Deers Everywhere

We woke up today in Kyoto to the sound of rain. It has already stopped as I am writing this but it should give us a different perspective or perhaps even an unique one when we head out today.









Before I begin, here's a picture I got while walking around the area. As you can see it's a bit weird to see a small traditional building wedge between two large office buildings.










Yesterday, we went into the city of Nara. The city is located further than Osaka from Kyoto, but thanks to our new Rail Pass we are able to take the rapid transit train (note still not the bullet train) and got there fairly quickly.



Upon arrival, we waited at the station for Matt's friend, Hiroki, who was kind enough to show us around the city. He actually lives in Nara so he's very familiar with the surroundings.



A very large building just outside the station, I'm sorry but I forgot the name to it. We didn't go in.


Once Hiroki arrived, we proceeded straight away to Nara Park. It is a gigantic park that hosts a large deer population as well as many of the historical sites of Nara. One of them, the Todaiji Temple, is one of our ultimate goals. In it the Daibutsu statue resides.



Deers....EVERYWHERE.


It looked like we arrived on a day where many schools decided to take their trips here.


Here's Matt and Hiroki standing infront of the gates to the Todaiji Temple.


The Todaiji Temple itself.


The Big Buddha.



There was a pillar with a hole within the the temple. Supposedly in popular belief, if you are able to squeeze into it and crawl through, you would be given enlightenment in your next life. When I shot this video...well I thought i wouldn't be going through it...but you already know what happened.



After the temple, we wandered around the park, visiting many different shrines. To the point where we exhausted and complaining of hunger.




We left the park and searched out Ramen. Which was very good. Eating the area's famous red-bean mochi for desert. The sun was setting and the time seem to have flown by. We parted ways with Hiroki. And went to back the hostel exhausted but happy.