Nara………………We were invited to visit Nara (the original capital of Japan) by a friend Yusan who most generously showed us around his home town.
Nara is a small city with many parks and gardens and lots of shrines and temples. It is also the home of over 1200 deer who roam free (cars drive very slowly in Nara- deer crossing!!!!) There are lots of little tourist shops and cafes and most sell little stacks of flat biscuits which are made for the deer to eat. You are not allowed to feed them other food and every packet you buy helps to support the deer hospital and their upkeep. They are very tame and have been trained over the 1300 years that they have been in Nara to bow for their food!!! You hold the food above their head and they nod up and down before you feed them. It is amazing as even the tiny babies do it too………….my theory is it is like the 100th monkey and it is now in their genes! Apparently the deer here is very sacred and in the olden days if you were caught hurting or killing one you were put to death!!!! Even if a deer was found hurt or dead in your yard and it wasn’t your fault you were blamed and put to death so the people learned to get up very early in the morning to check their yards for dead deer!!! The tradition is alive and well today (even though they don’t kill you any more) and the folk in Nara are early still rises!!!
The other big tourist attraction is the shrines and temples which are numerous and spectacular. The highlight is the 50 metre high brass Buddha housed in the largest wooden structure in the world!!! Even after several fires and rebuilds and now being only 33% of its original size the building is till the largest in the world. They have models of the original buildings and there used to be 7 tiered towers on each side as well as motes and surrounding walls etc. The fact that the Buddha survived at all is amazing as due to many wars over the centuries it has been attacked and semi destroyed several times. It completely melted and they had to rebuild it several hundred years ago. Sounds weird but it is so old (puts our bicentenary to shame really) originally it was covered in gold………….now that would have been a sight!
We visited many Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines paying homage to the different deities that look after your health or money or family etc. Lots of bowing and clapping and washing hands not in that order!!! It is quite an honor to follow the traditions of hundreds of years and to know that millions of people before me have followed the same rituals. Lighting incense and writing on wooden tablets making a wish. Hanging your tablet next to hundreds of others creating a wall of wishes!!
There is something very special about the energy around these buildings……………just outside the walls the city bustles around us but inside it is tranquil and still and very beautiful and we are so lucky that they have been preserved or restored for so many years for us to be able to experience them still. Nara is particularly preserved and is a must for any tourist visiting Japan.
Yusan took us to all his favorite places and we walked a lot!!! It was getting darker and the late afternoon cold was dropping in very quickly we came out of a wonderful shrine on a hill which has spectacular views of the city of Nara and Yusan opened a sliding wooden door. Inside was a cozy old café that had been there it seemed for 100s of years. A big copper urn with an intricately cast lid steamed and welcomed us in from the cold. Ladled hot tea was served in delicate cups and a small plate of miso paste (the specialty of the monks) was served. I had never tasted anything so delicious. Then Yusan ordered us sweet bean soup which is served with a salty seaweed on the side…………..amazing flavour and Brian and I were in heaven!!! It was so cosy and inviting with the old tapestries on the walls and the low tables and cushions. So Japanese…………..I must say though I have realized I have ‘gaijin legs’ I can only sit on my feet for a short amount of time before I have to stretch out my legs under the table……….not very Japanese I’m afraid…………I give myself away oh that and my blue eyes!!!!
The soup and the little café I would have to say was the highlight for me……………..the big Buddha was pretty cool too!!!
Well next installment being written as we speak!!!!
Martins in Japan!!!!
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