We visited Kobe, Kyoto, Nara, Himeji & Osaka over 10 days. Please click the link to get my itinerary around the Kansai region. I have to stress that we did not follow the itinerary strictly (sometimes not at all) because I was travelling with my parents and sometimes we were tired from travelling and skipped some attractions to have a rest/nap.
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Date of travel: 25-26 September 2013
Super Hotel Lohas Nara
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| Super Hotel Lohas Nara |
Email: lohas_nara@superhotel.co.jp
It is located just next to the JR Nara train station! As you can see from the picture, it just very very near the train station, which was super convenient, considering that we had quite a lot of luggages! It is so near that the entrance to the hotel is on the same platform as the exit of the JR train station! We literally walk 1 min from the exit to the hotel!
It is a small business hotel, but very cozy and it even have a hot spring/bath located inside the hotel! They have outdoor and indoor baths! We went when it was Summer turning into Autumn, but the weather was still HOT! So, not a very good idea to go to the hot springs. We didn't quite enjoy it as it was just too HOT! It would be better in any other season, except Summer! We did it once, in Hokkaido, up in the mountains. It is -20C and it was snowing like crazy! The PUUUURFECT weather for a soak in the hot springs!
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| Hot spring in Winter is the BEST! |
At the check in counter, there's a box for you to take five items from a wide range of selection. You're able to take bath salts (of various scents), masks of the skin, bath cloths, etc. It's target to women only.
They also have a pillow bar for you to choose your favorite type of pillow! I like medium height and hard-as-a-rock pillows! So, that was what I got. They also provide pillows which are so thin, it is about 1-inch in height, and so soft, you might suffocate in them. Won't you get neck aches with such nonsense pillows?!??
There are a lot of businessmen and women staying at this hotel as they're all in suits. I don't think that is their normal travelling style right? During breakfast, while my family and I are enjoying our slow breakfast, they quickly ate (within 10 mins?) and left! Perhaps it is near the train station that's why!
Todaji Temple
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| Todaji Temple |
It is a large compound with a very HUMONGOUS statue of Buddha. Look at all the measly humans at the base of Buddha's lotus flower pedestal.
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| Buddha in Todaji Temple |
I only have 1 word for Nara Koen.
DEERS!
Deers are everywhere! At various locations, especially outside temples, there will be an auntie who will sell you deer biscuits at 150Yen per stack of about five biscuits. At first we were all really excited to see so many deers at once, let alone come up close, pet them and play with them!
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| "Paint me like one of your French Ladies." |
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| Petting a small deer! |
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| Feeding them deer biscuits. |
The male deers have their horns cut off. At first I thought it was really cruel of whoever who did it. Afterwards, I was so thankful. The deer in the picture below headbutted me just because I gave the other deers biscuits and not him. This deer headbutted me TWICE! Can you believe it! I got attacked by a deer over biscuits! It followed me, and nudged me every now and then, and when I bought myself ice-cream, the deer still wanted to eat my ice-cream!
Check out the video on how two girls got attacked when they were buying the biscuits already! IT WAS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED!
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| Mellow Cafe |
We found this place in the Lonely Planet Travel Guide Book! Met the prettiest waitress who speaks perfect English as well! It was very refreshing as we've been always having difficulty communicating with the locals in Broken Japanese or Broken English. Mellow Cafe has also a stone brick oven for their handmade pizzas!
We had Narazuke & Sake Lees Pizza. There's a hint of Sake and topped with pickles! Very very refreshing and tasty! We also had my favourite pizza, Prosciutto Ham & Fresh Vege pizza, Seafood Aglio Oilo pasta, Tiramisu and a chocolate cake as well!
It's a homely and cozy cafe, tucked away in a corner. They had complimentary WiFi too!
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Check out my other posts about Japan: Kansai Region here:
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