Free Travel in Japan-Chapter .2 | Nara and Deer

Day 3.Nara & Uji

Kyoto, Uji, Nara

It started to rain on the morning of the third day.

We plan to go to Uji in the morning and Nara in the afternoon...

The main purpose of the morning trip was that my friends who were traveling with me wanted to eat the seasonal hydrangea dessert at the Ito Kyuemon Uji Main Store. Today happened to be the last day that this dessert was available.

In the afternoon, I want to go to Nara to see deer. This is something I have planned to do a long time ago. Otherwise, a trip to Kyoto would be incomplete.

Uji.Mimurotoji Temple & Hydrangea

It actually didn't rain very much after we left Ujichi, but for safety reasons I went to a nearby convenience store and bought an umbrella. Convenience stores are everywhere in Japan, which is very convenient.

After taking the bus for a few stops, I got off and started walking to Mimurotoji Temple. However, the rain started to get heavier at this time. There was no place to hide from the rain along the way. The umbrella in my hand was obviously not enough.

Fortunately, the rain started to lighten up when we arrived at Mimurotoji Temple...

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After seeing the hydrangeas, the rain had basically stopped, and then we walked up to the main hall. The statue in the picture below seems to be about touching its tail? It will bring wealth and so on, but I think it looks a bit scary...

There is a cow walking inside. There is a stone bead in the cow's mouth. It seems that touching the stone bead can bring luck... However, I have touched it, but after more than two months since I came back, I don't necessarily have anything. Financial luck has appeared, but I feel that my wallet has been emptied...

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There are several ponds in front of the main hall, filled with lotus flowers. However, this is probably not a popular attraction. In addition to the weather problem, there were very few people at the time, so it felt very good.

This reminds me of last year at Panyu Lotus Mountain. It happened to be the lotus blooming period and there was some kind of activity. There was a huge crowd of people surrounding the small lotus pond. I had a great time shooting there with a big camera and a big lens on a tripod...

That scene was simply terrifying...

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I used to often see people say,

Japanese temple architecture and layout are very Zen-like.

This trip in Kyoto really made me feel...

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Walking all the way down from Mimurotoji Temple, you pass by a residential area. You can hardly see anyone and it is very quiet. We all feel that this kind of place has fewer people and a better environment, so it should be particularly suitable for living...

Hmm...relatively

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This is the first time I saw such a grand 7-11 convenience store.

There is a parking lot in front of the door

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Ito Kyuemon & Uji Tea

It takes about 30 minutes to walk along the road from Mimurotoji Temple to Ito Kuemon Uji Main Store. The Uji tea here is particularly famous... The store is not actually very big, but there are many samples of matcha pastries and desserts on display, and they are all freshly made. Real objects rather than plastic ornaments. And here they not only offer pastries and desserts, but they also offer meals, pasta and other meals, and I think the taste is really good!

Mainly because the price is not very expensive…

Well...relatively

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My friend who was traveling with me finally got there on the last day of the season’s special offer.

Caught up with this hydrangea dessert…

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After dinner, I took a walk back to Ujichi and prepared to take the train to Nara to see deer...

Passing by the Uji River, the water became a bit rough because of the rain...

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Nara. With deer. With Kasuga Taisha Shrine

Speaking of Nara, I actually only think of deer. I believe most people who have never been to Nara will have this impression. There is nothing to refute here, right? After all, Nara Park and deer in Nara are introduced in various TV and film works... Looking at various photos and videos, I always feel that Nara Park is a very beautiful place, right? I thought it was very beautiful before I actually went there, but in fact, the actual situation is still very different from what I imagined...

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A one-day travel ticket with unlimited bus rides for one day,

If you really plan to play for a day, it is more cost-effective to buy this.

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Although I knew that there were many deer in Nara Park, I was still scared when I came to the gate of Todaiji Temple because the number of deer was a bit exaggerated, and there were also a lot of tourists, so I felt that everything was bustling with people. In fact, I think everyone will think that the scene is all kinds of beautiful. The deer is so cute and cute. It is quite beautiful to imagine.

However, it is not so beautiful in fact. After all, they are semi-wild animals. The peculiar smell on their bodies is very obvious, and there are many of them. When they are gathered together, the smell is more sour. In addition, it just rained that day, and the ground is still wet. Mixed with a lot of deer feces... Forget it, I don't want to talk about it anymore. If you like, you can feel it.

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There are many places selling deer senbei.

And anyone who sells deer senbei will remind you not to feed deer any other food or anything that cannot be digested except deer senbei... Deer senbei is very cheap, and you can play with it for a long time if you buy one or two bundles.

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After all, they are used to eating. The deer on site will basically chase people holding deer senbei, and even bite your clothes or backpacks and handbags, just to eat deer senbei. I have heard that There are even cases where deer bite people by mistake, so you still need to be careful when feeding deer...but in most cases there is no problem, and those deer are relatively docile.

I have also heard that as long as you nod to the deer, the deer will nod to you too.

Well...it has actually been verified that this is true...

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Kasuga Taisha Shrine

That afternoon at Nara Park, the sun was so beautiful!

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I bought this thing at Kasuga Taisha Shrine. There was a signature in the deer's mouth.

It's Xiaoji, okay...

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In fact, there is a large grass park between Todaiji Temple and Kasuga Taisha Shrine. It is the most correct place to watch deer playing with deer. There are not as many people here as at Todaiji Temple, and it is much more open and clean...

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I took the bus for a few stops and returned to Narachi. I walked around for a while and looked for a place to have dinner. It might have been because of the rain. Anyway, it was a particularly cool and comfortable evening...

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For dinner, we found a restaurant that sells salt (rock) grilled chicken nuggets in Kamisanjo Town near Narachi.

You can really burn a few pieces of this salt (rock)! The main dishes are indeed different...

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Carriage

It was already late that night when I returned to Kyoto city. On the JR local trains, passengers were rarely scattered here and there. Some were reading and looking at their mobile phones. Some were dozing off while looking at their mobile phones. Those scenes that were once familiar on the screen were in reality. Once I see it, I no longer feel the sense of mystery and yearning that I had across the screen, so I don’t feel it’s special. Instead, I feel it’s just a normal everyday scene, and there’s no such distant and ethereal feeling. Illusion…

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At the end of the trip on the third day, it started to rain soon after returning to the hotel. Yes, it was a heavy rain...

I thought it was just an ordinary rainstorm,

But I didn’t expect that this heavy rainstorm would be a heavy rainstorm disaster that is said to occur once in 30 years in the Kansai region of Japan...

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