 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). |