NARA (Japan), Jan 15 — The city of Nara evokes images of deer, parks and temples but this city is much more as it was Japan’s first permanent capital back in 710 before the capital was shifted to Nagaoka in 784.
Getting to Nara is rather easy; it is connected via two railway lines — the Kintetsu Nara Line or the Japan Railway Line. It is about one hour from Osaka or Kyoto and is often a day-trip destination for most visitors.
Even travelling within the city itself is very convenient as it has a bus service — the city loop line — that goes around the major tourist spots around the city at intervals starting from the Nara Station.
The ancient city is home to eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites, five of which are Buddhist temples within the city.
There is the Todai-ji Temple which was once one of the powerful Seven Great Temples. It is a complex of buildings that is home to the world’s largest bronze Buddha, called the Daibutsu, with a height of 15 metres. The Daibutsu is located within the world’s largest wooden structure, the Daibutsu-den or the Great Buddha Hall.
The temple’s imposing wooden Nandaimon Gate is the main entrance to the complex and it overlooks Nara Park, or rather, the temple complex is located within the park itself.
Nara Park
Nara Park or Nara Koen is a large park in central Nara located at the base of the Wakakusayama Hill. This is where hundreds of deer roam free, although some are known to roam out of the park to housing areas nearby too.
Deer are sacred in the city as they are considered messengers of the gods in Shinto. So, unsurprisingly, the deer have become a symbol of Nara.
Every souvenir of Nara comes with an image of the deer and yes, there are plenty of deer toys and souvenirs here too. Today, the deer in Nara are considered national treasures so they are protected from being hunted or killed.
These deer are relatively tame and though some allow you to approach and pet them, most shy away the moment you walk near them. However, this changes if you have food in hand, not just any food but the deer crackers that are sold at small stalls all over the park.
A word of warning, the moment you purchase the crackers, be prepared to be surrounded by deer. Amazingly, some of the deer are rather well mannered as they would bow when begging for food. But once the bowing is done, the aggressiveness sets in.
The crackers are literally snatched from your hands. Some of the bucks are rather impatient so after the first bow, they expect to be fed immediately, otherwise they will tug on your clothing demanding for their share. They will also gently butt you with their heads to get your attention if you turn away from them.
The crackers are usually gone within minutes and just as fast as they gobble up the crackers, they will head for the next person with treats. Some deer are so well fed that they are not that bothered about these snacks and can be found lying down in all sorts of places, sometimes in the middle of the pavement, by the roadside, in the muddy banks of the stream and all around the park and gardens.
Strangely, the deer seem to know not to go near the stalls selling the crackers despite the crackers being on display openly. The deer will stand near keeping watch and will only immediately approach once they see someone buying those crackers. The sellers usually tell visitors to walk further away from the stall before they start feeding the deer.
This is a perfect place for children and families especially during autumn as you can enjoy the colours of the fall foliage. There are small huts and gazebos for you to sit and enjoy the scenery and there are streams and ponds in the park, offering beautiful scenic views from every angle.
Traditional ‘kamameshi’ at Shizuka
This restaurant is a rather well-known kamameshi restaurant in Nara and eating here means joining a long queue that could mean more than an hour of waiting outside in the bitter cold during the chilly autumn weather. Located very near the Nara National Museum, the restaurant is hard to miss especially with a long queue outside it most of the time.
Kamameshi is traditional Japanese rice cooked in an iron pot topped with meat, seafood and vegetables. They have the Special Kamameshi set where the rice is topped with chicken, unagi, prawns and crab.
At Shizuka, the signature item is the Nara nanashu-kamameshi where the rice is topped with chicken, unagi, prawns and oyster if it’s in season. The pot of rice is served with side dishes of pickled vegetables and salad.
What’s most interesting about the rice is that it is flavoured only by the toppings it is cooked with. No cloying sauces, just pure natural juices from the ingredients.
Since it is rice cooked in an iron pot, of course the best part is the burnt rice. Yes, instead of avoiding the burnt part at the base and sides of the pot, the okoge (what they call the burnt rice) is considered the best part of the whole pot of rice. The restaurant even has a small sign on each table with instructions on how you should scoop the rice in order to enjoy the okoge.
The steps are rather easy. When the kamameshi is served, do not scoop out everything in the pot immediately. Instead, scoop out one or two scoops from the middle and immediately put the lid back on. This is to ensure that the remaining rice in the pot remains hot but also to soften the okoge around the rim and bottom of the pot.
While the rice from the top is soft, moist and flavourful from the chicken and seafood, the okoge has a stronger flavour, with a slightly burnt aroma but without the bitter, chewy aftertaste.
If ever you are in Nara, this is a great place to try out the traditional kamameshi.
Shizuka
59 Noborioji-cho, Nara
Time: 11am - 7.30pm
Website: www.kamameshi-shizuka.jp
The ancient city of Nara is worth more than a day trip as we found out too late when it was time to go. There are many other heritage monuments to visit such as the Heijo Palace site, the old town with most of the historical architecture still intact and its various beautiful gardens and temples, all of which may take hours to explore and visit.
