About Japan
Nara lies approximately 42 kilometres south of Kyoto and was a former capital of Japan. It was founded in 710 on the Yamato Plain and is a city famous for its arts, crafts, literature and architecture. Although many of the palaces of Nara have disappeared due to neglect, the temples and shrines on the northeastern edge of the city have survived.
Although Nara was only the capital of Japan for 75 years, its wooded hills, temple parks and some of the world’s oldest wooden buildings make it a must see destination.
Toodaiji Otera Temple
Todaiji Temple was founded in 743 in order to house Nara’s Great Buddha image. With its Daibutsu-den hall and Great Buddha bronze statue, it’s Nara’s most prominent attraction.
Before you enter into the temple, you must pass through Nara Park, which is a 1,300 acre area where over 1,000 deer (shika) roam freely - looking for food (and mischief!) The Deer are regarded as sacred messengers of the gods.
Walking north towards the temple you pass underneath the Nandai-mon, an enormous gate housing two fierce-looking Nio wooden statues. Carved in 13th century by Unkei, they are some of the finest wooden statues in the world.
The massive Buddha was cast in bronze in 752 and is 16 metres high and weighs a massive 500 tonnes! It is an image of Dainichi Buddha, the cosmic Buddha who is believed to precede all worlds and all other representations of the Buddha. Emperor Shomu commissioned the bronze image of the Buddha to be built as a charm against smallpox which was decimating the population at the time. The statue has lost its head several times due to earthquakes and fire.
Behind the Buddha is a wooden pillar with a hole through its base. A popular belief holds that those who can squeeze through the hole, which is the same size as one of the Great Buddha’s nostrils, will attain Nirvana or enlightenment.
