SketchTravel

Oldtowns and Temples

First a walk up to the beautiful Hasedera Temple

From our room in the Nara countryside, we first went to visit Hasadera Temple. Parking in a small lot we walked up through the narrow street, turning left along the river as it climbed to the gate of the temple. It is set in a forest of beautiful hills, with flower gardens along the way. The day threatened rain but we got lucky – just a few drops. On the walk down we had some Japanese sweet bean treats from a local vendor.

Next we stopped at the oldtown of Gose. It felt completely empty, with an occasional person in the distance walking somewhere. As we walked deeper into the narrowest streets, some of the houses looked abandoned. It seemed that having potted plants near the doorway indicated that someone lived there. I am attracted to the places that feel rundown and neglected, so there were some areas that beckoned me to sketch them. This is the sketch I created there, adding the color later. Once again we narrowly missed the rain.