The fun and the fantastical

Dear me, I didn’t know I’d show up on this blog! I’m one of some 1200 deer that wander the streets and parks of Nara, Japan. I love people, especially the ones who buy and feed me crackers. I’ll be your tour guide for today. 

Check out this video of Hannah and me: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Iq-JpQRJg98

Deer aren’t the only reason to come to Nara. It’s a really ancient city, dating back to the 7th century, and served as Japan’s first capital city and the seat of our first Emperor from 710-794. Nara Buddhism was incorporated into the national government at that time, so there are many ancient temples in Nara. Even today, it is the center of Buddhist study in Japan.

This is Todai-ji Temple. It may look small here, but its one of the largest wooden structures in the world. 

Those of you who hold numbers dear, note that the front of the temple is 187 feet long, and its height is 160 feet high — almost a 12-story building. The gold fish tails at the top are said to protect the temple from harm, but in all honesty, it’s burned and had to be rebuilt twice over the centuries so I’m rather skeptical of all that magical thinking.

The temple is guarded by huge Nio statues, or Guardians of the Faith. Scary, huh?

The primary Buddha inside the Great Buddha Hall is one of the largest bronze Buddhas in the world. Again, you can’t tell from the photo, so just imagine:

He’s nearly 50 feet high

His head is 18 feet tall

His ear is 8 feet tall

And his nostril is big enough for a child or a small adult to crawl through.

These guys are as impressive as they are gigantic.

Hannah and Lauren visited some serene Japanese gardens today, too, but blah, blah, blah… 

I’d rather show you these insane guys beating the crap out of mochi: Click the link below.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=m417xPr5_rA

               The result: a warm, delicious mochi treat filled with red bean paste and coated in some sort of sweet peanut dust. Sounds weird but people like that sort of thing. Different strokes for different folks.

And if mochi pounding isn’t odd enough, you could order sushi on a touch-screen…

Ah, Japan, we love you!

Time for Tea (and champagne)

Kyoto is all about tradition, and if there’s one activity that’s perhaps the most traditional of all in Japan, it’s the tea ceremony. Hannah and I learned to formally participate in a tea service at the home of a Kyoto tea instructor who taught us how to bow, carry a fan (unopened), sit, greet our hostess, apologize for taking tea first (or before the host), slurp the final mouthful of tea, and finally, to make tea in the formal way that it’s been done here for centuries. Check out our video here: https://youtu.be/n4-rCj2D388

The afternoon and evening were filled with more food experiences and a picturesque stroll by the Kamogaro River and Takase-gawa Canal. The river flows south to Fushimi.

The shallow canal was dug around 1614 for flat-bottomed boats to carry cargo from Osaka and other cities to Fushimi. More than 100 boats once operated along the canal contributing to the economic prosperity of Kyoto. Today it’s lined with cherry trees, shops and restaurants.

Food/resting stops at various points during the day and evening included:

Nishiki Market

(John, this one’s for you. It’s a stall that sells hot sauce and other chili products.)

Cafe de K, a French wine bar, for a celebratory glass of Ca’del Bosco champagne…

And selections from an array of French cheeses (a much appreciated break from rice, fish & miso)

Finally, after a long wait to get in, we ate the BEST award-winning gyoza in the city at Chao Chao, which included chocolate gyoza for dessert!