.
Octopus tempura which was stringy and delicious.
Shrimp tempura: served on a bed of cabbage with ginger hoison sauce.
Chicken Teriyaki with roasted garlic slices so good.
Chizua maki which was a deep fried cheese spring roll
Two lemon club soda and vodka ashai drinks each. You can see it in the background.
Speaking of food, I am in heaven with Green Tea everything inJapan. I've had hot green tea, iced green tea, green tea ice cream, a green tea popsicle, a green tea donut, green tea cake, and a green tea chocolate bar.
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