#82 - Nara : Temples, shrines, and deer

Nara is a city in the Kansai region of Japan. Nara Prefecture is located next to Kyoto Prefecture and makes for a good short trip for a day or two. Nara (奈良) was Japan's first permanent capital city from 710 until 784, which thus made of most of the Nara Period. Nowadays it has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site for the so-called "Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara". This is made up of eight temples, shrines and ruins, the Heijo Palace (平城宮 Heijou-kyuu) and the Kasugayama Primeval Forest. This has made Nara an important stop for temple-hoppers and history lovers.

Temples and Shrines

The eight UNESCO sites are: Todai-ji (東大寺), Saidai-ji (西大寺), Kofuku-ji (興福寺), Kasuga Shrine (春日大社), Gango-ji (元興寺), Yakushi-ji (薬師寺) and Toshodai-ji (唐招提寺). Nara is a fairly small place, so it should be fairly easy to get around to visit them. I won't go into a lot of detail about each temple or shrine here, but I will tell you some of the highlights.

The big Buddha at Todai-ji.

Todai-ji (東大寺) is one of the most famous temples in Japan and one of the most historically significant. In its main hall, you can see the Big Buddha known as Daibutsu (大仏). It is one of Japan's largest bronze statues of Buddha, which is 15 metres tall.

Horyu-ji Temple.

Horyu-ji (法隆寺) is one of Japan's oldest temples, dating from the 7th century. It was founded by Prince Shotoku, who is said to have introduced Buddhism to Japan. Some of the buildings within the area are the world's oldest surviving wooden structures. Additionally, Horyu-ji is wheelchair accessible, which is unlike many other historic attractions in Japan.

Kofuku-ji Temple.

Kofuku-ji (興福寺) was once the temple of the Fujiwara clan, the most powerful family clan during the Nara and Heian Periods. At one time it had over 150 buildings, but today only a couple remain. Here, you can see Japan's second tallest five story pagoda, which stands at 50 metres tall and is a symbol of Nara. Entrance to Kojuku-ji's grounds is free but you will have to pay to enter some of the buildings.

Deer

Sign about the deer.

Apart from the historical sites, Nara is also famous for its deer. Around the Nara Park area, many wild deer roam freely. You can usually find small stalls selling deer crackers (鹿煎餅 Shika-senbei) if you want to feed them. The deer in Nara are known to be a little adventurous, and will sometimes approach you boldly and try to take your food (like ice cream) from you! 

In Nara Park.

According to folklore, the god Takemikazuchi-no-mikoto appeared from a mountain riding a white deer and therefore the deer in this area are considered sacred. Killing one of these deer was punishable by death up until 1637! Today, however, the deer no longer have their divine status, but have instead been designated as national treasures.

How to get there

Nara is within easy reach from Kyoto. There is a JR train which operates between Kyoto Station and Nara Station. It costs about 710 yen for a one-way ticket and takes 45 minnutes. This is covered under the JR Rail Pass. 

You could also use the Kintetsu Railway which travels from Kyoto Station to Kintetsu Nara Station. Because it is a private railway, its costs a little more, usually around 1,130 yen one-way. The journey takes about 35 minutes.