Day 9: Nara and Osaka

Day 9 was a Kyoto-based day trip, with Nara as the main destination. Nara Park and Todai-ji gave the day its shape: deer, temple approaches, large wooden halls, and the Great Buddha.

The Nara part of the day was the real centre of gravity. We started around Nara Station, then spent the main stretch near the park and temple area before moving on.

Later, rail issues on the Nara-to-Kyoto line turned Osaka Station into a detour rather than a destination. We went via Osaka but did not really leave the station, so it stays as part of the travel story rather than a full Osaka afternoon.

By evening we were back in Kyoto, around the station and hotel area again. Dinner closed the loop on a day that had reached out from Kyoto and then returned to the same station-side base.