I went to Nara Prefecture last week for sakura cherry blossom viewing.
Although it was a bit early, I enjoyed seeing cherry blossoms which are just starting to bloom.
One of the highlights of cherry blossom viewing in Nara is visiting World Heritage sites while enjoying the sight of cherry blossoms. Here are some pictures showing Horyu-ji Temple, a World Heritage site.
I also visited Yoshino, another World Heritage site which is famous for cherry blossoms. This mountainous area is a place where Shugendo religion is practiced. It mainly consists of ancient Japanese mountain worship and Buddhism.
It looks too small to see in the picture above but in the middle is a Buddhist pagoda and a cherry tree in bloom. There are cherry trees ready to bloom on the mountain surface.
If you are planning to go to Yoshino by train, Kintestu Line is convenient. From Kintetsu Nara Station, I changed trains twice; first at Yamato Saidai-ji and second at Kashihara Jingu Mae. From Kashihara Jingu Mae, a special express train, Sakura Liner, is available. The seats are all pink and cute:)
I bought a Kintetsu Railroad Company's special 3-day ticket (3000 yen) which covered round trip fares from Kyoto to Nara, Nara Kotsu bus rides among major sightseeing spots and train rides between Nara and Yoshino. It was a good bargain and convenient as I didn't have to worry about having the exact fare every time I got on a bus.
However, I had trouble at Kintetsu Nara Station; I missed an express train because the station has only one elevator going to Platform 1. There are just stairs and no escalators to go to Platform 3 and 4.
This means passengers who use the elevator have to walk to the edge of Platform 1 where all platforms are connected by a sidewalk.
I told a station staff it took too much time to go to the other platforms by using the elevator, especially when carrying luggage. I emphasized that the station should improve the situation if Nara wants to attract more tourists.
They said they took my complaint as a valuable feedback. I hope that is not a rubber-stamp answer.
Last but not least, Hotel Nikko Nara where I stayed offers various kinds of local dishes in the breakfast buffet including Kakinoha-zuhi sushi and Miwa somen noodle. Eating local specialties in one time can be a time-saver for busy tourists.
The ancient Japanese capital of Nara awaits you with sakura cherry blossoms this time of the year!
Although it was a bit early, I enjoyed seeing cherry blossoms which are just starting to bloom.
One of the highlights of cherry blossom viewing in Nara is visiting World Heritage sites while enjoying the sight of cherry blossoms. Here are some pictures showing Horyu-ji Temple, a World Heritage site.
I also visited Yoshino, another World Heritage site which is famous for cherry blossoms. This mountainous area is a place where Shugendo religion is practiced. It mainly consists of ancient Japanese mountain worship and Buddhism.
It looks too small to see in the picture above but in the middle is a Buddhist pagoda and a cherry tree in bloom. There are cherry trees ready to bloom on the mountain surface.
If you are planning to go to Yoshino by train, Kintestu Line is convenient. From Kintetsu Nara Station, I changed trains twice; first at Yamato Saidai-ji and second at Kashihara Jingu Mae. From Kashihara Jingu Mae, a special express train, Sakura Liner, is available. The seats are all pink and cute:)
I bought a Kintetsu Railroad Company's special 3-day ticket (3000 yen) which covered round trip fares from Kyoto to Nara, Nara Kotsu bus rides among major sightseeing spots and train rides between Nara and Yoshino. It was a good bargain and convenient as I didn't have to worry about having the exact fare every time I got on a bus.
However, I had trouble at Kintetsu Nara Station; I missed an express train because the station has only one elevator going to Platform 1. There are just stairs and no escalators to go to Platform 3 and 4.
This means passengers who use the elevator have to walk to the edge of Platform 1 where all platforms are connected by a sidewalk.
I told a station staff it took too much time to go to the other platforms by using the elevator, especially when carrying luggage. I emphasized that the station should improve the situation if Nara wants to attract more tourists.
They said they took my complaint as a valuable feedback. I hope that is not a rubber-stamp answer.
Last but not least, Hotel Nikko Nara where I stayed offers various kinds of local dishes in the breakfast buffet including Kakinoha-zuhi sushi and Miwa somen noodle. Eating local specialties in one time can be a time-saver for busy tourists.
The ancient Japanese capital of Nara awaits you with sakura cherry blossoms this time of the year!
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