Visiting Nara

---

Nara is famous for having seven great temples. Today, my friend (who finally had a day off) and I decided to hit up Nara’s temples and check out the deer (鹿(しか)) (shika). In Nara, the deer are revered and considered sacred, so they meander across streets, through parks, and around the temples. It’s considered a criminal offense to molest a deer, or feed it anything other than せんべ (senbe – rice cakes). There were vendors selling senbe at various sections of the great temples, so I bought a couple of stacks to feed the deer. It was fun, if not a bit unnerving to be surrounded by hungry deer nibbling at your hands and clothing. I managed to feed the deer with nothing more than a sharp headbutt to my hind thigh, and then we made our way further into the park towards the temples.

The Toudai temple (東大寺(とうだいじ)), if not the largest wooden structure in the world, certainly makes it to the top 5. It was a long walk to the park, and we stopped to enjoy roasted sweet potato. Unlike the yams and sweet potatoes sold in the States and Australia, which I detest, Japanese sweet potatoes are delicious, firm, hardy delicacies. Instead of a mushy orange center and red skin, this variety has dark purple to black skin, and a fibrous yellow interior. I like to eat them grilled, fried, and roasted and it’s always a special treat when I get a chance to enjoy some Japanese sweet potato.

Like myself, the deer seemed to enjoy sweet potato as well, and stalked us the entire time we munched our treats. When I stopped to snap a photo of the sprawling green fields and forested mountains a deer came up and bit my elbow! It hurt, and startled me into dropping the last bit of sweet potato which the deer promptly scrabbled over.

Aside from that mishap, the deer were mostly harmless, although signs warned of their ability to cause mayhem (and your inability to do anything about it).

Inside of the Todai temple, was the biggest Buddha statue I have ever seen. Just outside the temple, cleansing incense were burning with a sweet, woody scent. I enjoyed the herbal smell wafting into the temple, mixing with the smell of old wood, and metal. It was really refreshing, and the temple itself was a visual treat.

---

Photos

Close feeding
Keeping my fingers safely above biting range, I managed to get away with nothing more than a head but to the hind leg.

Todaiji Temple
One of the largest wooden structures in the world. This temple is dedicated to Buddha.

Steve vs Deer
The deer trying to get Steve and I's sweet potato.

Pregnant Deer
I got a close shot of a pregnant female deer.

Big Buddha
One of the largest statues of Buddha in existence.

Gate to the Todaiji
A large temple needs a large

Comments

[Kate Lyall]

Picture-Close Feeding
Glad to see that Fulbright vest finally met up with some weather that would make it useful to you!! You are actually back in Aus. now aren't you? These blogs are playing with my head. Cheers Kate

[Sarah L Fann]

Yup - back for Yasi sadly
Yup. I was back on Tuesday - I spent a week in Japan since the flights are so cheap from here. I've been updating the blogs since then - but the dates on the blogs are from when I was actually there, not the day i published them. :)

[Aries and Rinka]

Awww, felt bad for you dropping your sweet potato. I remembered debating with a friend if we should buy those 600 yen grilled sweet potatoes, when we visited Nara. Yummy but very pricey potato I may say.