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Nara deer shikadamari mystery deepens as tourists return to Nara park
Baffling summer gathering phenomenon sees deer numbers dwindle to their lowest levels. For a number of years now, our Nara-based reporter K. Masami has been documenting a mysterious summer phenomenon...
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Japanese prison will become luxury hotel managed by country’s premier resort...
Hoshinoya Nara Prison’s guests’ stays will be shorter and more comfortable than Nara Prison’s occupants’ were. Hoshino Resorts is Japan’s best-known group of luxury hotel properties. The company’s...
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Nara hotel with hot spring baths by imperial palace site is a reason to...
Hardly anyone stays in Nara while traveling, but this hotel shows how they’re missing out. So here’s a surprising statistic. According to Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and...
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Rare vending machine at Japan’s oldest shrine sells…divine crepes!
Holy ground for parishioners and vending machine lovers at this off-the-beaten path destination. There are many shrines in Japan, just as there are many vending machines, but as it so happens, some...
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Nara considering increasing number of deer that can be killed each year,...
Nara’s deer are believed to be messengers of the gods, but they might be losing part of their protected status. When people hear “Nara,” the first thing that comes to mind is deer. Deer are said to be...
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We take part in a T-Rex race at Nara, Japan, turns out to be a wet and wild...
Extinct theropods take over Unesco World Heritage Site for a race like no other. A lot of trends from America have caught on in Japan, and one of the most recent is the T-Rex race. Since it first...
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A visit to the ordinarily forbidden hall of Nara’s Hasedera Temple【Photos】
Hall is open to the public until July and houses enormous artworks. Nara boasts many beautiful temples, including Hasedera Temple, which you might remember from some beautiful and touching photos...
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Ancient temple with National Treasures is a hidden gem on the Nara Yamato...
Murouji has a fascinating history, with stunning sights that’ll linger in your heart long after you visit. Most tourists who visit Nara head straight for the world-famous giant buddha and...
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Abe Monjuin: An ancient temple with a connection to stars and astrology…and...
A stop on the Nara Yamato Four-Temple Pilgrimage leads to a jaw-dropping discovery. If you’d like to escape the crowds and immerse yourself in the traditional history of Japan, the Nara Yamato...
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Dragon reformation and the largest clay Budda in Japan: A visit to Okadera...
Okadera Temple is also known as the “Dragon Lid Temple.” If you’ve been following our recent travel reports from Nara, you’ll know that there’s a set of four sites known as the Four Great Temples of...
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Japan’s “ugly” Nara Deer Buddha mascot now available in tiny gacha capsule...
Famous mascot is ready to finally be loved as the city’s best new souvenir. Japan has a lot of mascots for all sorts of different associations and regions, but when the one representing the famous,...
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Increased tourist numbers in Nara Park are affecting the size of its deer...
More people, more deer says Nara animal welfare organization. The biggest attraction in the city of Nara is Nara Park, and the star attraction of Nara Park is the deer. Due to their association with...
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Video of man kicking, slapping deer in Nara Park outrages Japan【Video】
Defenseless deer attacked by man too lazy/violent to walk around them. The Nara Deer Preservation Foundation recently released the results of its annual survey of the deer population of Nara Park,...
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Nara deer shikadamari phenomenon continues to baffle visitors at Nara park
A summertime mystery that even experts are unable to solve. Ever since 2019, our Nara-based reporter K. Masami has been investigating a bizarre pattern of deer behaviour in Nara Park. Known as...
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Surreal scenes of Nara’s giant Buddha statue getting its once-a-year cleaning...
Size difference makes human cleaners of the Daibutsu statue look like tiny little spirits. If you had a bunch of people about to come visit your home, you’d want to clean yourself up before they...
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Locals (deer) shut visitors out of Nara Park cool-down misting station【Video】
Because if summer is freakishly hot for humans, it’s hot for deer too. Nara Park is Nara City’s biggest tourist draw, and it gets an especially large number of visitors during the summer travel...
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Street Fighter sushi bento boxes are here so you won’t have to fight on an...
Eye-catching regional sushi gets awesome-looking bento illustrations of video gaming’s martial arts masters. Sushi will always grab the attention of Japanese food fans, but kakinoha sushi is...
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Nara man arrested for burying mother in his cemetery plot by himself
You don’t have to abandon a body to legally abandon it. Sadly, cases of people abandoning the remains of loved ones are an ongoing problem in Japan. The reasons can vary widely from those hoping to...
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New matcha crepes in Nara serve up good luck with traditional Japanese patterns
A unique way to taste Nara’s local ingredients, including its ancient green tea. Japan might be world-famous for its traditional food, but these days it’s becoming just as well known for innovative...
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Five Japanese shrines to visit for wealth and prosperity in the Year of the...
Japan has many shrines linked to prosperity, but these five are considered some of the best for boosting financial luck. 2025 is the Year of the Snake, a time said to be great for financial luck and...
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