1,300 years old Nara or Heijo-kyo was the first permanent capital of Japan with many ancient beautiful temples and shrines in the one large park that full of hundreds of roaming deer, was maybe the most important tourist attraction after Tokyo and Kyoto. Unlike Kyoto where modern and ancient were combined, Nara was clearly divided into two area, the modern city of Nara in the west and Nara Park with Naramachi area, where most of the main tourist attractions located, in the east.

The must visit places is the grand Todai-ji Temple and the brightly Kasuga Taisha Shrine, the main temple and shrine during Nara was a capital. Todai-ji was well known for its Daibutsu Hall, regarded as the biggest wooden building in the world with gigantic bronze Buddha statue, while Kasuga Taisha was famous for hundreds of stone lanterns decorating the routes to the shrine, and both places were, again, full of deer.

These two places were exceptional and should be seen if in Nara; however my favorite place in Nara and would like to recommend were Kofukuji Temple, its pagoda were the second highest in Japan. The views of Kofukuji at Sarusawa Pond by night were one of the most memorable scenic spots on my every Japan trip. Also, the view of Kofukuji from the outdoor onsen baht of Asukasou Hotel at dusk was totally breathtaking with its eternal serenity, dipping in onsen baht while watching the pagoda was a lifetime experience.

Nara was maybe overshadowed and compared by nearby Kyoto, but Nara had all the needs of tourists, great hotel, lovely people, good food, beauty cultural sights and hundreds of cute but annoying deer. Nara was the must to see at least one time while visiting Japan, but for me every time I came back, Nara was proved to be better and better to linger on.