Nara, a small, tranquil Japanese town, is home to numerous magnificent temples and shrines and a park famous for its freely roaming deer. The charming, century-old Nara Hotel, a favourite of dignitaries, offers a welcome haven of repose: We lose ourselves with delight in the city’s winding alleys. In the air floats an exquisite fragrance of sandalwood, its warm, comforting scent enriched by a hint of sweet and sensual jasmine.