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Todai-ji – Start your explorations with a "must
do," the Todai-ji, the world's largest wooden building (it had to be
big to hold what's inside). Go in through the Southern Gate, past two huge
guardian figures to the Daibutsu-den, the Hall of the Great Buddha. The
bronze statute of the Buddha is immense, 18 meters high. The face is 3.2
meters wide, the ear is 2.5 meters long, the nose is 9.8 meters wide. |
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Wakakusa Hill – To stretch your legs, take a stroll
up to the top of Wakakusa Hill. You'll probably see school kids doing the
same thing. From this grassy hill, there's a great view of Nara. |
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Kasuga Taisha – Stroll down to the Kasuga Taisha,
where you can see thousands of stone lanterns that line the walkway to the
shrine. Hanging from the eaves of the shrine are winged bronze lanterns,
decorated with nature motifs. Twice a year, for the Mandoro Festival, all
the lanterns are lit! |
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Nara Park (Nara Koen) – The deer in Nara Park
hark back to an ancient belief that deer were divine messengers from Kasuga
gods. You'll see plenty of them in the park. Knowing they're protected,
the deer are self-assertive and may try to eat your purse (you're better
off buying deer souvenirs.) |
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Kofuku-ji – Head over to the Kofuku-ji, the temple of the
Fujiwara, an important clan in the 8th century. Originally there were
over a hundred temples, but many were burned over the years. The five
storied pagoda was rebuilt in the 15th century, the three storied pagoda
in the 12th century. Walk around the pond close to the pagodas, the Sarusawa
Pond. |
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Nara-machi – South of Sawusawa pond
is the Nara-machi district, an old part of town, where merchant houses
have been preserved. Wander the narrow streets, where you can see the traditional
lattice work and tiled roofs. If you want to see the interior of a traditional
house compound, stop into the Nara-machi Shiryokan, a little museum
with household goods, a small garden and tea house. |
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Horyu-ji – It's worth a train or bus
trip to the southwest section of Nara to see the Horyu-ji, the oldest temple
in Japan, and the oldest wooden buildings in the world. The Horyu-ji is
the first Buddhist temple in Japan, founded in 607. Unlike the painted pagodas
of the Kofuku-ji, the buildings at Nara are subdued colors – natural
wood, gray, white. |
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Before you go in, stop at the dragon fountain to wash your
hands with a bamboo dipper. The information center also has maps in English
and displays of the Horyu-ji complex. In the West Temple (Sai-in), you'll
see the five storied pagoda (Gojuno-to) and the Golden Hall (Kon-do), the
world's oldest wooden building, completed in 711. In the East Temple, don't
miss, the Hall of Dreams (Yumedono), a lovely eight-sided building with
an incredible bronze roof ornament. |
