The Ancient City of Nara
Today, I took a side trip to the Ancient City of Nara, which is about 30 minutes away from Kyoto. The city has two main attractions here. 1. Deer. 2. The Todai-ji temple.
Finally the rain let up and the humidity has broken a bit. I don't think I mentioned but the rain was so bad here that there were mudslides so bad that the train from Nagano to Kyoto was cancelled, so we took the train to Tokyo and then down to Kyoto. An acute angle instead of a staight line. Oh well. On the way to the Todai-ji temple you pass through the deer park with hundreds of deer who are about as tame as our cats...maybe even more tame. That Jack is quite skiddish. Anyway, you pay 150 yen to buy cookies to feed the deer. Not being a fool, I did not choose to feed the deer but instead watch people feed them and run away screaming when about 10 deer approach them wanting food. As you can imagine, the deer follow you wherever you go as long as you have food for them. I witnessed quite a few women in high heels squealing because of these deer!!!
Todai-ji temple is the largest wooden building in the world!!! It was quite the sight! Inside the Todai-ji is a Buddha who is 16 m tall (how many yards is that math fans?). The Buddha is absolutely amazing. It was cast in bronze in 746 AD. Behind the Buddha is a wooden column that has a hole in it. The legend goes that if you can get your body through the hole (which is the exact size of the bronze Buddha's nostril) you will have eternal enlightenment. Well, I guess I am still in the dark because I didn't chance the almost certain public humiliation.
I have wonderful photos that I will upload once I get back to Kyoto!
Finally the rain let up and the humidity has broken a bit. I don't think I mentioned but the rain was so bad here that there were mudslides so bad that the train from Nagano to Kyoto was cancelled, so we took the train to Tokyo and then down to Kyoto. An acute angle instead of a staight line. Oh well. On the way to the Todai-ji temple you pass through the deer park with hundreds of deer who are about as tame as our cats...maybe even more tame. That Jack is quite skiddish. Anyway, you pay 150 yen to buy cookies to feed the deer. Not being a fool, I did not choose to feed the deer but instead watch people feed them and run away screaming when about 10 deer approach them wanting food. As you can imagine, the deer follow you wherever you go as long as you have food for them. I witnessed quite a few women in high heels squealing because of these deer!!!
Todai-ji temple is the largest wooden building in the world!!! It was quite the sight! Inside the Todai-ji is a Buddha who is 16 m tall (how many yards is that math fans?). The Buddha is absolutely amazing. It was cast in bronze in 746 AD. Behind the Buddha is a wooden column that has a hole in it. The legend goes that if you can get your body through the hole (which is the exact size of the bronze Buddha's nostril) you will have eternal enlightenment. Well, I guess I am still in the dark because I didn't chance the almost certain public humiliation.
I have wonderful photos that I will upload once I get back to Kyoto!
posted by Elizabeth Eastwick at
5:48 PM
3 Comments:
Mick, I have to confess my ignorance, I've never read a blog before and I as waiting, not very patiently, for you to send me something to say that the blog had begun! I just read every word from all of the days that I missed. Fascinating! I know that I would have loved it all, but the baseball game sounds fabulous. Can't wait to hear all of the details when you get home. We'll be in CA until the evening of the 29th. Lots of love,Mom and Dad
By
Anonymous, at 2:21 AM
Loved hearing about the temple and the Buddha- and "the nostril!"
Seems as though deer are a universal problem - they just ate my hibiscus on the patio:(
How are you liking the train service?
By
Anonymous, at 11:44 PM
The train service here is AMAZING. The rail pass we bought was such a great deal--14 days for $400...that is about 1.5 round trips to tokyo. So, it has been great. PLUS the trains are ALWAYS on time!!!
By
Elizabeth Eastwick, at 8:57 AM
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