Has Japan Got Temples?
You bet they do! The whole country is full of them. In fact, there are so many, that before long you can easily get temple overload. That having been said, each temple has a beauty and magnificence all of it’s own. Our first temple tour began in Nara, Japan’s capital from 710 to 784 and considered the cradle of Japanese culture, arts and crafts. Our approach to the temple led us through Nara park. A grassy park filled with ravenous, sticky nosed deer whose appetite for deer biscuits was insatiable. The deer biscuits were about 10cm in diameter and sold in neatly tied bundles from stalls and shops throughout the park for about $1 AUD.
The biscuits look absolutely delicious and would look right at home on the counter of a Lygon Street cafe. The deer ate them faster than you could untie the bow in the string that held the bundle together. They then nuzzled you for more, or maybe it was for the coffee they were expecting but never got. After a pleasant stroll down a long cobblestone pathway, past a long row of craft shops and a man squatting on a tiny camp chair transforming a wrinkly piece of A4 paper into a water colour masterpiece, we arrived at the entrance to the temple. That’s when our jaws dropped. The sheer scale and magnificence of the structure made our jaws drop so far that I was a bit worried about a deer climbing into my mouth and having a bit of a lick around. The Todaiji Temple (above) is the largest wooden building in the world. Founded by Emperor Shomu to enshrine the Great Image of Buddha and as the General Head-temple of all provincial temples in Japan. It was completed in 752 and is truly awe inspiring. An absolute ‘must-see’ on any tour of Japan!
Getting There.
From JR Nara Station or Kintetsu Nara station, it is about a 10 to 20 minute walk east on either Sanjo Dori or Hanna Road towards Nara Park.
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