In August 2019 we took a trip to the city of Nara, which was once the ancient capital of Japan. Nara is where Buddhism took root in Japan. In the 5th century AD, there was a shipping route between China and Japan and at the time this was considered to be the end of the Silk Road. Buddhism entered Japan through this route and Prince Shotokutaishi created the first written constitution of Japan based on the teachings Buddha. Shotokutaishi started building a temple in Nara and although he didn’t live to see it completed, his son did and in so doing established Nara as a centre for Buddhist learning.
All the temple buildings are wooden constructs and of course, over the years, some of the buildings have been destroyed by fire, however many of the original buildings remain and there are some incredible ancient Buddhist treasures to see in Nara.
The main campus of temples are in and around the Park in the centre of Nara and very easy to find. If you are driving like we were, just follow the signs to Kohfukuji Temple. We arrived mid afternoon on a Saturday and found a parking space close to the main site without too much bother. If you are travelling by train, it is well signed from either the JR station or the Kintetsu Line Station and is only a short walk from either.
We visited the Kohfukuji National Treasure Hall, it cost ¥700 per adult for entry and this also included entry to 2 other temples in the park.
The following day we visited the Todaiji temple which cost about ¥1000 to enter and houses a big Buddha.
To get to the Todaiji temple you have to walk through the Park and in the park there many wild deer who roam free and are happy to mingle with the tourists and visitors. The deer are incredibly tame and you can buy special biscuits to feed to them. They cost ¥100 per pack and are on sale throughout the park.
The day we went to the park was very hot and we found some deer sat under the cover of stall and trying to cool off under a water spray.
On the approach to the Todaiji temple there are gates guarded by demons.
The Todaiji temple is impressive from a distance and is one of the few temples that you are permitted to take photos once you are inside.
Just before the main entrance there is a small sheltered area with water to drink and for a wash. It was a really hot day so the drink was welcome, but as mark of respect it’s a good idea to wash your hands and face before you enter the temple.
The temples are all floodlit at night and make an evening stroll around the city quite delightful.