Today it’s time to say goodbye to Nara. The less than two days we spent here left us with many fond memories.
Feeding a deer
Yesterday began with delicious crepes made by Hiro, our wonderful couchsurfing host. Afterwards, Danie, Ihsin, and I set off to explore Nara Park where we fed the “wild” deer (only that they’re not really wild, but very much used to being around people and fed and petted by them). I will probably never get the chance to get this close to a free deer, and they are indeed not fenced in, but freely roaming the city, with cars stopping politely to let them stroll onto the street at a chilled, Zen-y pace. In fact, Nara itself is a really relaxed and laid-back little town that made us feel welcome and at ease.
Nara Park
Of course we had to visit Tōdaiji Temple and it’s main hall, Daibutsuden, the largest wooden building in the world, hosting a 15 m tall Buddha statue. Surely an impressive sight.
Daibutsuden, Tōdaiji
In the evening, it was time to make some memories of a different but no less impressive kind. We went to a public Japanese bath to take a shower and refresh ourselves after a day full of walking and sightseeing. We tried our best, but weren’t allowed to enter with anything more than what the Great Maker made us of, an old Japanese lady saw to that quite strictly. It was obvious she took us for the biggest idiots on the planet for intending to enter the bath while still being covered by our towels. You know the point where you’re so embarrassed you just stop caring altogether? Standing there completely stripped, not only of our clothes, but also of any shred of dignity we might have had left, surrounded by senior Japanese citizens lecturing and scolding us – yes, we did reach (and pass) that point yesterday. Danie’s She-Ra underwear didn’t help much, either. But you have to try everything once, right? No way we will ever forget this. And should we have the chance, we will absolutely visit another bath house again. Now we are prepared and no longer the stupid gaijin we presented ourselves as yesterday.
Afterwards, we were happy to see Komaki-san again, joined by Yuka-san and Yumiko-san. We had a great evening talking, drinking wine, and eating German style snacks.
Although we’re looking forward to meeting our next host, Emily, we are truly sad to leave Nara today.
Shortly, we’re off to Hikone, and tomorrow is the big day/night, when it’s time to conquer Mt. Fuji. Let’s see who will win. 🙂
Watch out for deer
Deutscher Bericht über unsere japanische Badehauserfahrung hier.