Walking Around Nara Without a Car, Part 1
Taking the Hotel Bus to Kintetsu Nara Station
After breakfast, I headed out for a day of sightseeing. This time, I explored central Nara by bus and on foot.
Since JW Marriott Hotel Nara, where I was staying, is a little way from Kintetsu Nara Station, I took the hotel shuttle bus there.
The shuttle bus didn’t have enough capacity for the demand, so some people couldn’t get on… There were no numbered tickets either, so I felt bad for the people who were left behind.
Since you can easily catch a regular city bus from the road right in front of the hotel, it might be better to take that from the start.
Kintetsu Nara Station is an underground station. Connected directly to it is a building called the Nara Kintetsu Building (back left), designed by Junzo Sakakura and opened in 1970 / Showa 45.
The curved building in the foreground is apparently a completely different one called the Nishimikado Hattori Building. Maybe it was designed to harmonize with the building next door? It has a curious feel to it.
Entering the Deer Zone
Just a short walk from Kintetsu Nara Station, and you’re already in the deer zone. Deer here, deer there, deer everywhere!! 🦌
I admired the Nara Prefectural Government Office building from the outside, one of the masterpieces of modernist architecture (designed by Mitsuo Katayama). Apparently, its layout incorporates the "garan arrangement" seen in Nara-period temples.
It seems there’s also an observation deck, and now I wish I’d gone. (I was completely out of time…)
I was giving the deer crackers little by little, so I kept them in my coat pocket to hide them from the deer—and the inside of my pocket ended up covered in cracker crumbs!! (Obviously.)
Next time I come, I should bring an I-wrap bag to put the deer crackers in.
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