I woke up at 4:45am, so the jet lag isn’t quite finished with me yet. Vivi and I went down for breakfast at the W, which had an excellent buffet and great service, as you’d expect from a hotel like this.

We met Bart and Ale at 9:30am and took the train to Nara, which took about an hour. It was raining when we arrived, but that didn’t seem to bother the deer at all. They were everywhere, wandering freely through the streets and parks.

Our first stop was Kasugataisha Shrine, tucked among tall cedar trees and stone lanterns. Even in the rain it was peaceful and beautiful. From there we walked through Nara Park, dodging deer and puddles along the way, and ended up at Tōdai-ji Temple, one of Japan’s most famous and impressive temples. Seeing the massive bronze Buddha inside was definitely worth the trip.

By the time we finished exploring, our legs were done for the day. We walked back to the main road and caught a bus to the train station to head back to Osaka.

Once back in the city, Vivi and I decided massages were non-negotiable. She found a place near the hotel but they only had room for one person, so I walked a couple of blocks down the street and found another spot. Both places turned out great, and by the time we met back at the hotel, we were feeling human again.

That evening the four of us went out for dinner at a Kobe beef teppanyaki restaurant not far from the hotel. It was tucked inside a kind of food court in an office building, but the food was excellent. The chef grilled the beef perfectly, and it was one of the best meals we’ve had so far on the trip.

After dinner we went back to the W and had drinks at the bar until it closed. By about 11:30pm we called it a night, ready to rest up for another busy day tomorrow.