The masses at Nara

Nara is not surprisingly a popular spot to visit. Also, because of its historical significance to Japan, there were quite a few school groups everywhere.
But that didn't lesson the enjoyment at all.
The reason that I've included this wonderful pic of the lake below, is that the crowd you see in the first pic was behind me when I took the second pic. It gives you an idea of how well organised these exhibits are, that regardless of the size of the crowds, you can still get these amazing unspoilt views everywhere. This is something I really like about Japan: most times, regardless of how huge the crowds are, you will still see pristine views.
I've been getting really sick of the snobbish attitude in the Japan Lonely Planet Travel Guide which has a lot of comments like 'to avoid the crowds it's best to go at...' or 'don't go with JR Rail as it's not very good' or 'if you're nearby go to the Nara Tourist Office but I wouldn't make a special trip'. These sights are for everyone, and anyone using a Lonely Planet Guide automatically becomes part of 'the crowd', no different from others, purely due to their sales sizes and being translated into many languages. Also, the JR Tourist Office was great, and the woman there said 'if you have time, try and walk this way back as the cherry blossoms are very beautiful this year'. This last tip was no where to be seen in any guide, and when I did go there on the way home was unspeakably beautiful.
Also, I've found so many errors in the Lonely Planet Guide to Japan that I always double check now with the local Tourist Office, which have all been fantastic - a traveller's tip for Japan!