The legendary bowing deer

We made our way pass Nara park and through the mountainous regions of Mie to head to Iga. From Nara where the legendary bowing deer reside, to the land of ninjas in Iga, we passed through so many slopes our quads and calves were aching badly by the time we got to our hotel. It was only when we hit Iga that we realised this town is known for its ninja history.

We made our way pass Nara park and through the mountainous regions of Mie to head to Iga. From Nara where the legendary bowing deer reside, to the land of ninjas in Iga, we passed through so many slopes our quads and calves were aching badly by the time we got to our hotel. It was only when we hit Iga that we realised this town is known for its ninja history.

According to wikipedia, "The remoteness and inaccessibility of the surrounding mountains may have had a role in the ninja's secretive development. Historical documents regarding the ninja's origins in these mountainous regions are considered generally correct."

And no wonder we took so many hours for such a short distance. The roads were on an incline and we were constantly going through the mountains. We made it anyway!

But today can't be completed without talking about the bowing deer at Nara. We thought we were the only foolish tourists bowing to random herbivores but we found out we had to fight for the deers attention from other throngs of fellow foolish tourists, so we could get our moment of bowing glory on the camera. The lengths humans would go for anthropomorphism!

- Michelle Yang