In Nara the deer bow first, and by dusk the pond goes still enough to hear the willows move.
Our hour there
We bought one pack of deer crackers and I got it wrong straight away. I held them up high like a prize, and three deer pushed in at once and nibbled the edge of my sleeve. You laughed so hard you forgot to bow. Then you did, slowly, and a young deer dipped its head back at you, and we both went quiet. Later we walked down to the south bank of Sarusawa Pond. The blossoms were pale over the water, the willows barely moving, the sky going from gold to that soft purple. Nobody said much. We leaned on the rail, and it felt like the whole evening was breathing.
You two can expect the blue hour to come on fast, roughly between quarter past six and quarter to seven in early April. Come in late March or early April for the first cherries, or later in April for the heavier double blossoms. The deer wander where they like, all free and open around the clock. The water holds the last light longer than the sky does. Stand on the south bank, face north across the pond, and let it get dark around you.
One honest thing. The five-storey pagoda that should sit on the skyline is wrapped in a construction roof until March 2034, so the view won't match the picture. The gate and the lantern were never there. Go anyway. The deer, the willows and the dusk are real, and when the crackers run out, show the deer your empty hands.
♡ We held a very serious bowing contest with a deer who clearly outranked us, and it was declared the winner the moment I pretended to have one more cracker.