Nara, Japan (September 2012)

Nara, Japan Photo Travelogue cover page.	Map of Japan with the star indicating Nara.	Deer and tourists in Nara Park. Deer are considered to be a sacred symbol in Nara.	A mother deer with a nursing baby at Nara Park.
As you can see, the deer are friendly and used to people.	Lanterns and steps at Nara Park.	Tourists heading up the steps.	An impressive lion statue in Nara Park.
Along the pathway are many stone Japanese lanterns.	Closer view of the lanterns.	View of the Kasuga Grand Shrine in Nara, which was established in established in 768 AD.	It is the shrine built for the Fujiwara family. The interior is famous for its many bronze and stone lanterns.
Beautiful Japanese girl working at the entrance to the shrine.	Interior with many bronze lanterns.	Dozens of lanterns adorn the passageway.	Close-up of one of a bronze lantern. All of the lanterns have different designs.
View of the middle gate and hall of the Kasuga Grand Shrine.	Some decorative banners were hanging at the shrine.	Illuminated bronze lanterns hanging at the Kasuga Grand Shrine.	The design is accentuated when the lantern is lit.
Corner view of the Kasuga Grand Shrine.	Next, we moved on to the nearby Tamukeyama Hachimangu Shrine where a tree was growing through the roof.	The Tamukeyama Shrine is the first branch of the Hachimangu Shrine, which was established in 749 AD.	The Tamukeyama Shrine was destroyed in 1180 and rebuilt in 1250. Bronze lanterns at the shrine.
Stone lantern at Sangatsudo Shrine.	Close-up of the base of the lantern.	Our next stop was the nearby Sangatsudo Shrine, which was also established in the 8th century AD.	Japanese school children were visiting the shrine.
Large paper lanterns hanging at the Sangatsudo Shrine	Our next stop was at Nigatsudo Hall (which means "The Hall of the Second Month").	The beautiful main hall was rebuilt in 1669 after burning during a Shini-e ceremony.	From the balcony of at Nigatsudo Hall, is a spectacular view of Nara.
View of Nara from the balcony.	A shrine inside of Nigatsudo Hall.	Getting to the Nigatsudo Hall requires climbing about 70 steps.	View of Nigatsudo Hall from the steps, below.
After leaving Nigatsudo Hall, we walked along this narrow cobblestone path.	We walked away from Nigatsudo Hall towards the Todaiji Temple.	View of the Todaiji shoro or "Nara Taro" (belfry), where a bell hangs in the Shoro in the Nara Park.	Close-up of the bell.
A bronze spire on a rooftop of a building as we approached the Todaiji Temple.	Buildings near the Todaiji Temple.	Front façade of the Todaiji Temple (the Eastern Great Temple). It is a Buddhist temple complex and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.	The temple was constructed in 752 as the head temple of all provincial Buddhist temples of Japan.
Incense burner and Buddhist worshippers outside of the Todaiji Temple.	Todaiji's main hall, the Daibutsuden (Big Buddha Hall) is the world's largest wooden building.	Close-up of a bronze lantern.	The Great Hall houses the world's largest bronze statue of the Buddha Vairocana, in Japanese known as Daibutsu, or Great Buddha.
Close-up of the Daibutsu.	Side view of the Daibutsu.	Another Buddhist statue inside the Great Hall of the Todaiji Temple.	Guardian god demon that protects temple.
Close-up of another Guardian god demon.	Children crawling through "Buddha's nostril."	Unusual bronze flowers in a vase ornament in the temple.	Statue of Pindola Bharadvaja ouside the temple (one of four Arhats asked by Buddha to stay in the world to spread Buddhist law).
Sign describing the role of Pindola Bharadvaja in Buddhism.	Bucolic lake in front of Nara's Todaiji Temple, with an artist sketching.	Along the approach to Todaiji stands the Nandaimon Gate, a large wooden gate.	The existing Nandaimon (Great South Gate) is a reconstruction of end-12th century based on Song Dynasty style.
There are many deer in front of the gate, since it is next to Nara Park.	The Five Storied Pagoda, was once considered the symbol of Nara.	It is the second highest pogoda in Japan, and it is one of the great Metropolitan Monasteries during the Nara Period.	The Kohfukuji National Treasure House is a museum and also one of the oldest temples in Japan.
A Kohfukuji temple map.	View of Nara's South Octagonal Hall, which is the ninth temple on the West Japan 33 Temple Pilgrimage Route.	Close-up view of South Octagonal Hall.	Dragon at Sarusawaike Pond, which is next to the Kohfukuji temple area.
Serene setting with rocks at Sarusawaike Pond.	Tortoises taking in the sun on a rock at Sarusawaike Pond.	Waiting at the Nara train station for a bullet train to go back to Kyoto.	The trains were always right on time.
Bullet train coming into the station.	The trip from Nara to Kyoto takes about 35 minutes on Kintetsu Railways and 45 minutes on Japan Railways (JR).