Today, we left Kyoto and travelled to Osaka. On the way, we stopped in Nara, Kansai, to visit some beautiful Buddhist temples.
When I left the hotel today I joined a new coach, and there was another change of tour guides. The guide today was excellent, and as a history buff, he really knew his stuff and put everything across very well. We set off on our journey towards Osaka, visiting Nara and stopping there, where we visited Tōdai-ji, a Buddhist temple.
Nara.
Nara is a city located in the Kansai region of Japan and is known for its rich history and cultural heritage. It was Japan's first permanent capital, established in 710 AD, and is home to numerous historic temples, shrines, and landmarks.
Tōdai-ji
Tōdai-ji is a large Buddhist temple complex located in Nara, Japan. Founded in the early 8th century by Emperor Shōmu, it was constructed as the head temple of all provincial Buddhist temples in Japan. The temple is renowned for its Great Buddha Hall, which houses one of the largest bronze statues of Buddha Vairocana. The Great Buddha Hall itself is the world's largest wooden building, despite being only two-thirds of its original size after several reconstructions. Tōdai-ji is now a UNESCO World Heritage site.
We were dropped at a bus terminal park near the temple complex, and our guide led us through a large park. As we walked along, we could see hundreds of deer walking freely in the park. They were very tame, and small stalls sold special biscuits to feed them. Our guide walked us to the temple, telling us that we could feed, pet and admire the deer when we left.
The Tōdai-ji was beautiful, and the grounds were very well-kept. Once again, I found myself wishing we had more time to spend here. The bronze statue of Vairocana Buddha was flanked by two smaller but equally impressive Bodhisattvas, Kokūzō Bosatsu (Akasagarbha) and Nyoirin Kannon (Cintamanicakra), who are also significant figures in Buddhist iconography.
When I left, I walked back towards the meeting point and made my way through hundreds of Sika deer, aka spotted deer and Japanese deer. These deer are considered sacred and are believed to be messengers of the gods in Shinto tradition. They are pretty friendly and bowed their heads to me and other visitors, especially when they are offered shika-senbei, the special deer crackers sold locally in Nara.
I sat on a bench in the park, watching the deer and the people feeding them crackers. When everybody had rejoined the group, we returned to the bus terminal, boarded our coach, and travelled to the Buddhist temple of Hōryū-ji.
Photos from the Tōdai-ji Temple.
Hōryū-ji
Hōryū-ji, aka the Temple of the Flourishing Dharma, is a historic Buddhist temple located in Ikaruga, Nara. Founded in 607 by Prince Shōtoku, it is one of the oldest temples in Japan and is renowned for its ancient wooden structures, some of which date back to the late 7th century.
The temple complex is divided into two main areas: the Western Precinct (Sai-in) and the Eastern Precinct (Tō-in). The Western Precinct houses the Kondō (Main Hall) and the five-story pagoda, which are among the oldest wooden buildings in the world. The Eastern Precinct features the Yumedono (Hall of Dreams), dedicated to Prince Shōtoku.
Hōryū-ji is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is celebrated for its significant contributions to Japanese architecture and Buddhist culture. The temple complex also includes a treasure house that contains numerous important cultural artefacts and Buddhist statues.
Photos from the Hōryū-ji temple.
Set meal in a Japanese restaurant.When we left the Hōryū-ji temple, we walked back to the coach and then took a short drive to a local Japanese restaurant. The restaurant was only one of two places in Japan where we had to remove our shoes before we went in for our meal. I was expecting to have to remove my shoes in every temple and restaurant we went to. Once we had removed our shoes, we were all shown into small rooms with six people for our lunch. We had a set meal and didn't have a choice of food, but what we had was beautiful.
Alan Morris in his room in Osaka.When we left the restaurant, we continued to Osaka for our overnight stay. Because of the parking restrictions at the hotel, the coach dropped us a couple of blocks back in an alleyway, and we had to walk to the hotel, pulling our cases behind us. The room was clean and comfortable but smaller than all others on this tour. This was the fifth escorted coach tour I have been on and the only one that I have had to carry my luggage to and from the coach and the hotel every day. On the other coach tours I have been on in America, Peru and China, the luggage was always unloaded from the coach and delivered to the room for everybody. When we left each hotel, it was collected from the room and loaded onto the coach. It is a small thing, but the small details matter, and it would have been appreciated at this hotel.
Holiday Inn Express, Osaka, Midosuji.
My hotel tonight was the Holiday Inn Express, Osaka, Midosuji.
Address: 4-1-12 Kitakyuhojimachi Osaka, Osaka 541-0057 Japan