On my last vacation before leaving Japan, I spent a day in Nara. I didn't see everything, but I did see the high points -- mainly, Toudai-ji, Kofuku-ji and Horyu-ji (which is not actually in Nara city, but a couple of train stops away, further out in the countryside).
If you only go to Japan once, you should absolutely count Nara as one of your do not miss spots. I cannot over recommend it. While it's true that you can see temples everywhere, those in Nara are of particular historic and cultural value. It's less than an hour outside of Kyoto, and the train fare is inexpensive (around $20 for the round trip), so "I don't have time" or "I don't have much money" are not excuses. Toudai-ji (literally, Great Eastern Temple) is the largest wooden structure in the world, and is among the oldest establishments in Japan (even if the building itself is more recent). It also houses some of the most important and oldest wooden statues in Japan. Horyuji has the oldest wooden structures in the world, and also has an impressive collection of significant ancient artwork and artifacts. If you've ever studied Japanese history, you will recognize a lot of the collection from your text books.
Beyond that, Nara has a very different feeling from Kyoto and other places in Japan. It's in the countryside, and the city itself is quite small and quiet. If you go during the off season for tourism, as I did, then I think you'll find it very peaceful. The city is in the central valley, but once you get through the main town area, the rest is a large, organic temple complex, containing many facilities and gardens. And of course, Nara is also one of the only places in the world with a free roaming, protected deer population. It's certainly a unique experience to admire ancient places while petting wild deer (or fending them off, as the case may be). There are also many burial mounds in and around Nara, representing one of Japan's oldest cultures.
When I arrived in Nara, I didn't know where to go, and I didn't have an agenda beyond seeing the deer, seeing Toudaiji, and seeing Horyuji. As it turns out, that's pretty much all I had time for, but if you took a less leisurely pace, you could probably see more. I went into the tourist information center to look for a map, but left with a volunteer guide. This was my guide. She was very helpful and knowledgeable, and it was also nice to have a local to chat with while walking around. The first place that she led me was this pond in Nara Park, which features a famous view of the tall pagoda of Kofuku-ji. To her amusement, I was more interested in the pond and its population of millions of turtles. I think this picture captures the best of both:
Next, she led me through the Kofuku-ji temple complex, to the pagoda itself. This is the second tallest pagoda in Japan (the tallest stands at Tou-ji in Kyoto), and its presence above the trees has become the symbol of Nara. Kofuku-ji was established in the 8th century, and is famous as the family temple of the Fujiwara family.
As we headed further away from the town center, we encountered more and more deer. Lots and lots of deer. Buddha says to be friends with the deer, so I was friends with the deer.[1]Approaching the south gate of Toudai-ji, a monk begs on the bridge. During peak seasons, this avenue is packed with people. Nandaimon, the Great South Gate, is a national treasure. The original was -- surprise -- destroyed in a typhoon in the Heian era, but the existing gate was built in the 12th century,
Housed in the gate are the Nio, the two kings. The Nio -- called Agyou and Ungyou -- are protectors who are found at the entrance to pretty much all temples. These particular statues were completed c.1203 and are the most famous Nio.
Along the way to the Daibutsuden there are plenty of snack and souvenir stands. You can buy packs of deer biscuits, and feeding usually creates a frenzy. (Keep your bags closed, because inevitably, at some time during the day, a deer will stick his head in it.)
The scaffolds in front of the main temple represent the former location of two seven story pagodas, which were destroyed in an earthquake some time ago. They were probably some of the tallest buildings in the world, in their time.
Toudai-ji's roots go back to the 8th century, but the present Daibutsuden was completed c.1700. Unsurprisingly, it was burned down during Japan's warring states period. The present building is actually 30% smaller than the original temple, I think due to lack of funding to rebuild at full size, and it's still the largest wooden building in the world (reportedly).
A few pieces of the original temple complex remain. This lantern has been a part of the temple complex since its birth in the 8th century (although I'd assume this is actually a copy, and the original is somewhere safe).
At the top of the steps you meet Yakushi Nyorai, or the Buddha of healing. It's said that if you have some ailment, rub his body in the same place, and your ailment will be cured. If you've ever wondered why you aren't supposed to touch anything at historical places, just take a look at this guy. The particles you take with you with a single touch begin to make a dent after millions of touches. His legs were restored not so long ago.
When you enter the hall, you're immediately in front of the Daibutsu. His face is always hidden in shadow. The statue dates back to the original construction of the temple -- in fact, building it bankrupted the country for a long while -- but the actual present parts date from various centuries. The body could be original, but the head is the newest, dating from the Edo period. For scale, each curl on the Buddha's head is the size of a human head. A finger is about the same height as a person.
All Buddhas are not created equally. They represent the Buddha at different stages. This statue represents Birushana, or the "true" Buddha. He is the enlightened body of the Buddha (as opposed to the historical body, Shakyamuni, or a celestial body, such as Amida). At either end of the Daibutsuden stand two guardians.
The hole in this pillar is cut to the same size as the Daibutsu's nostril. If you can fit through it, supposedly you'll be blessed with enlightenment in this lifetime. I gave it the old college try, but it was a tight fit on my shoulders, and the pillar is thick enough that I would've had my hands and feet off the ground at the same time, leaving me to kind of inchworm through. That made me claustrophobic in a hurry, so, alas, this is as far as I made it.After leaving the Daibutsuden, we headed up the hillside behind it to the February Hall. It's a popular tourist spot for the view it offers. We enjoyed the view for a while, and then I headed to Horyuji, which I apparently do not have any pictures of.
There are a few other pictures in the gallery, also with notes, so check it out. Also have a look at This travel guide, for its many lovely photos of Toudai-ji and Horyu-ji.
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[1] Actually, this sign doesn't say anything of the sort. As far as I can tell, it's listing safe places for children.
