When planning a trip to Japan, we were certain that we’d visit Nara, a magical city of temples and deer. In ancient times, Nara was the first permanent capital of the Japanese state, then called Yamato (named after an influential clan). Before the Nara period, the capital was moved to a new city after the death of each emperor. Nowadays, it’s a small, cozy city with a population of 350,000 people… and 1,500 spotted deer. There’s no zoo or reserve there. In the middle of the city lies a vast park—it’s a true deer kingdom!
Nara is one of the most interesting cities in Japan, where Shintoism—the traditional religion of the Japanese—intertwines with Buddhism, which became the state religion in the 8th century, during the golden age of the ancient capital. Pilgrims once flocked to Nara to pray to the Shinto sun goddess Amaterasu, and according to legend, the divine protector of Japan entered the city riding a snow-white deer. Since then, deer have been sacred animals and guardians of Nara, destined to protect and watch over the city. Deer are also revered in Buddhism, with Buddha himself associated with a golden deer, believed to have delivered his first sermon in the Deer Park at Isipatana, with not only humans but two deer among his listeners. This symbol of harmony, detachment, and fearlessness is comparable to a wandering monk resting in a new place each night. Officially, these animals are national treasures of Japan and are protected by the state. Naturally, hunting them is forbidden, and one should not disturb them even if they rest in the middle of the road. Thousands of deer strolling among trees and ancient temples… what a fairy-tale image it is in Nara—it’s an everyday scene.
You can feed the deer with specially designed, healthy, and nutritious deer biscuits called sika senbei, sold for 150 yen by Japanese grandmothers on every corner. You don’t need to look for deer; they will find you! There are even warning signs in the park: deer might butt, bite, or otherwise pester people for cookies. However, unless you’re planning to mimic the actions of perfume maker Grenouille by showering yourself with sweet crumbs and diving right into the herd of deer, there’s nothing to fear. The fairy-tale feeling doesn’t leave as dozens of deer, one after another, approach people, nuzzle soft faces into hands, and bow, hoping to receive another cookie.
The park in Nara is vast: 660 hectares of meticulously manicured lawns, traditional Japanese gardens, forest clearings with streams, roads, and paths between them, as well as a city museum and museum of Japanese history. Crowds of tourists dissolve unnoticed within the park’s territory, allowing you to stroll peacefully without feeling like you’re in a tourist hotspot.
Ancient Buddhist temples—Todai-ji and Kofuku-ji, as well as dozens of other sacred structures, are also located there. For the first time in our lives, we experienced genuine reverence seeing an Asian temple: it didn’t look like theatrical cardboard props or a tourist attraction.
Todai-ji or the Great Eastern Temple is the largest wooden structure in the world. It is 12 centuries old, was burned during wars between samurai clans, damaged during civil war and earthquakes, yet it was reconstructed and remains functional, with services held and monks performing rituals. Believers from around the world come to touch its ancient relics.
The temple is home to the Vairocana Buddha—the largest Buddha in Japan, weighing 500 tons. The temple was built around this enormous Buddha. At one point, all of the state’s bronze reserves, as well as 7 tons of wax and more than 100 kilograms of gold were used to cast the statue. The Buddha sits on a lotus flower-shaped pedestal with 56 petals, and the statue’s height is 22 meters.
Beside the temple complex is a small lake, with a Japanese junk swaying on its waves surrounded by pines and blue spruces. It’s a very beautiful, albeit artificial pond, primarily designed to extinguish fires in temples if needed.
The wooden pagodas of Todai-ji once reached a height of 100 meters—true skyscrapers of their time, but they were heavily damaged during earthquakes and are not fully reconstructed now. The five-tiered pagoda of Kofuku-ji Temple has been preserved in its original form since the 8th century.
At the entrance to the Hall of the Great Buddha, sits one of his 16 disciples—the wooden Pindola (in Japanese, Binzuru), patron, and healer of the sick. People believe that by rubbing the same part of his body on the statue, they can rid themselves of pain. Binzuru has seen many years, so he is shielded from the hands of the countless weary and the weather by a red cloak.
A constant stream of school excursion buses arrives in Nara. Japanese schoolchildren are cheerful and not reluctant to engage with foreigners. Indeed, the myth of entirely reserved and shy Japanese introverts was dispelled by us in the Kansai region. People gladly communicated with us and responded when we needed help. Japanese people share that each city has its own character. People from Osaka seem serious, though they are very simple and fun-loving. Outwardly good-natured, Kyoto residents are actually strict and demanding. In Nara, people are as they seem: friendly and calm.
Nara has a tradition: in winter, when natural food is scarce and the flow of tourists with cookies dwindles, park staff call all the deer for lunch by playing Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6. Upon hearing the music, the deer come out of the forests and remote corners of the park. This is Japan, folks!
How to get there: By train from Japanese railway companies Japan Railways or Kintetsu Railways, nearest stations are JR Nara Station and Kintetsu Nara Station. 30 minutes from Osaka, an hour from Kyoto.
Address: 406–1 Zoushi-cho, Nara-shi
Name in Japanese: 東大寺大仏殿
Address in Japanese: 奈良市雑司町406–1
Opening hours: 7:30am-5:30pm (April to October), 8:00am-4:30pm (November to March)
Costs: Entrance to the park is free, deer cookies 150 yen, temple and museum tickets 500–800 yen.
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