🌸🏰🦌 Nara Travel Guide 🦌🏰🌸

As one of the three ancient capitals, Nara boasts a history even more ancient than that of Kyoto, which is over a thousand years old. Nara was once the capital of the Nara period in the 8th century, known as Heijō-kyō. The emperors of that time actively learned Buddhist culture from the Tang Dynasty, which is why this place has constructed and preserved many world-class cultural heritages with a distinct Tang Dynasty influence. 📷 Yakushi-ji Temple This temple is the oldest in Japan, originally built as Asukadera (Hōkō-ji) and later relocated and rebuilt here. It still maintains some of the architectural appearance and tiles from the Asuka period, especially the bricks on the back of the main hall, which clearly show its age. Yakushi-ji is also known as "the place where Buddhism first flourished and the origin of sacred teachings." 📷 Tōdai-ji Founded in 728 during the Tang Dynasty of China, Tōdai-ji is currently the world's largest wooden structure. The Great Buddha of Tōdai-ji, also known as the "Nara Daibutsu," stands about 15 meters tall and is the world's largest gilded bronze Buddha statue. It is said that this Great Buddha is extraordinary, having been constructed and preserved across four significant eras. Its head, upper body, and waist were restored during the Edo, Sengoku, and Kamakura periods, respectively, while the chest to the base retains the original form from the Nara period, making the Buddha's face more polished and radiant than its body. The lotus petals at the base of the Great Buddha are carved with the worldview from the Avataṃsaka Sūtra, and a model of the same size is displayed beneath the throne, which should be viewed up close. A model of Tōdai-ji's reconstruction is also displayed within the temple, showing how the building's increased height after the reconstruction makes the presentation of the Buddha more solemn. 📷 Kasuga Taisha Interestingly, although most shrines in Japan are red and white, the red at Kasuga Taisha is particularly vibrant. It was later discovered that Kasuga Taisha undergoes a full renovation and painting every 20 years, and what's more remarkable is the special paint used. Since ancient times, there have been three types of red pigments in Japan: "honjuzu," "enokidani," and "benibana." Most shrines use the orange "enokidani," but Kasuga Taisha uses the most noble "honjuzu." Almost no other shrine uses this vermilion pigment to the extent that Kasuga Taisha does, which is quite an investment. 😂 Additionally, the lanterns within Kasuga Taisha are a spectacle. The 2,000 stone lanterns in the courtyard, along with 1,000 indoor lanterns, have been donated by prominent families since the Heian period. #LifeIsAWilderness 🌿 #NationalDayWorthwhileGuide 🗓️ #HiddenGemsOnlyLocalsKnow🎉 #OutdoorsIsMySpiritualSanctuary 🏞️