Thursday, January 9, 2014

Fall, in love with Japan 2013 - Part 2

So the second day of our trip, we decided to go to Nara. I've been there before, but KK wanted to see the deers so I went with her again. We took the JR to Nara, and since I had to get my foreigner travel pass in order to take the JR train, we also reserved seats for the train to Kyoto for the next day.
When we got to Nara, we checked out the tourist information centre to see if there are maps or pamphlets since we didn't have a solid idea of what we wanted to see.
A very nice lady gave us maps and helped us decide on a course to see the most of Nara, and we were off.

our adventure begins! - with a selfie of course.
 
 
To be honest, we just spent most of the time hanging out with the deers, petting them and trying to take selfies with them - it's not as easy as it seems.

got everyone in the shot ^__^
always on the look out for the little ones
 
KK wanted to feed the deers before we leave Nara but in the end we both forgot. Oh well, that will give her a reason to return next time!

gimme the foooooodssss, human!

Unlike the previous time I went to Nara, this time we actually went into some of the temples. There was one special buddha on display, and legend has it if a sick person touches a picture of it and then rubs the corresponding part of his/her own body, the person will heal. I took a picture of it just in case it comes in handy in the future (^_^;). The weather was pretty good - great condition for outdoor pictures! During the entire trip, whenever I visited a shrine or a temple, I wished for the same things - good health for dad and good relationship for myself (*´∀`).
just gotta accept the fact that there's always gonna be random tourists in your photos.

love this shot - pretty blue sky really makes a difference.

somehow I always ended up with selfie duties when I travel with this girl.

obligatory touristy shot - not what I usually go for but it's nice sometimes
 
Binzuru, the healing buddha image I was talking about earlier - feel free to use this image. you're welcome.
 
Buddha in the house
 
we also got our fortunes - hmm not entirely sure what it was saying but I got the jist of it...
 
"mom! stop kissing me...it's embarassing!"
 
We stopped by another tourist centre for washroom break midday. The centre also provided visitors with hot or cold tea, wi-fi and AC! We stayed there for a little while and then we were off again after signing the guest book. KK also found her new lover, Sento-kun, standing in front of the building.

what a sweet couple <3

leaving our trace in Nara
 
After more hanging out with the deers, we decided to have kaki no ha zushi (柿の葉寿司) for a late lunch. Kaki no ha zushi means "sushi wrapped in Japanese persimmon leaf",  which is originated from Nara and Wakayama. The reason for using persimmon leaves is because persimmon leaves have sterilizing effects, so the sushi can be preserved for longer before it goes bad. To further extend the period of freshness, the kinds of toppings  (ネタ)used for this type of sushi are limited. Many of the toppings are pickled and thus, have a sour taste. Unlike traditional sushi, kaki no ha zushi are not consumed with wasabi and soy sauce. It was really flavorful and delicious on its own. We shared a box and each time we unwrapped a sushi, it was like opening a surprise because we weren't sure what we would be getting next! (source for info on kaki no ha zushi, because obviously I was no expert on it! : http://ja.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%9F%BF%E3%81%AE%E8%91%89%E5%AF%BF%E5%8F%B8)

shared this 12 pcs box with KK
 
yummmm!
 
After lunch, we headed back to the souvenir area and KK bought some souvenirs. We took the train back to Umeda (Osaka). We dropped by kiddyland, where we shopped at the Kapibara-san shop, Snoopy shop, and Rilakkuma shop. We also had dinner at Umeda before we headed back to Namba.


Kapibara-san

The name's Cheburashka/チェブラーシカ! (okay I cheated, I could never remember his name....)

Snoopy store! I swear I got snoopy crazy because of KK...but I'm actually more into his brother, Olaf <3

our dinner - I'm pretty sure it was an Oyako don...
 
When we got back to Namba, we went to Shinsaibashi and Dotonbori because I wanted to show KK the awesome night view there, with all the brightly lit commercial boards along the Dotonbori river. It's definitely one of my favorite places to go at night. KK also got to experience the scene of all the hosts standing around trying to get business for their clubs. /laughs/


This is my idea of beauty, I'm a city girl afterall.

I swear I have way too many photos of this scene in my blog, but I will never get tired of it.
 
We called it a night after that night stroll and went back to our inn. Next day, we were planning to spend the morning hanging out in Osaka and then setting off to Kyoto after lunch. Our adventure continues in the next post.

2 comments:

  1. Is Sento-kun my lover's name? I miss you, Sento-kun.

    You are responsible for selfie duties because I can't do it right.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, Sento-kun is your lover's name. Remember it haha!!

      Well then I think you should practice ;) next time it's all on you!

      Delete