Nara Sites with Reiko

Reiko brought us Tokyo Banana ~like a banana twinkie!  Reiko is friends with both Sony and Leo currently living in Tokyo, once lived in the Seattle for several years.  Since she was arriving and staying at the Hotel NIkko, we packed up and took on a new room so they can be closer to their friend.  Once she got settled the four of us went to show Reiko the sites and for me to see a garden and Shrine I missed the other day.  

While Reiko went to visit Todaishi we visited the free gardens that Toshi the tour guide took Sony and Leo a few days before.  It was quite, beautiful and colorful.  Picturesque and tranquil.

On a day that Sony and Leo met the tour guide, I stayed behind to sleep, then do my own thing.  The following photos are their works of art respectively and wanted to share them with all of you as they are incredibly fabulous!

ON the walk to Kashuga Shrine lined with stone pagodas.

These two young gals directed us to a small Mom and Pop place that specialized in Japanese "pizza". We had our doubts but it ended up being quite good and much like comfort food.

The first one was mochi and cheese.  The second was a seafood mixture.  YUM!

Notching It Down in Nara

NARA

Deer are the mascot for Nara, for good reason
they are everywhere in Nara Park.

We arrived in Nara before around 9pm at Komachi Guest House, a small tiny but efficient place near the JR Rail Station.  The owner was hesitant for three people to stay in a double occupancy room as the rooms were fairly small ~ maybe a four feet wide space between the bed and the wall, with streamline bathroom, shower area behind a sliding glass door at the foot of the bed. 

Below is the small kitchen for guest use which Sony, thankfully was able to prepare a few meals for us. 

this is the lobby bathroom,
 check out the mini sink!

manhole cover

We started out from the guest house walking towards Nara Park where we planned on taking it easy in the warm sun, this Sunday afternoon, reading and/or playing scrabble on the iPad when we came across several shopping areas.  American Christmas carols were piped into an open street mall reminding us all that the holidays were drawing near with decorations everywhere.  We continued to walk and play scrabble...

Interesting shops, displays and offerings

Love these turtles basking in the sun...

Here's Leo asking young Nihongo girls how to pronounce Kohfukuji Temple.  You can guess what he's hoping to hear in return.  I'm snickering as this photo is being taken, as is Sony in the background as she takes her turn at Scrabble. BTW ~ Sony was generally the winning player.

Leo taking his turn at Scrabble

Vending machines are the norm ~ you can purchase large cartons of alcohol, hot and cold drinks.

On the way to Todaiji Temple

Todaiji is the largest all wooden structure in the world!

This buddha is impressive in not only size but in presence and grandeur.  It is flanked by protecting guards, and other buddha statues.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch in the super efficient and tiny guesthouse kitchen, Sony prepared dinner after hitting the % percentage off deal at the local grocery store.  For dinner:  soba noodles, saba and bread and of course...green tea ice cream bars! 

Nara was notched down from Kyoto on several levels though we found Nara to be less interesting and vibrant than Kyoto .  It worked out well for us to train it back to Kyoto a couple of times, continuing on our quest to visit temples, zig zagging across town from one to the other.