Nara is a small and cute town, famous for its deer park, where you can hand feed gentle deer, the 2nd tallest Buddha statue in Japan (15 meters), and an assortment of beautiful temples and shrines.

I met some Americans living in Switzerland on the train ride from Osaka to Nara, and we ended up spending the afternoon together, feeding deer and admiring the temples. Once they left, I lingered to enjoy the park and take more pictures as the sun dipped beyond the horizon.

While roaming around looking for a place for dinner that evening, I randomly stumbled across a Michelin rated restaurant. I entered, and asked for a menu. The chef, standing in what looked to be his open-concept kitchen next to a counter that could sit only 10 people, spoke very little English. One of the patrons, a friendly woman named Mao, cheerfully offered to act as a translator and invited me to join them. She explained the place offered a 16 course meal, each course comprising of a little brochette with either fish, vegetables, beef or egg. The place had a warm feeling, and the hospitality of the chef and Mao were too welcoming to decline, so I had a seat.

Most courses were tempura, cooked in a special oil. The chef presented each dish in Japanese while Mao diligently translated. Some were to be eaten directly, while others were to be complimented with soy sauce or green tea salt. It ended up being one of the best meals I’ve tasted to date, and at a reasonable price.