About an hour south of Kyoto is Japan's first former permanent capital, Nara. Nara-koen, the main park filled with UNESCO World Heritage Sights is a fairly compact area a couple of kilometers from the main train station. The many paths around and through the park have been well trod by multitudes of visitors.
About 1200 local mountain deer have become tame enough that they place themselves in prominent areas within the park to better their chances of either being fed from the wafer stands or raiding people's bags. Some of the most fun that I had today was watching some of the deer/people mayhem.
Todai-ji Nandai-mon, The Great South Gate, is the largest temple entrance in Japan
One Nara's crown jewel attractions is Daibutsu (the Great Buddha), a 16-meter high statue with origins from AD 728 that sits within the temple Todai-ji. Daibutsu is one of the largest bronze statues in the world, made with 437 tonnes of bronze and 130 kg of gold. It is possible that Emperor Shomu had the statue made to ward off an epidemic of smallpox. Todai-ji is the largest wooden building in the world. Interestingly, today's building (from 1709) is only about two-thirds the size of the original!
Exterior of Todai-ji
The great big statue was difficult to photograph in today's light
There are 16 golden Buddhas around Daibutsu, symbolizing different manifestations.
From the ground they appear to be the same size due to an optical illusion because they are actually graduated in size
Behind The Daibutsu is a bodhisattva of memory and wisdom
Also in the hall are a couple of carved wooden statues.
This one is Tamonten, Lord Who Hears All.
He is holding a pagoda which represents a storehouse of wisdom.
On the western side of the hall, is Komukuten, one of the Guardians of the Four Directions.
One of the pillars in the temple has a 50-cm hole (said to be the same diameter of one of The Daibutsu's nostrils). Anyone who can fit through it is guaranteed to achieve enlightenment. Naturally, there was a long line of children waiting for their chance to crawl through.
This large wooden figure of Binzuru, the healing Buddha, was well worn. According to the plaque beneath it "It is commonly believed in Japan that when a person rubs a part of the image of Binzuru and then rubs the corresponding part of his own body, his ailment there will disappear."
A short walk away from Todai-ji are the additional temples Nigatsu-do and Sangatsu-do. The oldest part of the building in the complex dates back to the year 752!
Kasuga Taisha, a Shinto shrine that was founded
during the 8th century had many beautiful lanterns.
By lunchtime we were feeling "shrined/templed out". It was hot in the sun and even though you can't tell by most of our pictures the crowds of people were beginning to wear on us. We stopped for a quick bit to eat (and pineapple smoothie!) and headed back to Kyoto for one final afternoon there.
At Nishiki Market is an alluring covered alley filled with small shops. There are many seafood stalls, stores selling pickled...everything...apparently. It's also a great place to try more exotic foods like roasted sparrow on a stick (which I declined to eat). We finished our afternoon with a couple of ice creams at the end of the market. A lantern store that I wanted to check out was closed so we collapsed into a (sadly) disappointing ramen restaurant after being turned away from my eatery of choice (reservations only).
Some of the Nishiki Market shops were closed
but their rolling doors were still beautiful to look at.
Tako tamago: Grilled octopus with a quail egg cooked inside the head!
It was actually one of our favorite things that we ate at the market.
Grilled wagyu beef. It was probably one of the cheapest ways
we were going to try it. Oh, it was yummy.
I also sampled a mochi ball filled with chestnut compote an a fried food that was filled with chocolate pudding. No pictures because I ate them too fast!
The canals in Kyoto are so beautiful and clean
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