Nara Koen: The Bowing Deer

KK-


On our first full day in Japan we traveled to Nara Park.  This area was established in 1880 and is pack full of Japanese history, culture and tourism.


My favorite part were the 1,200 free roaming deer.  These "domestic" deer are all over the park and they love to be fed.  Here is how you do it.


Step 1: Buy crackers from the dollar shop before you enter the park (they are much more expensive in the park).  Show the deer a cracker.

Step 2: Bow to the deer and watch the deer bow back to you!

Step 3: Give the deer the cracker

Result: Happy deer!  Repeat as many times as you can.

We entered into Todai-ji, a large Buddhist temple, that has a 50 foot Buddha statue inside.  The building is the largest wooden building in the world and dates back to 728.  

After reading about the history of the building and admiring the architecture, we came about a unusual sight.  People were lined up waiting to take a turn at climbing through a small hole in a wooden pillar.  Apparently the hole was the size of the nostril on the large Buddha.  Btown of course wanted to try it and amazingly, he wiggled his way through the hole.  Big D made an attempted, but he was too big to make it through.  Other Japanese tourists got a kick out of watching these big American guys making the attempt.

And here are few other pictures for your entertainment:

This was the sign outside the Men's Bathroom.  I found it very fitting for my Big D.

Getting my peace sign on in Japan!

Drinking pure water at the temple.

Btown being attacked by deer.  I recommend NOT putting the cracker in your own mouth.  Btown got licked by several deer.  GROSS.

Nara Park was a beautiful place in Japan, I highly recommend visiting, especially to feed the deer.

-Miss T