As the site promises, it looks like the 1300th anniversary of Nara Heijo-kyo Capital will be spectacular with its year-long seasonal celebrations — the Flower and Greenery Festival from April to May, the Light and Candle Fair in August, the Heijo-kyo Fair starting in October, and so much more. Wish I could go live in Nara for the year.

The shaman Enno-Gyoja and the Soni Lion Dance especially caught my attention, and I'd love to take a walk along the Omine Okugake michi Ascetic Road and visit lovely Mount Yoshino.

The deer appears to be Nara's animal. There's a photo of deer grazing in Nara Deer Park, deer silhouettes in the footer banner, and an illustration of a boy with the deer antlers. I found a site that says you can buy special senbai crackers there to feed the deer.

I also read on a blog by someone named Arturo who visited Nara that the mascot of the anniversary — the boy with the deer antlers — is the Crown Prince Shotoku. When I saw the illustration, I wondered if there was Shinto influence. Sure enough, further along in his article, Arturo's says that on a Shinto shrine at that Kohfukuji Temple there's a statue of the young Crown Prince Shotoku with the characteristics of Buddha.

Arturo also says there's a local legend about the mythological [Shinto] god Takemikazuchi riding to Nara on a white deer to guard the newly built capital.

(You can read about his day trip to Nara HERE).

Thanks for posting the link, Aria. :)