Nara

Today we headed out to Nara, Japan's first permanent Capital. Although some temples already existed in what's now Nara, the town was created specifically for the purpose of serving the capital when it moved here at the start of the 8th century...

The city contains some amazing national treasures, some of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. In fact the city itself is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Our first stop, easing us into things, was Himuro Shrine.

Himuro Shrine

Shinto shrines are home to kami, the gods and spirits that are a part of nature. You can make an offering to the kami that lives there and ask for its blessing.

Deer are considered sacred in Nara and roam the park freely. You may touch the deer and there are plenty of stalls that sell crackers for you to offer them. Be warned though, they are semi wild and may attack, though we didn't see anything like that while we were there. We did, however, see a few people getting chased for food!

Daniel with baby Deer

The big attraction in Nara though is Toudai-ji, a huge temple complex in Nara Park. The center point of the complex is the Great Buddha Hall (Daibutsuden), an enormous building that contains a 16m Buddha statue (Daibutsu).

Daibutsuden from a distance

On your way to the Great Hall you will likely pass through the Great South Gate. This gate has stood here since the twelfth century when it was rebuilt after a typhoon.

Great South Gate

Outside of the Great Hall is Binzuru. If you have an ailment, and touch the affected body part on him, followed by the same body part on you, he's supposed to cure it. Indra couldn't reach his nose though so she still has hay-fever.

Binzuru the Healer

Inside the Great Hall is a Daibutsu, giant Buddha statue, of Vairocana. At 16m tall, this is the largest statue of Vairocana in the world. On either side of Vairocana are Kokūzō Bosatsu and Nyoirin Kannon. These are not Buddhas, but holy people on the path to awakening. Flanking the trio are Komoku-ten and Bishamonten, guardians watching over the Toudai-ji.

The Great Buddha. Sooooo Biiiiggg! We don't think the picture does its size justice.

Kokuuzou Bosatsu

Komoku-ten Guardian of the West

Bishamonten Lord of Treasure and Wealth, Patron of Warriors

Next to the inner sanctum of the Daibutsuden used to stand two, 100m pagodas. These would have been some of the tallest structures in Japan at the time. One of the Sourin that would have topped the Pagoda survives and stands where the pagoda used to be.

Sourins usually top pagodas

On a hill overlooking the Great Hall is the bell tower.

The bell tower (you can see Daibutsuden in the background)

Beautiful sakura near the bell tower

Within the Toudai-ji is a sub-complex called Nigatsu-dou. Every year they perform a service to the Bodhisattva Kannon, and they've done it every year, without break, for over one thousand, three hundred years.

Nigatsu-dou

Nigatsu-dou rock garden

After Toudai-ji we also went to another smaller Buddhist temple complex called Koufuku.

Koufuku-ji five story pagoda

Koufuku-ji side building

Finally, we headed to the famous mochi (Japanese rice cake) shop known as Nakatanidou. Their speciality is yomogi mochi. Yomogi, also known as mugwort,is a plant that grows wild in Japan and gives the mochi a wonderful green colour. Crowds flock to Nakatandiou to see the fascinating mochi-making process which involves highly synchronised (and rather dramatic) pounding. Unfortunately, we didn't get to witness the process, but we did get to sample the delightful mochi and can highly recommend it.

Interesting fact: mochi can be deadly! By 4pm on the first of January 2019, 10 Tokoyites had been taken to hospital after choking on their NYE mochi and unfortunately one died. Make sure to chew your mochi well before swallowing!

Potentially deadly, but highly delicious mochi