nara – The things I've seen. The places I've been.

It didn’t take much thinking to figure out where to go for our next holiday. We just immediately decided that it will be good to go to Japan for the second time this year and enjoy the Autumn season. But little did I know that I will love it so much. Autumn in Japan was so beautiful and breathtaking. I didn’t imagine the intensity of the colours and the heartwarming feeling to see Ginkgo trees for the first time. It was a long flight and the plane tickets were not always the cheapest but it was so worth it!

We landed in Kansai Airport after almost 13 hours flight from Helsinki. This time we decided to skip Tokyo and take the Kansai route. Nara was our first Kansai destination. After picking up our pre-rented pocket wifi, buying IC cards and withdrawing some cash, we boarded the Nara Kotsu Airport limousine bus which took us directly to Nara. I know that many visit Nara on a day trip but I wanted to experience Nara more than just a day trip. So we stayed in Nara for three nights at the Nara Visitor Centre and Inn which was a good choice because of its central location, spacious room and there were cultural activities happening at the centre all the time.

For our first morning, we decided to start our day at 6:00 in the morning and I was so happy that we did. We had the most peaceful, most beautiful morning walk surrounded by wandering deers. At that moment, I immediately knew that we were at the right place, at the right time. It was so breathtaking! We just wandered around, passing by the Wakayama Jinja Shrine, took photos by the Sagi-ike pond, spent time at Todaiji Temple grounds while meeting more and more deers along the way. It was wonderful to explore Nara by foot and just went where the path led us. The next day, we explored the old town and went to Naramachi Nigiwai-no-Ie, a traditional townhouse built in 1917. It was very fascinating! We also visited the beautiful three acres Isuien Garden. In Nara, there were many places to enjoy good food and although we didn’t witness the Mochi pounding, we were able to get freshly made ones. They were the best Mochis I’ve ever had! Back at the Nara Visitor Centre and Inn, I learned how to make a deer origami. They also wrote our names in Japanese kanji and gifted us with chopsticks. I also got stickers and stamps for my travel journal.

I did fell in love with Nara and its cultural charm and nature. I love its small town feel and relaxed atmosphere. I was happy that I spent more than just a day trip in Nara! Check out the reel of the day here and here. After three nights in Nara, it was time to take the Shinkansen to Kanazawa.

Photos by Ari Vitikainen at https://www.arivitikainen.com