Kyoto Day 4

Friday was our day in Nara, an ancient capital of Japan that is about 60 km from Kyoto.  It is easily reached by a 45-minute train ride from the central station.  Arriving we then boarded a local bus to take us to Nara Park which is famous for its deer.  Strange you say but these deer are so tame that you can pet them.  They come up to you asking for deer crackers that are sold at most of the local stores. 

We came here to see the major shrines and we were not disappointed.  The first stop was the Great Buddha.  This statue was built in the mid 700s. The building housing it burned at least twice but has obviously been rebuilt and modified over the years. 

 To say that the statue is huge is an understatement, it is massive.  One finger is about 6 feet long.  It dominates the center of the room with other gods on either side.  

Behind Buddha is a small hole that, if you can crawl through it, will bring you good luck  Neither of us tried.

After seeing Buddha we went to Kasugataisha Shrine which is surrounded by over 200 lanterns  made of brass or stone.  We were there in the daytime so no night pictures of the lanterns but still impressive.  

We decided after all this wandering we were tired so we returned to the train for the trip back to Kyoto.  A great day.

Most of our dining has been in a massive food court under the Kyoto Tower.  The food is inexpensive and really good.  Japanese homes are very small so dining out or takeout are common habits.  Our fellow diners have been both local and international.  Japan is a cosmopolitan country filled with people from all over the world.  As for the Japanese, though many speak English, those who do not are still so willing to answer questions or give assistance, such as how to order at a counter restaurants.