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A (Very) Brief Visit to Nara

While in Kyoto, we took a short trip one morning to visit Nara briefly. We walked from Nara station to the Great Buddha Hall and back.

Large traditional Japanese temple with a curved roof, surrounded by greenery and a group of people gathered outside.
A park with two deer grazing near a stone-lined drainage channel. Large trees stand to the left, with a grassy area extending into the background.
A stone monument with inscriptions, surrounded by a bamboo fence. Trees and a traditional building roof are visible in the background.

The deer at Nara are a main attraction and some people like to feed them. We mostly just bowed to them. Sometimes they bowed back.

A person bowing at a deer, with a museum building in the background.
People and deer in front of a large traditional Japanese gate at a temple, with a cloudy sky in the background.

This figure was the first thing I saw that made me go “Whoa!” as I stared at it for a minute.

Large wooden statue of a guardian deity behind a wooden fence inside a temple structure.
A large statue of Buddha seated within a temple, surrounded by ornate golden decorations, with two potted plants in the foreground and red pillars on each side.
A large, intricate statue of Buddha inside a temple with multiple visitors observing and taking photos.
A large, intricately detailed wooden statue of a warrior stands in an indoor setting, surrounded by visitors. The statue features ornate armor and a dynamic pose.

I love a scale model and this one, hundreds of years old, was awesome!

A scale model of a traditional Japanese temple complex on display, with visitors observing and reading informational panels.

The all-wood construction was amazing to behold in all its details. They caught my eye several times.

Old wooden pillar with metal hinges and weathered texture in a traditional setting.
The image shows the detailed wooden roof structure and ceiling of a traditional building, featuring interlocking beams and grid-like patterns.
Traditional Japanese building facade with wooden beams, white plaster walls, and wood slat windows.
A group of people gather around a wooden statue dressed in a red hood. The statue is seated on a wooden platform outside, and some visitors are reaching out to touch it.
A tree with two deer resting under it, set in a paved area with a stone monument and a fenced park in the background.
A Japanese temple with a tiled roof is surrounded by lush greenery and trees. A golden spire, resembling a pagoda, is visible among the trees in the background under a cloudy sky.
Exterior of a traditional Japanese building with red wooden columns, intricate roof design, and surrounding greenery along a narrow water stream.

The whole visit was about two hours as we had to be back in time for something. Would’ve been nice to take it all in for a little longer.