13 October 2026
We’re both awake around 7:00. I didn’t need the alarm set for 7:30 and 8:00.
Tourist destination day: Nara. But I added a bit more to avoid the morning rush. Three trains from our hotel to Nishinokyo. This is a small village outside Nara. Gemini said there’s a nice temple here.
Breakfast first. Close to the station is a small café, Anyo Cafe. One older lady behind the counter. An English menu, and a slice of toast, some scrambled egg and a cup of coffee for about 4 €. Even that simple thing she made nice and tasty. No need for big breakfast buffets. This is good.
The Yakushi-ji Buddhist temple is 200 meters away. Entrance fee 1,000 yen per person. Known for its two pagodas, the oldest being the east pagoda, from the year 730. Everything else is much newer, because wood and fire or lightning aren’t a good mix. There aren’t many people here, mostly Japanese, and they’re worshipping. No climbing the pagoda this time. But the sun is hot again. Two great Buddha halls. And of course you can buy things here. The goshuin, written by a guy with precision and dedication. He wasn’t just doing it for tourists, he handed the book back and put his hands together in prayer. Nice.
Now we skip the second temple here that Gemini recommended. We’ve had enough temples. The smaller one opposite Yakushi-ji is part of the complex, and we just take a look.
The fastest way into Nara, with the least amount of walking, is the bus. We have to wait 25 minutes (which means the railroad crossing closes at least 12 times while we wait), sitting in the shade of the café we had breakfast in. Bus 77 will bring us close, then a change of bus stop, and bus No. 1, the counterclockwise loop in Nara.
Close to the historic part of Nara, there aren’t many people. The streets here are empty. The city doesn’t advertise this area much, or maybe it’s strategic, to keep the tourist hordes out of the small streets.
Some old houses, nothing that special, until we see a kind of museum: an actual 100-year-old townhouse you can visit for free. The tea room, the family shrine, tatami mats everywhere, the small gardens enclosed by the building, and watch your head!
After that, up to the pond, where we meet our first roaming deer, and more people sitting there and walking around. Touristy, there’s a Starbucks on the corner.
Our plan is to get to the main road and catch a bus to the last stop in Nara, right in the forest. But we need lunch first, and before that I find a quick geocache. Lunch is a nice curry with rice and some soda, which means sparkling water with syrup.
The city is full of deer. Automatic doors are switched off, and you have to open them manually, to keep the deer out of the shops. The bus is full, but there’s always space for more people. Unfortunately, the bus is also very warm with all the people. Don’t do it if you don’t like to touch people.
We get out at the final stop, Kasuga Taisha Shrine, a Shinto shrine in the forest. Nikko vibes in how you get up there. But we’re not paying any admission fee, just walking by. A lot of deer here, and selfies with them are normal.
Warnings everywhere that they can bite, kick and headbutt you. But who cares. It’s a little smelly sometimes, and they shit everywhere.
For fun I checked why they’re not on any menu in the area, and Gemini was very clear that it’s not socially acceptable to eat these deer, since they’re considered holy, messengers of one of the gods. Okay then, no deer today.
Following the recommended walking loop. Next stop is the feeding area. You can buy cookies and feed the deer, something we definitely don’t do. But we watch other tourists being followed by deer wanting their snacks.
Further on, the path leads down to Nara Park. We don’t follow the main path, and there are fewer tourists here. More of them are in the park with all the deer. A bench in the shade, watching people getting harassed by deer.
Last stop, and finally it’s overrun by deer and tourists: Todai-ji. Another temple that we just pass, they want money again. But we’ve had enough of that today. Better to think about finding a place to sit and rest a little.
Checking the apps, Tim finds a spot a little bit of a walk away from the tourist area: a book café. Books everywhere that you can read while having a coffee, or a piece of homemade apple cake, like me. A really nice and cosy place, shoes off, of course. Here we can sit a little while until it closes.
But that hasn’t solved dinner. Walking towards the station is easier than taking a bus, and maybe we’ll find somewhere to eat. And we do, close to the station: a nice restaurant where we get a simple meat and rice dish for not much money. After yesterday’s over-the-top feast, this is good, and we’re both satisfied with what we got.
Then it’s time to get a train back to Osaka, one little stop in between. And back at the hotel. A can of -196°C Strong Zero at our table together, before it’s time for bed.
