Nara Kara Kaerimashita

"I returned from Nara."

Yesterday I took a day trip to Nara with a new friend from Scotland. Our plans were simple...go get lost in Nara. Osaka, being the industrial city that it is, doesn't offer the nice green parks that some it's surrounding cities do. Nara on the other hand is quite the opposite.

This is one of the many meadows filled with these deer. The deer barely came up to my waist yet they had no problem walking up to you and asking for food or a pat on the head. They are considered mystic deer. Why? I don't know...that's just what they tell me.



This is one of the first buildings we saw. It's interesting because right on the other side of this was a neighborhood! How'd you like to have this huge tower in your backyard?
After a brief ice cream break from dodging school children and deer we happened upon this in the middle of a little pond. It did look like it had be redone recently but none the less interesting.


If you look carefully there are 2 or 3 cranes in this picture. As I was told by the many school children we ran across "cranes are a symbol of peace in Japan".
This was one of the last temples we saw before heading back. There were lanterns all around this one.


I have a few more pictures and some more stories. But I have to run to work. Until then...