Nara, like so many places in Japan, is known for its historical importance. But, unlike anywhere else in the world, it is also known (to me at least) as the place I got bit by a deer.

When I first arrived in Nara, which was a really short train ride from Kyoto, I kept seeing signs saying that 2010 was Nara’s 1300th anniversary as an imperial capital. It took my Americanized brain a moment to realize that the signs weren’t talking about the 130th anniversary, but way more impressive- the 1,300th year anniversary.