Festival boats on the pond (Photo: Cathy Cawood)

Saruzawa Pond in Nara

Sunbathing turtles overlooked by Kofukuji Pagoda

Cathy Cawood   - 1 min read

Saruzawa Pond in Nara is teeming with turtles. You won't see them in winter, but in summer they come out to play - or rather, sunbathe, swim and eat. If you are lucky you can also see dragon boats, or maybe they are phoenix boats. Kozen-in and the pagoda of Kofukuji stand on the hillside above the pond, and a small, picturesque restaurant is built out over the water at one end.

Cathy Cawood

Cathy Cawood @cathy.cawood

 I came to Japan in 2003 to teach English. I lived in Shiga prefecture for 1 year, and it still holds a special place in my heart. I lived in Kyoto for 9 years, then moved to Machida, Tokyo in 2014 after meeting my Japanese partner. I love to take photos, and my Japan in Pictures Facebook page ha...