nara deer park

Nara Park is home to about 1200 'tame' deers roaming freely. The deers are respected and protected as divine messengers. You can touch, you can play, and you can take photos with them, but at your own risk, of course. Shika senbei (deer crackers) are sold for feeding the deers. Some of them will even bow to you asking for the crackers! 

Temple-hopping again, in Nara. Visited three World Heritage Sites.

Kofukuji Temple's five-story pagoda was reconstructed about 600 years ago after it had been burnt down five times. The temple's museum stores a lot of national and cultural treasures.

Todaiji Temple is famous for its Daibutsu (Great Buddha). It was also burnt down twice due to war. The present structure was scaled down to two-thirds of the original size. Still, it's the largest wooden structure in the world.

The paths to Kasuga Taisha Shrine are lined with about 2000 stone lanterns. According to legend, when the family shrine of an aristocrat clan was founded, a mighty god was invited and came to Nara riding on a white deer.