Kasuga Taisha

As someone who loves visiting local shrines, I was not prepared for the sheer size of Kasuga Taisha, the famous Shinto shrine in Nara.

Built in 768, momiji maple trees envelop the grounds, making for a hushed, perpetually cloudy-seeming atmosphere.

Deer, once considered sacred animals (after WWII there were "demoted" to National Treasure status), freely roam around, making you feel that you have dropped in on their environment.

A disused tea house on the grounds.

A peek into the main building, which for some reason we did not enter but is famed for its lanterns.

These stone lanterns are also a feature of Kasuga Taisha.

Donated sake and Asahi beer.

A deer sanctuary is located on the grounds.

They house deer that have been hurt, diseased, or "have shown to be unfit to survive human society" -- which is a bit rich, considering that we are causing them harm rather than the other way round.

Bales of hay.