Japan: Nara and Osaka

Nara was once the capital of Japan, during the ancient Nara period (710-794 CE), when the Emperor lived there, before Kyoto. It is around 40 minutes from Kyoto by train, and is a quaint place with more temples and shrines. 

 This (right side) is the lecture hall at Toshodaiji Temple at Nara.


Toshodai-ji Temple at Nara is an 8th century Buddhist temple founded by a Chinese monk Jianzhen

The Deer Park at Nara. These deer actually are like goats. They rest and aren't scared of humans. All trace of a wild animal seems to have vanished over generations.

The shops near the Deer Park sell crackers for the deer! Tourists buy the crackers, and feed the deer. I didn't care to taste the crackers, because they looked thoroughly unappetizing and I'm not a deer.

The gate to another temple - Todai-ji. Buddhism was introduced to the Emperor of Japan in 552 CE by an emissary of the Korean king who presented a gilded bronze statue of Buddha, along with the Buddhist sutras and a letter praising the sutras.

Todai-ji Temple. Made in 752 CE by Emperor Shomu, it was the centre of Buddhism in Japan. Buddhist dignitaries from China and India attended the "Eye Opening Ceremony" of the Daibutsu (Buddha statue).

This deer had to nod her head three times to the cyclist saying, "1-2-3!". And then he would give her some seeds that he had gathered! Much better than the commercial crackers. He gave me some to feed the deer, and I tried saying 1-2-3 too, but the deer only nodded twice. She could make out I was a tourist by my Indian accent.

A pagoda in Nara.

From Nara, I took a train to Osaka, 1.5 hours away by train. When I reached Osaka, it was raining. I lost my way going to the castle, and instead landed up in a huge crowd which was on its way to some local pop music concert. Osaka is surreal because the minute it started raining, everyone and their grandmother took out umbrellas out of nowhere and suddenly the area was filled with thousands of umbrellas!

Osaka Castle was originally built in the 16th century by Toyotomi Hideyoshi and fell to the shogunate of Tokugawa Ieyasu. The Tokugawa were essentially a clan who controlled the Shogunate from Edo (Tokyo).

What you see is actually a restoration built in concrete in 1995 complete with a museum and elevators inside!




Cherry Blossom trees after a rain near Osaka Castle. The atmosphere was dream like and defied description. All I know is that I stood there in chill air struck silent for a while.

Street vendor in Dotonbori, Osaka

A  shop advertising Okonomiyaki (literally "grilled as you like it") also known as Osaka soul-food. The shop was also advertising Teppanyaki. Teppan means a flat top grill and yaki typically means fried.

Here's how the Okonomiyaki was being made! Octpus meat fried in balls of batter,

Okonomiyaki: Fried octopus balls with seasoning and sauces just before I ate 'em! They were still liquid inside and boiling hot! Octpus meat, Okonomiyaki sauce, Japanese mayonnaise, dried seaweed,bonito flakes, mmmmm...I'm not a chef!

 
The line before each shop selling okonomiyaki, teppanyaki, and so on. It looks like a chaotic bunch of people moving in the street, but actually, there are two lines stretched for fifty meters on either side of the street, almost obstructing people trying to move in the street itself!

Daiki suisan serves fresh sushi. There are events for filleting blue fish tuna. And the thermocol white box in the front has a fish that is at least 5 feet long!

  

 

Dotonbori Street! The street food here is fabulous! If you ever go to Osaka, do visit this street - a little crowded, but you can see from the umbrellas and lines that you will like it too.

I give up! Supermarket kiosks on every individual train platform? Is anyone going to believe me, in spite of  photographic evidence!