On my third day in Japan, I left Osaka to visit Nara, 奈良 (nara). Although the public transport in Japan is a bit expensive, the good thing about it is that the railways are connected to many places, and Nara is accessible directly from Osaka using the trains. Outside Kintetsu Nara station, there’s a tourism office that you can get maps and brochures about Nara in many different languages for free.
My first destination is Nara Park, 奈良公園 (narakouen). To reach there, I have to first walk through Higashimuki Shopping Street, 東向商店街 (higashimukishoutengai). At the end of the street, there is an Italian restaurant, Trattoria Piano, where I decided to have lunch at. At Trattoria Piano, pizza is made with a stone oven heated up by burning firewoods and it tasted quite good. The spaghetti is nice too.
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| Trattoria Piano, Italian Restaurant at Nara |
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| The Stone oven to make pizza |
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| Spaghetti for lunch |
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| Pizza from the stone oven |
The end of Higashimuki Shopping Street is connected to Sanjō-dōri Avenue, 三条通り (sanjoudoori), another shopping avenue. There’s many souvenir shop at this street. Nara Park is only 5 minutes’ walk away from this area. When I see many people and sika deer, I know I have reached my destination. Deer crackers can be purchase to feed the deers, but be careful of "deer attack".
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| The deer is very easy to approach |
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| These deers are relaxed even when there's many people |
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| They will get near you freely |
Since I will be in Nara for only a day, I had to choose where to go and what to see. Not being a temple person, I decided to visit Isui-en Garden, 依水園 (isuien). Isui-en is a small but pleasant and well-maintained garden.
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| Colorful scenery in Isui-en |
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| Calm and peaceful |
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| Nice weather |
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| Mossy garden, step on the stone steps |
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| A bamboo water tap |
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| A little stream |
On the way back to the train station, I take the opportunity to walk around Sanjō-dōri Avenue, which I only pass through earlier. Also connected is another covered shopping arcade known as Mochiidono Shopping Street, もちいどの商店街 (mochiidonoshoutengai). There’s even more restaurant, souvenir shops, and bars here.
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Sarusawa Pond, 猿沢の池 (sarusawanoike), a pond near the end of Sanjō-dōri Avenue
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Manhole at Mochiidono Shopping Street
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After returning to Osaka, I had yakitori, 焼き鳥 (yakitori), for dinner at Dotonbori. Yakitori means grilled chicken literally, but there’s a variety of skewered food served usually. I ordered a set consisting ten different types of yakitori.
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Asupara bekon, アスパラベーコン (asuparabekon) and Negima, ねぎま (negima). Asupara bekon is Grilled Asparagus Wrapped around Bacon and Negima is pieces of chicken meat skewered with leek between it.
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Enoki Maki, エノキ巻き (enokimaki) is Enoki mushrooms wrapped by pork slices.
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After dinner and some walking around, I went back and rest as another day awaits. Read about the first and second day at Day 1 and Day 2. Day 4 will be written soon!
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