belongings

Further onward after watching people get bumped and hassled by deer, a calmer moment presented itself.
Since many of the areas I went were tourist spots, there'd frequently be snack vendors around, so I'd inevitably give in to temptation and eat more matcha 抹茶 ice cream!
subliminal

Design, as they say, is everywhere.
And not just in this manhole cover (although that is fun to think about too), but also the pathway in which it sits – the border, the materials, the dimensions and so on. Humanity in design is so important and you see it in Japan more than you do in Australia, where it so often seems like there is no guiding aesthetic or vision.
Countless essays have been written on function and form, but in simple terms I feel that if the function of something has been deeply considered, the form that results will be pleasing too.
keep moving

I walked through the parks surrounding Kōfuku-ji 興福寺 and, of course, bought some deer crackers along the way. They're light and crumbly, made locally and come as a round stack that's bound by a cross of white paper with lime green printing. Whatever they're made from, the deer seem to love them, and they'll hound you relentlessly, nudging you and sometimes gently pulling at your clothes to get your attention. It didn't take long to dispense them all.
Walking parallel with the main road that leads to the centre of the park, you can cross under a busy intersection via this tunnel, which looks like it could be the setting of a scene from a Japanese supernatural horror film.
of darkness and dreams

Taking another look at the five-storied pagoda 五重塔 of Kōfuku-ji 興福寺 and appreciating the details in its design.
It's a marvel.
snack time

It's probably fair to say that many tourists come to Nara 奈良市 because of its population of friendly deer, knowing little or nothing of the city's amazing architecture or history. I'd hope, though, that once they get there they discover the rest. It would be entirely possible, for example, to visit just the main park and see the deer, walk around a bit, notice the perimeter walls of Tōdai-ji 東大寺 but never realise what's inside. More on that later.
The deer, called sika deer ニホンジカ (or 日本鹿, literally “Japan deer”), are undoubtedly an integral part of the aesthetic though, and add a lot of fun to the city as well!
Above, one smartly waits next to a vendor selling deer crackers.
irradiance

Walking around further, I was caught again by the sight of the five-storied pagoda 五重塔 of Kōfuku-ji 興福寺, towering in a way that appears to defy physics. The current pagoda was constructed in 1426 and seems to have vibrated through time itself to today, slipping past the rest of the world.
waiting for snow

In front of the Central Golden Hall 中金堂 in the shade, a small group painted the beautiful view of the five-storied pagoda 五重塔 – a designated National Treasure – rising behind the cherry trees.
I loved the stillness of this place and the way the fallen petals had started to accumulate like a dusting of snow.