Japan Day 3 - Nara-Kyoto-Nagoya.

Breakfast time!

Had simple coco crunch.

See the Jap guy behind me?

I saw him eating Na Dou and I was curious to try coz he seems to be enjoying it.

It was really sticky!

There was 2 packets of 'stuff' that came inside it.

One was probably mustard. Not sure what the other was. Was supposed to mix it all together.

It tasted okay at first but the after taste was bleah!

Hahahhahaha...

Off to Nara after breakfast!

We visited the famous Todaiji Temple of Daibutsu and the Nara Deer Park that surrounds it.

Todaiji ("Great Eastern Temple") was constructed in 752 as the head temple of all provincial Buddhist temples of Japan and grew so powerful that the capital was moved from Nara to Nagaoka in 784 in order to lower the temple's influence on government affairs.

Before heading in to any temples, it is a custom to wash your hands and mouth to purify and wash off whatever sins you've done or said.

First, you wash the ladle, collect water, wash your left hand followed by your right. Pour water on to your left hand and gurgle it than drink it. Wash your left hand again and wash the ladle before putting it back.

The water was freaking cold.

Todaiji houses Japan's largest bronze Buddha statue (Daibutsu) and it is also the world's largest wooden building, even though the present reconstruction of 1692 is only two thirds of the original temple's size.

There's a pillar inside the temple which has a hole in its base the same size as the Daibutsu's nostril.

It is said that those who can squeeze through this opening will be granted enlightenment in their next reincarnation.

Our guide said that it's like re-birth after going through the hole - washing off all the past sins I've done.

Everyone in the group was simply standing around as the hole looks ultra small.

The guide pointed at me and said that I should have no problem.

Although it is un-lady like - I took off my jacket and tried it.

See how small the hole was?

The wood was pretty smooth so there was no problem in sliding through.

I did it too quickly so no shots of the unglam task. Heng ah!!

Hahahahah..

Look at how huge the main doors to the temple is!

It's all wood by the way.

Old temples do not use metal nails to hold wood pieces together but to preserve the structure and for safety reasons, they added the nails to various temples and shrines of Japan.

Can't imagine how they build these structures with the huge wood pieces in the past without the aid od machinery.

On to play with the deers!

Don't be mistaken - these are wild deers that roam the ground freely.

They are really smart!

If they see you holding a paper bag they will think there's food in there.

Or if your hands are in the pocket moving - food!

They'll nudge you to give them food too.

So they did!

Hungry bunch of deers!

Some of the tour group people bought the biscuits too and even before he opened the packaging, the deers charged at him. He fell onto the fences..poor thing.

Even after we finished the biscuits they were still sniffing and nudging Michelle.

Their horns were cut off once every year as there was an incident where the deer attacked a tourist for food.

Oh well, since they are protected animals and have animal instincts its the only way.

It was really cold that day.

7 degrees or something.

Vending machines!

For a hot cuppa!

Was really enjoying the hot tea when Yong came with...

He looks so happy with the Green Tea ice-cream!

Yummi-licious!!

Seriously, it works better than a hot cuppa tea coz it kinda evens out the body temp and the surroundings.

Hahahaha...

Off to Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto for lunch.

The street leading up to the temple is filled with little quaint shops that sells food, drinks, souvenirs, antiques, fans etc etc.

Headed off to one of the small shops for lunch first.

The shop was too small so we had to split up...sob sob..

If you realised the soba noodles in Kyoto is flat like Kway Teow.

Not the normal soba noodles that we see in Singapore.

Lunch consisted of soba, rice, fried fish, egg, gyoza and prawn.

Was a really full meal!

After that we headed up to the temple.

At the gorgeous entrance of the temple.

Kiyomizudera ("Pure Water Temple") got its name as there's a waterfall within the complex which runs off the nearby hills. It was founded in 780 by Priest Enchin and remains associated with the Hosso sect, one of the oldest sects within Japanese Buddhism. In 1994, the temple was added to the list of UNESCO world heritage sites. Not one nail is used in the whole temple in its original state but for safety reasons, nails have been added too.

Our tour package included a Geisha guide since this was Kyoto, home of the Geishas.

Everyone was queuing to take photos with her but we decided to take a photo with her mama-san.

Then it was our turn..

Our local tour guide who was not that local - he's from Penang.

Whose prettier?

She's only 21 lor...

Her hair's fake so I'm not really sure if she was a Geisha.

Maybe they don't keep their hair that long anymore.

However, her slippers was really 'platform-ed'! I don't think I'll know how to walk in them..

There were many other tourists (angmo, China and Jap people) who thought that this was a photo session and they all crowded round us.

Our guide had to shoo them off as he said that the group has paid for this photo session.

They could take photos of her but not with her..

Cam whoring before heading in to the temple grounds.

Japanese believed that they have to visit the grounds of temples in a clockwise manner after cleansing their hands and mouth.

First thing that greeted us was this:

Albeit black but this is the God of Fertility or smooth birth so Jap people come pray to him for smooth pregnancy or delivery.

The main hall has a large veranda, supported by tall pillars, that juts out over the hillside and offers impressive views of the city. Large verandas and main halls were constructed at many popular sites during the Edo period to accommodate large numbers of pilgrims.

Behind Kyomizudera's main hall stands Jishu Shrine, a shrine dedicated to the deity of love, dedicated to Ōkuninushi, a god of love and "good matches".

In front of the shrine are two love stones, placed 18 meters apart from each other.

Success in reaching the other stone with their eyes closed implies that the pilgrim will find love, or true love. One can be assisted in the crossing, but this is taken to mean that a go-between will be needed. The person's romantic interest can assist them as well.

She has got 2 'guardian angels' by her side. Which means she successfully reached the rock!

Headed down the stairs to the Otowa waterfall, where three channels of water fall into a pond. Visitors can catch and drink the waters, which is believed to have therapeutic properties. Drinking the water of the three streams is said to confer wisdom, health, and longevity. However, some Japanese believe that you must choose only two; if you are greedy and drink from all three, you invite misfortune upon yourself.

Ami stayed behind to take photos for us.

We chose only 1 stream to drink from so as not to hold up the queue.

I saw some Japanese tourist drinking from all 3 streams..hahah..whose Kiasu???

Enroute to exiting the temple grounds, we saw this beautiful pond.

Can't help but stop for a photo.

Walking back to the coach with time to spare, we stopped for their local sweets.

We had bbq rice balls that was drenched in caramel, green tea and vanilla cream puffs. It was really yummy!!

After that, we headed to our Nagoya hotel to check in.

Every night it was a different hotel so we literally lived out of our luggages for the first 6 days!

Walking to dinner from the hotel.

Had dinner with another type of Soba, which was the usual one we ate in Singapore, with tempura, chawanmushi and sashimi.

After that it was free and easy for shopping around Nagoya.

However, most shops close at 8pm so there was nothing much to walk (except for their ultra huge drugstores).

So, we headed back to the hotel for supper!

Ami modelling the flat mochi that we got from Kyoto to try.

We got the strawberries from a nearby supermarket.

They were huge and sweet.

i'm a huge calbee fan so I saw this in the supermarket - limited edition chips with butter flavour.

It was ok if we took 1-2 pieces but after that it became too gelat!

Just opposite the hotel was a pachinko slots arcade. You'll see this almost every where in Japan.

They are usually managed by Yakuzas.

I've never been in one but the guide roughly explained how it worked.

Basically, you exchange money to get some small metal balls which you slot into the machines.

You have to control an air valve on the slot machines to get the balls into the right hole so as to earn more metal balls.

Since there's no gambling allowed in Japan, these balls are exchanged for coupons or small gifts in the main arcade.

After that, they take the coupons to a back lane somewhere to exchange for cash.

I've walked past Pachinkos where people have over 10 trays of metal balls next to them!!

I wonder how much $$ that translates to...