Japan Day Four: Nara

We took a side trip to a small town 45 minutes outside of Kyoto called Nara.  Nara was the capital of Japan briefly from 710 AD – 784 AD when the capital was moved to Kyoto.  It is widely considered the cradle of Japanese culture and arts.

Since we only had one day in Nara, we spent all our time at Nara Park which holds dozens of temples and shrines, several UNESCO World Heritage Sites and the tranquil deer for which Nara is known.  Our first stop was at the five-story Pagoda and the Kofukuji Temple.  Both structures were built in 710 AD, the same year Nara was established as the capital of Japan.  The temple was by Emperor Shomu, while his wife, Empress Komyo was responsible for the pagoda.  This pairing has caused the buildings to represent the ideal of marital harmony.  Unfortunately, we couldn’t go in the pagoda and no pictures were allowed in the temple, but the Buddhist statues were spectacular. 

It is custom in Buddhism to ring the bell and bow before entering the temple. “When in Rome…”

There is a legend that a god arrived in Nara on a white deer to guard the newly built capital.  Since then the deer have been regarded as heavenly animals, protecting the city and the country. Because of this, deer are considered sacred and are allowed to roam the park freely.  Now, the deer are less concerned with transporting the gods and are more interested in relaxing and eating biscuits from tourists.

You have to be careful though, because once the deer realize you have biscuits, they come after you!

Later, Chris and the deer got a little “too close”…

And this caused trouble (sorry for the vertical shot at the beginning, I always forget not to do that.)

We next walked towards the Todaiji Temple that was built in 752 AD by Emperor Shomu to house the Great Image of Buddha and is yet another UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Though the original structure was destroyed by fire, and the current (completed in 1709) is only 2/3 the size of the original, it is still the largest wooden structure in the world. 

First, you must pass through the massive “great south gate” or the Nandiamon Gate.  It is a truly awe-inspiring structure when you consider its size.

You then enter the walled in gardens and approach the building.  It’s truly enormous.

Once inside the temple there is are giant sculptures of deva kings (guardians of the Buddhist faith) and notable Buddhist figures, but the central figure is a colossal figure of Buddha.

Leaving the Todaiji Temple, we made our way to the Kasuga Taisha Shrine, another UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Built in 768 AD, this shrine holds over 1,000 bronze lanterns and is surrounded by over 2,000 stone lanterns. 

Finally, we made our way out of Nara Park.

We took the train back to Kyoto and then went out to enjoy some delicious Japanese sushi.