From Kii-Katsuura to Nara by train and evening in Nara

20 November 2016

Our morning at Kii-Katsuura was full of activities.

We woke up early to catch the 6.30 AM sunrise from the Sunrise Terrace in the Urashima Hotel before taking the first ferry boat of the day to the Katsuura Fish Market to view the tuna auction (see here) and then back to the Urashima for buffet breakfast and check out.

Bicycles at the Katsuura Pier in the morning. The Katsuura Fish Market is the blue building in the background.

Umbrellas at the pier – ready for the hotel guests.

After completing our Kumano Kodo journey and visit to the three Kumano Shrines, we were to travel from Kii-Katsuura to Nara for the next leg of our vacation in Japan. The Hyperdia website is a very good tool to help us plan all our train travels in Japan. We had to catch the 10.45 AM Limited Express KUROSHIO 18 train to Tennoji Station and then change to a train bound for Nara. We cannot afford to miss the Kuroshio Express train due to the infrequency of the service.

On the way to the train station, we made a brief stopover at the Sunday market (opened every Sunday from 8.00 AM to 10.00 AM) next to the Fish Market where we had earlier witnessed the tuna auction. The shops in the plaza sold both raw tuna and processed fish products. 

Stall at the Sunday market preparing some grilled tuna cheek and fillets.

 

Here we chanced upon another tuna carving show, this time with a TV crew filming it for some show.

Beheading the tuna first.

Then the collarbone or cheeks were removed. This would make two good portions of Maguro Kama SHioyaki.

Close up shot of the yellow fin of the Yellowfin Tuna. Guess how the tuna got its name.

We met the pair of Aussie ladies that we had been meeting along the Kumano Kodo again at the Kii-Katsuura Station. They were heading to Kansai International Airport for their flight home and would be alighting somewhere near Wakayama to change to another train bound for the airport. They told us their experience of crossing the Nachi mountains in pouring rain from Hongu to Nachi Taisha the day before. That was the same morning that we were walking up the Daimon-zaka slope on the opposite side of the mountain. I could imagine the challenges these elderly ladies had overcome. They were just awesome.

The journey from Katsuura to Tennoji was scenic on the initial part of the journey as the train took the coastal route and we could see nice views of the ocean on one side and farms on the other side. We passed by a few oranges farm and the fruits were in season.

As we approached Tennoji, we could see the tallest skyscraper in Japan, the Abeno Harukas which is just opposite the JR Tennoji Station. Tennoji Station is located at the south eastern part of Osaka city and there are many departmental stores, attractions, shops and restaurants in and around the busy station. We only spent enough time in Tennoji Station to grab some lunch at the upper floors of Mio Tennoji before taking the Yamatoji Line Rapid Express train to Nara. This train service is frequent, departing every 15 minutes, and the journey took only 33 minutes.

An excellent place to stay in Nara is the Super Hotel Lohas JR Nara Eki Hotel. It is connected to Nara Station via the East Exit, so getting to the hotel is convenient and easy although the lobby is located on the upper floors (not on ground floor). The check in process was swift. Our luggage that were forwarded from Kansai Airport to the hotel on the day of our arrival in Japan one week ago was stored safely and handed over to us. This hotel uses an electronic door lock for the rooms. No keys were issued, just a slip of paper with our access code.

Close to the JR Nara Station (and our hotel) is the Sanjo-Dori,. Sanjo-dori is almost like the Main Street of Nara city with many shops and restaurants.

Street of Sanjo-dori at night, glistening wet from rain earlier in the day.

From Sanjo-Dori, we walked through a covered shopping street called the Sakura Dori that led to the Kintetsu Nara Station. Kintetsu Nara Station is a railway station on the Nara Line in Nara that was operated by the private railway operator Kintetsu Railway.

Covered shopping street, Sakura Dori, at night.

Outside Kintetsu Nara Train Station with a statue of the monk Gyoki on top of a fountain and a real life monk in front.

One restaurant in Nara that was highly recommended to us was the Maguro Koya, located near the Kintetsu Nara Station. This restaurant serves excellent tuna and we had just acquired a taste for tuna after our visit to Kii-Katsuura. We found the small family-run restaurant but Sunday was the owner’s rest day. The owner was present in the restaurant and spoke a little English. He was very apologetic that he could not serve us dinner on this day, so we made a reservation for the next day.

Surprisingly, it seemed that there were more Italian restaurants than Japanese restaurants along the shopping streets in Nara. We had a nice Italian meal (pizza, pasta and beer) in the Trattoria Piano restaurant. It was a nice break after a week of Japanese food.

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Exploring Nara Park in Autumn (Part 1) - Todai-ji Temple, Nigatsu-do Hall

21 November 2017 

Nara was Japan’s first capital city. This historical city boasts eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites and hence there were plenty to see and do. In addition, visiting in autumn gave us the bonus of experiencing nice cool weather and gorgeous colourful autumn foliage. Visitors who are short of time usually included Nara to their itinerary as a day trip from either Kyoto or Osaka. We stayed 2 nights in Nara, arriving at late afternoon from the Kii Peninsula after completing our Kumano Kodo journey. This allowed us to spend an entire day to explore this cultural place at leisure before leaving for Kyoto the next morning. I also found accommodation in Nara that was cheaper than similar ones in Osaka and Kyoto.

 We started the day in Nara with a nice breakfast in the Super Hotel Lohas JR Nara Eki Hotel, located at the doorsteps of the JR Nara Station. 

Simple buffet breakfast in the Super Hotel Lohas JR Nara Eki located at the doorsteps of the JR Nara Station. We got window seats with views of the bus station and junction leading to Sanjo Dori.

We made a short visit to the Tourist Information Center near the station to enquire about the best places to view autumn foliage in Nara Park.

We chose to walk to Nara Park instead of taking a bus or taxi. Heading eastwards from the Nara Station, the walk took us along Sanjo Dori, past Jokoji Temple and Sarusawa-Ike Pond. 

A peek inside at the courtyard of the Jokoji Temple with colourful flower arrangement at the entrance.

Mirror-like Sarusawa-Ike Pond.

Cyclists going by the Sarusawa-Ike Pond with Kofuku-Ji Five Storied Pagoda in the background.

 

The Kofuku-Ji Temple and the Five Storied Pagoda is located next to the pond. I was glad to see many trees with red autumn leaves along the road. It looked like we got the timing for the peak autumn leaves viewing season just right. We chose to visit Kofuku-Ji Temple later.

Our first destination of the day is the “must-see” Todai-Ji Temple, where the Daibutsu (Great Buddha) is sited. It was best to visit Nara's most popular tourist attraction and a UNESCO World Heritage Site early in the day before the day trippers and tour groups swarm in.

As we approached the park, we had our first sight of Nara Park's famed, wild but yet seemingly tame Sika deer. 

This smart deer knew how to use the Zebra Pedestrian Crossing.

There are about 1200 of these deer that lived in the city. The deer became symbols of deities, and were treated as sacred and National Treasure. They were strictly protected and killing one could even be punishable by death.

Vendor selling deer biscuits next to the Nandai-mon Gate. The shika senbei, special crackers for deer that are sold for around 150 yen per bag.

The deer were everywhere and will approach humans, hoping for a handout of deer biscuits, sold by vendors and stores near the Todai-ji Temple.

Some deer would bow their heads tin return for pieces of biscuits. A few were assertive (not aggressive) and would gently nudge visitors carrying bags of biscuits if they did not get their rewards after bowing their heads.

Red autumn foliage at Nara Park.

We entered through the Nandai-mon Gate (Great South Gate), with its two huge guardian figures. Representing the Nio Guardian Kings, the statues are designated national treasures together with the gate itself.

We spend some time enjoying the views of the yellow leaf ginkgo trees and red maple trees outside the Todai-ji Museum. We did not enter the museum as it was still closed (opens at 9.30 AM). 

Fallen yellow leaves of a ginkgo tree.

Deer feeding on fallen yellow leaves of a ginkgo tree.

Hands of Buddha outside the Todai-ji Museum.

 

We paid the entrance fees and entered the Todai-ji Temple (Great Eastern Temple) where the Daibutsuden (Great Buddha Hall) is located. Todai-Ji is one of Japan's most famous and historically significant temples and a landmark of Nara. The temple was constructed in 752 as the head temple of all provincial Buddhist temples of Japan. It 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.

Daibutsuden at the Todai-ji Temple at Nara. The Daibutsuden is the world's largest wooden building.

The Daibutsuden was built during the Nara period. It has been destroyed twice by fire in 1180 and again in 1567. The present reconstruction of 1692 is only two thirds of the original temple hall's size but is still the world’s largest wooden building. In front of the Daibutsuden, there is an Octagonal Lantern that dates from the time of the founding of Todai-ji.

Inside the Daibutsuden is one of Japan's largest bronze statues of Buddha. The statue was originally cast in 746, and the present statue was recast in the Edo period. This Buddha is huge. It is said that the uplifted palm is about the height of a person.

 

The 15 meters tall, seated Buddha is flanked by two Bodhisattvas.

At the rear of the hall, there is a pillar with a hole in it. The hole is said to be the size of the nostril of the Daibutsu. Legend has it that those who can squeeze through this opening will be granted enlightenment in their next life.

A female tourist from Thailand squeezing through the opening. She would be granted enlightenment in her next life.

There was a model of the old Todai-ji Temple with the old Daibutsuden, flanked by two tall pagodas. The pagodas were not reconstructed after destruction by fire.

Outside the Daibutsuden, there was a wooden figure of Pindola or Binzuru as he is known in Japan. Pindola was one of Buddha’s disciplines and he is reputed to have the gift of healing. It is commonly believed in Japan that if you rub the part of the statue that corresponds to the part of the body that is ailing, and then rub that ailing part of our own body, it will be cured.

Rubbing the right knee of the wooden statue of the Binzuru.

Instant relief for the tired knees after our Kumano Kodo journey.

 

As we leave the Daibutsuden, we saw streams of school children in bright yellow caps arriving. It is common to see school children in Japan on outings, wearing caps of same bright colour.

From the Daibutsuden, our planned next stop was the Nigatsu-do Hall (which translates to "The Hall of the Second Month"). The Nigatsudo Hall is located on the east of the Daibutsuden. We went pass the Kagami-ike pond and then head east towards it. Along the way, we spotted many trees with colourful autumn foliage.

The yellow leaves of the ginkgo trees with the red leaves of the maples.

Yellow ginkgo leaves forming a yellow carpet. This would be gone in a couple of days.

Just before arriving at the Nigatsudo, we chanced upon the Tamukeyama Hachimangu Shrine, with quite a lot of trees with red and yellow leaves. This place is peaceful and serene.

Autumn leaves floating on water.

The Nigatsudo Hall is located on higher ground. It offered nice views from its terrace. There were benches where one can sit to rest and take in the views, while observing the happenings within the Nigatsudo.

Steps leading to the Nigatsudo Hall.

 

Steps leading up to the Nigatsudo Hall.

View from the terrace of the Nigatsudo.

Lanterns at the terrace of the Nigatsudo Hall.

Fierce looking roof edge tiles at the Nigatsudo.

Purification fountain on the path leading to the rest area/teahouse at the Nigatsudo. This fountain is not for drinking. 

At the side and rear of the Nigatsudo Hall, there was a rest area with clean toilets and free tea. This was good place to rest our tired feet and also a chance to learn about the Omizutori, the sacred "Water-Drawing" festival that has taken place annually in March (the second month of the lunar calendar). One of the events during the Omizutori is the Otaimatsu ceremony.

Otaimatsu ceremonial torch on display on the wall of the teahouse at the Nigatsudo. This torch could be a long as eight meters and weighs as heavy as 70 kg.

Picture in the teahouse showing the lit torch during the Otaimatsu ceremony.

In the Otaimatsu ceremony, the giant torches are carried up to Nigatsudo's balcony and held over the crowd. The burning embers, that shower down from the balcony, are thought to bestow the onlookers with a safe year.

We ended the morning with lunch at the Noodle Restaurant just opposite the Sangatsudo Hall.  We knew there are more restaurants on the way to our next stop, but we could not resist the sight of the unagi on the restaurant’s menu and this restaurant offered good value-for-money set lunch.

Set lunch of grilled eel of Kagoshima with shredded egg omelette on rice, hot udon and pickle for 1180 Yen.

Eel and soya sauce udon.

After a good lunch, we continued southwards towards the Kasuga Taisha Shrine, another UNESCO World Heritage Site.

More about our visit to the Kasuga Taisha Shrine and our day in Nara in the next post.

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Exploring Nara Park in Autumn (Part 2) – Kasuga Taisha and Sagi-Ike and Ara-Ike Ponds

21 November 2016

After visiting the Todai-ji Temple and the Nigatsudo Hall located in the northern part of Nara Park in the morning, we continued southwards towards the Kasuga Taisha. Kasuga Taisha is located at the South Eastern part of Nara Park.

Nara Park was just gorgeous in autumn.

We continued down a road with many stores and restaurants on the right side and Wakakusayama Hill on the left. Deer wandered around the road and hillside, mingling with tourists.

Looking back at the road with the hill on the right and the stores on the left side of the photo.

A line of deer enjoying a feast of lettuce left on the edge of the hill by a store owner.

Just before arriving at the Kasuga Taisha, we came upon a stream and plenty of trees with nice autumn foliage. A small teahouse was located here and this was a perfect place for a nice Japanese dessert.

Nice Japanese dessert outdoor on the low table, located outdoor and under the beautiful autumn foliage.

 

Some of the local artists at work near the tea house.

Crossing the river, we soon arrived at Kasuga Taisha. Kasuga Taisha is Nara's most celebrated Shinto shrine. It was established at the same time as the capital and is dedicated to the deity responsible for the protection of the city.

The first thing that caught my attention was the lanterns.

Row of bronze lanterns hanging from a building.

Kasuga Taisha is famous for its lanterns, which have been donated by worshipers. Besides having hundreds of bronze lanterns hanging from the buildings, there were also many stone lanterns. The colourful autumn leaves contrasted nicely with the cold grey stone lanterns.

Yellow leaves of the ginkgo tree in autumn.

Yellow  gingko leaves and red maple leaves in autumn.

We left Kasuga Taisha, heading eastwards, along a path lined with stone lanterns. This path will lead us back towards the direction of the JR Nara Station.

Kids in nice traditional costumes.

Contrast of old vs new. These machines seemed so out of place.

We passed by an open area where there was many deer to be found.

If you want to be surrounded by a herd of deer, just show up with a bag of deer crackers.

Another nice place in Nara Park to visit during autumn would be the Sagi-Ike and Ara-Ike Ponds, located on the south-west part of the park. A few wedding couples were having their photo shoot, with the pond and autumn leaves as backdrop.

The couple looked so nice in this picture.

This couple was throwing the red ball to each other while their photographer was trying to get a photo of the ball in mid-air. I only had chance for one shot. I managed to get a nice shot with the ball at the center!

Our last stop for the day was the Kofuku-ji Temple with the five storied pagoda, located along Sanjo-dori. Another UNESCO World Heritage Site. Compared to the other places, this was not as interesting.  

If we had time and energy, we could have headed south and explore Naramachi, and the shops and galleries of the area. Instead, we did some shopping along Sanjo-dori and headed to Maguro Koya restaurant where we had made a reservation for dinner.

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Maguro Koya tuna restaurant in Nara

21 November 2016

Maguro Koya was a restaurant that was recommended for us to try while visiting Nara. This restaurant served the Hon Maguro or Bluefin Tuna, a delicacy even in Japan. The restaurant is located within 5 minutes walk, north of Kintetsu Nara Station. It is a small shop, run by a couple, and not so prominent from the outside. 

The gentleman who operated the restaurant recognised us when we walked in. We had come by on Sunday, when the restaurant was closed and he could not serve us dinner. So we made a reservation for the next day and he was expecting us.

There were only a few tables at one side of the shop, plus counter seats. While the place is a little run-down, the owner was friendly and the food is supposed to be good and highly recommended.  He spoke a little English and we were given menu in English, so ordering of the food was easy. 

Bluefin tuna menu of Maguro Koya tuna restaurant in Nara.

Ala-carte menu of Maguro Koya tuna restaurant in Nara.

I had done some research on how to appreciate the best tuna while in Japan. Like beef, the best cuts of the flesh are the ones with some fat in them. These fats are omega-3 fat and good for the body.

The best cuts of the tuna for sashimi is the O-toro (fattiest part of the belly), followed by the Chu-toro (second fattiest part). The o-toro would appear to be light pink in colour (most expensive) while the chu-toro is slightly darker in colour with lesser fat. The non- fatty flesh of the tuna is the akami and appears reddish in colour. This is the red meat that is normally served as tuna sushi or ”normal” tuna sashimi.

We decided that we should try both the o-toro and chu-toro sashimi at this restaurant.  This was eaten with steamed rice and washed down with some beer.

O-toro and Chu-toro tuna sashimi at  Maguro Koya tuna restaurant in Nara.

The melt-in-your-mouth texture and taste of the o-toro cannot be beat.  The chu-toro was just as good. Once we tasted this, we were hooked! 

Having tried both, we decided to place another order for the chu-toro since we were still hungry and this was better value for money in our opinion.

Overall, I must say that tuna sashimi is a “must try” food while visiting Japan. It would be difficult to find similar quality fresh tuna sashimi back home, even at a much higher price than we are paying in Japan.

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