Unesco World Heritage Site

Hiroshima Peace Memorial

It was a painful, yet life changing experience at Nagasaki Peace Park couple of weeks back, so I took off to visit Hiroshima Peace Memorial today. Commonly called the Atomic Bomb Dome or Genbaku Dōmu, it is the only structure left standing near the hypo-center of the first atomic bomb which exploded on 6 August 1945, and it still remains in the same condition as just after the explosion. The structure is part of the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Bus to Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park

Hiroshima Prefecture Regional Timber Company Memorial

Atomic Bomb Dome at Hiroshima

Red Bird Monument at Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park

Atomic Bomb Dome

Commemorative Tower in memory of deceased children at Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park

Crossing the Motoyasu River

Atomic Bomb Dome from the other side of the Motoyasu river

Children’s Peace Monument

Peace Bell

Flame of Peace

Hiroshima victims memorial cenotaph

Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum

Miniature Model of the destruction of Hiroshima after the Atomic Bomb explosion

Charred tricycle at the Atomic Bomb Museum in Hiroshima

Burnt uniform

Twisted metal bars

Fused roof tiles

Damaged Buddha

Origami paper cranes created by Sadako

View of the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park from the top floor of the museum.

Waiting for the bus to JR Hiroshima Station

Thanks for reading. I look forward to your reviews and questions. If you are looking to explore more of the Hiroshima region you can read my journal on the Hiroshima Peace Pagoda or follow my story as I stop on my way home at Fukuyama to explore the lovely Fukuyama Castle.

Exploring the Horyu-ji Temple

Hōryū-ji (法隆寺) is one of the seven great temples of Nara. The temple is a central artifact in the history of Japan and just invoking its name is enough to bring a sparkle in the eyes of most Japanese. The original temple was commissioned by Prince Shōtoku in 607 CE. and even though the complex has been hit by fire more than a few times, it still boasts the presence of the world’s oldest wooden building known to man.

Summer was upon us. On a lazy Sunday, Me & Mani, left our dorm for Hōryū-ji at around noon. In the steaming hot weather, with only the occasional breeze providing some relief, we walked all the way to Nara Station.

From the station, we caught the local JR-Namba along the Yamatoji line. It takes about 11 minutes to reach Hōryū-ji Station. The train dropped us off at a small quiet station. A shuttle bus is available to Hōryū-ji Temple from the south exit at Hōryū-ji Station, but you can also walk to the temple quiet easily in around 20 minutes.

If you have been following my stories, you will know that I love to walk. I did think twice, because of the sweltering heat, but walking gives me an additional motivation as I pass through the streets of these heritage towns, past age-old houses. Google maps was there to guide us, but there were ample road-signs along the way, including the one like this below – designed into the footpath.

The day was bright with intermittent clouds spread across the sky. On the way, you can find various casual cafes, restaurants and convenience stores.

As you near the temple, the concrete buildings, give way to a lane lined with beautiful green trees. This long path is referred to as Hōryū-ji Sando and the waving trees welcome you into the temple.

On both sides of this path you can find some restaurants and souvenir shops. These wooden structures take me back into a time where we didn’t have copy-pasted rows of rectangular concrete buildings with no soul. We made it a point to stop at one of these eateries while going back.

Brief history of Hōryū-ji

Before we begin our exploration of the temple grounds let me brief you a bit about the rich history of the temple. The full name of the temple is Hōryū Gakumon-ji, or Temple of the Flourishing Law.

The story of Hōryū-ji’s founding is laid out in the historical writings engraved on the back of the halo of the Yakusi Nyorai Buddha statue, located on the eastern side of the room in the temple’s Main Hall, and in the official inventory of Hōryū-ji property holdings recorded in 747.

According to these records, the emperor Yomei vowed to build a temple and an image of a Buddha as a form of prayer for his own recovery from illness–a vow he was never fated to fulfill, for he died shortly thereafter. These same writings state how Empress Suiko and Crown Prince Shotoku fulfilled Emperor Yomei’s deathbed wish by building the temple in 607 CE. The temple was dedicated to Yakushi Nyorai, the Buddha of healing in honor of the prince’s father.

When the temple was originally commissioned by Prince Shōtoku, it was called Wakakusa-dera, a name that is still used sometimes in official documents. Because of its location, it was also referred to by locals as Ikaruga Temple.

The original temple was lost to fire after being hit by lightning in 670. The massive blaze swept through the temple grounds, leaving “not a single building” standing, as it is recorded in the ancient Chronicles of Japan (Nihon Shoki).

The temple was reconstructed around 711, but the layout was slightly re-oriented. From its conception, Hōryū-ji was considered by the royalty as its protector and thus it always enjoyed protection of the Imperial family.

Early Heian period (794 – 1185) brought new additions to Hōryū-ji, including the dedication of several new halls in the Eastern and Western compounds. In addition, during the Kamakura period (1185–1333), a cult consisting of followers of Prince Shōtoku rose to prominence in Japan and Horyū-ji became an important site for veneration of the long-dead prince.

Ritual practices dedicated to Prince Shōtoku increased in number during this time. A memorial service for the late prince, called the ceremony of Shōryō-e was introduced in the early 12th century and it is still practiced at the temple to this day. According to records during the time of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Hōryū-ji’s annual stipend used to be around 1200 koku. The Koku used to be a unit of measure in feudal Japan, which used to the amount of rice needed to feed one person for a year.

Political shifts in Japan during the early years of the Meiji period (1868 – 1912) brought new challenges for Hōryū-ji as Shinto was instated as the official state religion in 1868. This resulted in government confiscation of many Buddhist lands, strict government supervision and categorization of Buddhist temples, and a steep decrease in financial support for Hōryū-ji itself.

At the outset of the Meiji period, the new government cut the temples annual stipend to 250 koku and later reduced it further to just 125. One of the first laws of the new government , separating Bodhisattava and Kami, set off widespread pillaging of Buddhist temples.

Due to the lack of resources during the early Meiji period, the monks at Hōryū-ji decided to donate many of the temple’s treasures for museum display. They were able to secure compensation for this donation, improving the financial situation of the temple. With the destruction of Kofuku-ji in Nara during the Tokugawa period (1603 – 1868, Edo period), there was a time when it was also considered to burn down the pagoda at Hōryū-ji. Fortunately for us, because of the residential clusters around the temple and the collateral damage it would cause, it was left to be.

Over the years the temple fell into a bad state from centuries of neglect. The outer areas began to be used to house cows and horses. Around the time of Meiji Restoration, people living in the vicinity of Hōryū-ji called it a bimbotera, meaning “poor temple.”

A restoration project was initiated after the Second World War and by 1985 most of the temple complex was repaired. During the restoration, older paintings of the temple were used to determine the original layout of the complex, and many of the living quarters built during the intervening years were demolished.

In 1993, Hōryū-ji Temple was registered as Japan’s first UNESCO World Heritage site under the name of Buddhist Monuments in the Hōryū-ji Area. I hope I have not bored you with all this data, but it was essential to understanding why the Japanese hold this temple to so high importance.

Nandaimon, South Main Gate

Lets now move on to explore the beautiful structures inside Hōryū-ji. The broad avenue of majestic pine trees along Hōryū-ji Sando led us straight to this elegant eight-pillar gate. This is the South Gate and it leads visitors into the temple grounds. This gate was once situated near the Middle Gate but was moved when the temple was expanded. Fire destroyed the original structure in 1435, but it was rebuilt shortly afterwards in 1438.

The Hōryū-ji Central Gate was undergoing repairs during the time of our visit. The entrance was thus free during that period.

As I mentioned before, the grounds of Hōryū-ji house the world’s oldest surviving wooden structures, conveying images of Japan as it existed more than 1,300 years ago, during the Asuka Period. The main compound is laid out on a north-south axis with the main entrance facing south. The four main components, the pagoda, the Main Hall, the Lecture Hall and the Middle Gate and the South Gate, are aligned symmetrically through a central axis.

The temple complex is made up of two areas, the Sai-in in the west and the Tō-in in the east. The Sai-in Garan or western part of the temple contains the Kondō (Main Hall) and the five-story pagoda. The Tō-in area holds the octagonal Yumedono Hall (Hall of Dreams) and sits about a 100 meters east of the Sai-in area. The complex also contains monk’s quarters, lecture halls, libraries, and dining halls.

A corridor with a colonnaded interior and walled exterior surrounds the temple complex on all four sides. Dating back to 990, the sheltered walk way exhibits the use of Chinese style window openings and plaster exterior walls. The pillars in the temple complex bulge slightly in the middle, a feature known as entasis.

Entasis is an architectural style that features curvature of columns where the body of the structure appears to bulge or bend outwards to compensate for an optical illusion, where a physically straight column would appear narrow at its feet appearing to be weak. It is quite possible that this was influenced by the architecture of ancient Greece.

Hōryū-ji Kondō

The Kondō, located side-by-side to the Pagoda in Sai-in, is one of the oldest wood buildings extant in the world. The hall has two stories, with roofs curved in the corners. The first story has a double roof. According to records, this was added later in the Nara period with extra posts to hold up the original first roof because it extended more than four meters past the building.

The Kondō is the main hall of the temple. It is comprised of an enclosed porch and an altar that is contained within a space that is 3 x 2 bays. While the main altar faces south, less important statues face the other cardinal directions to stress the importance of radiating towards all directions. The Kondo also uses wood columns that utilize a slight entasis and support a cluster of brackets that are required to carry the weight of the large roof structure that is further burdened with the use of tiles as opposed to the traditional roof material of choice, wood or thatch.

The exterior wood decoration includes dragons, a water deity thought to protect against fires. The railings on the second level are carved to represent swastikas, and they join inverted V-shaped support posts, both typical features of the architecture of the Asuka Period.

The interior of the Hall is made to resemble the Buddhist vision of paradise via brightly colored murals on all four walls. There are 12 distinct panels and depicting scenes with the Buddha and bodhisattvas.

Hōryū-ji Pagoda

The five-story pagoda standing adjacent to the main hall was built during the Asuka period (593–710) to house the site’s main relics. It is the oldest pagoda of this type in Japan and one of the oldest surviving wooden towers in the world. The pagoda is five stories tall and contains various important Buddhist scriptures and relics. Its central pillar, over 35 metres tall, is confirmed via a Dendrochronological analysis to have been felled in 594.

Partially supported by a main central column, the cantilever brackets branch out from outer columns to support the weight of the roof. The roofs of each level curve upward and diminishing in size as you go up.

The central pillar rests three meters below the surface of the massive foundation stone, stretching into the ground. At its base, a relic believed to be a fragment of the bones of the Buddha is enshrined. Around it, four sculpted scenes from the life of the Buddha face in the four cardinal directions. Access to the interiors of the pagoda is restricted.

A unique feature of the pagoda are the scythes attached to the uppermost roof. Lightning was once considered a celestial monster, so swords and implements with sharp edges were added to the pagoda as it was said that this would prevent the celestial monsters from alighting on them. 

At the base of the Five-storied Pagoda are a series of Buddhist tableaux dating from 711 which are shaped like caverns and contain 97 clay figurines. The four sides of the tableaux represent famous scenes from the story of the Buddha. On the east side, Yuima, a layman, is engaged in a religious dialogue with Monju, the bodhisattva of wisdom. On the north side, the Buddha is passing from this world into Nirvana, mourned by his weeping disciples.

The agonized faces of his devotees are depicted in the scene, as well as a doctor taking the Buddha’s pulse. The west side shows the division of the relics of Shakyamuni, the historical Buddha, when his remains were distributed among eight tribes after his death some 2,500 years ago. On the south side, Maitreya, the Buddha of the future known as Miroku Bosatsu in Japanese, has achieved enlightenment and is giving a sermon.

Daikodo, Lecture Hall

The Daikodo, or Lecture Hall, aligns through the center with the Nandaimon, or Great South Gate, and the Chumon, the Middle Gate along the main central axis. This is the only time the plan of the complex differs from the typical Chinese monastery plan, because usually all of the buildings are aligned symmetrically.

It is believed that the reason for offsetting the plans of the Kondo and pagoda was to allow the viewer to see both simultaneously, rather than as a sequence of buildings and because the proportions of the two buildings in addition to the colonnade offered a pleasing composition of varying heights and widths.

The Daikodo was rebuilt in 990 CE after the original was destroyed by fire. Inside it are two bodhisattva statues – Nikko and Gekko – either side of a figure of Yakushi Nyorai.

Kudarakan Nondo

The Great Treasure Gallery was built in 1998. The center of the building contains a hall which enshrines a statue of Kudara Kannon, and there are galleries to the east and west of the central hall. These two galleries house many important artifacts including a statue of Yumechigai Kannon, the Tamamushi no Zushi altar, the Lady Tachibana altar, and statues of Prince Shotoku. Photography is not allowed inside.

By this time the heat had taken a toll on us. We took shelter under the shade of large tree sipping on a chilled plum drink. After resting for a bit we began our exploration of the To-in area.

This internal gate links the Sai-in with the To-in area of the complex. It is a about a five-minute walk from the Western Precinct.

Shōrō Bellfry

The first interesting structure we came to face in the Eastern Precinct was the Bell House. It is constructed in a trapezoidal form known as hakamagoshi (spreading skirt). Within it hangs a Nara-period bell that has the words “Chūgū-ji” engraved on the inside, indicating that it has been in the possession of at least one other temple over its more than 1,000-year existence.

Chugu-ji

A few paces ahead, you can find the Chugu-ji, which was founded as a nunnery in the seventh century by Prince Shōtoku. Chūgū-ji used to be the palace of Hashihito, mother of Prince Shōtoku. After her death it was converted into a temple. Later, it was converted to a nunnery by the nun Shinnyo in the late Kamakura period. Originally standing three hundred metres to the east, it was moved to its present location in the Muromachi period. In this temple, there is a famous Miroku Buddha, which is designated as a national treasure.

Chugu-ji is a small temple but worth a visit for its elegant statue of a sitting Buddha, Hankashii Bosatsu, who crosses the right leg over the left and show a classic and gentle smile. From Chugu-ji, we moved towards the most popular building in the To-in area – Yumedono.

House of Dreams, Yumedono

Yumedono is one of the main constructions in the Tō-in area, built on the ground which was once Prince Shōtoku’s private palace, Ikaruga no miya, where he lived until his death in 622. The scholar-priest Gyoshin Sozu commissioned its construction in 739 as a monument to Prince Shōtoku. Octagonal wooden halls were adopted in Japan primarily for use as memorial chapels and the Hall of Dreams is one such example. I have been to one another in Yakushi-ji in Nara where the ashes of Hiuen Tsang, the Chinese Buddhist monk / traveler, have been laid to rest.

The Hall of Dreams derives its name from a legend that a golden Buddha once appeared to Prince Shotoku in a dream. The hall also contains the famous Kuse Kannon, which is only displayed twice a year for about a month each during the spring and fall. This seventh-century statue of Kuse Kannon is one of Hōryū-ji Temple’s most mysterious treasures.

After exploring a few more buildings surrounding the Yumedono, we were ready to leave the Hōryū-ji Temple complex.

After walking out of the temple complex, we went into the Heiso Hōryū-ji Store to try some Kakinoha Sushi. Kakinoha-zushi (or Persimmon leaves sushi) is different from what you may know as “sushi.” It is wrapped neatly like a present, and is a local cuisine inherited in Nara. Its history dates back to Edo period. In ancient times it used to be prepared only using mackerel. Today it comes with a variety of fish options. The Kakinoha-zushi served in Nara and Kyoto generally have mackerel or salmon.

Japanese legend says that Prince Shotoku, son of the emperor Yomei, built the temple so that he could pray for his father’s recovery from illness. Today, the temple can be identified as the headquarters of the “Shōtoku” sect, and is a popular site for pilgrimage.

As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Hōryū-ji is also an attractive site for tourists. Excavations done in 1939 confirmed that Prince Shotoku’s palace, the Ikaruga-no-miya, occupied the eastern part of the current temple complex, where the Tō-in sits today.

By itself, the main complex of Hōryū-ji is a perfect example of the temple planning of the Asuka period. It incorporates much of Chinese planning and construction techniques, and the location placed it out in the plains away from the hustle and bustle of the city center of Nara.

According to the temple’s website, it is currently home to over 180 of Japan’s designated National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties, and was the first structure in Japan to become a World Heritage Site. Hōryū-ji also still holds frequent events in a variety of locations in the complex, and many of its structures are open to the public.

Thanks for reading! Please leave your comments if you enjoyed my story or follow me on my journey as I visit Nagasaki to understand the pain that shocked the entire world.

Who built Hōryū-ji

Prince Shotoku

When was Hōryū-ji built

607 CE

Admission Fees to enter Hōryū-ji

￥1,500 (Adults)

Timings for visiting Hōryū-ji

8:00 – 17:00 (Feb 22 – Nov 3)
8:00 – 16:30 (Nov 4 – Feb 21)

Gassho Zukuri Villages of Ainokura and Shirakawa-go

Waking to a grey day

Toyama Station

Catching the train to Takaoka

Waiting for the Bus to Ainokura

On the way to Ainokura

Getting down at Ainokuraguchi Bus Stop

Walking to Ainokura

First views of Ainokura

Ainokura Village Preservation Foundation

Hiking to Ainokura Viewpoint

Ainokura viewpoint

View of Ainokura from viewpoint

Back in the village

Mani with a snowman

Ainokura Houses

Gassho houses in Ainokura

Souvenir from Ainokura

Ride to Shirakawa Go

Suganuma Village

Shirakawa Go

Gassho houses in Shirakawa

Mani and I in Shirakawa

Gassho houses in Shirakawa

Myozenji

Dusk setting on Shirakawa

Back in Toyama

Toyama

Thanks for reading!

Hike to Nachi Falls

Today I went back to Wakayama to explore Nachisan and capture the iconic view of Sanjudo Pagoda in front of the Nachi Falls or Nachi-no-taki as it is known locally. After the exploits of my first outing on my own to Shirahama, I was much more confident today. Shirahama was an amazing experience with the thrilling Sandanbeki Cliffs, the lovely Shirahama Beach, and the most stunning sunset at Engetsu.

Nachi Falls ([那智の滝) in Nachikatsuura, Wakayama is one of the best-known waterfalls in Japan. It is said to be the highest single-drop waterfall in the country at 133 m. The mountain is also popular for Kumano Nachi Taisha, Seiganto-ji Temple, Sanjudo Pagoda, and the Hiryu-jinja Shrine all of which can be found in the vicinity of the waterfall.

How to get to Nachi Falls from Nara/Osaka

I used the same approach as the day before while visiting Shirahama. I started a bit earlier at about 6 am. Since Nachi is further away, I wanted to have some cushion so I would have more time on hand to roam around the temple grounds.

I reached JR Nara Station at about 6.30 am and caught the next available train to Tennoji. From Tennoji I took the 7.79 am Kuroshio Limited Express, bound for Kii-Katsuura Station. If you are traveling from Osaka, you can catch the same train from JR Osaka Station.

The Kuroshio Limited Express is the fastest way to reach Nachi from Osaka

The train was mostly empty. I found myself a window seat. If you have the option, choose the window seats on the right. The view is amazing as the train travels along the pacific coast for the better part of the ride. The interiors of the train are luxurious and the big clear windows make for a lovely experience for those who love to watch the scenery as the train goes.

The Kuroshio Express passes through some beautiful countryside. After crossing the Wakayama Station, the train line moves almost parallel to the coast, going past rocky cliffs along the blue sea. The cliffs near Kushimoto Station, located on the southern tip of the Kii Peninsula are especially interesting – shaped like a natural bridge going into the ocean.

Bus to Nachi Falls

After a long ride of three and a half hours, I reached Kii Katsuura Station at 11.33 am. It is one of those quaint little stations you see in the rural areas of Japan.

The tourist information booth is located inside the station premises. The lady at the counter provided me a printed map. She was pleasantly surprised when she came to know that I was from India as not many foreigners come all the way down there.

She plotted out for me a “Nachisan Excursion Course”. The course would start from Daimon Zaka Slope and go up to Nachi Falls, via the Kumano Grand Shrine, Nachisan Seiganto-ji Temple, and the Sanjudo Pagoda. She also informed me that it would take me about 2 hours to complete the hike to Nachi Falls. Once she had provided me all the information, she directed me towards the bus stop nearby from where I was supposed to catch the bus to Nachi Falls.

Outside the station, I found a vending machine serving hot french fries amongst other fast food items. I wasn’t sure if I would find a proper eatery on the Nachi mountain, so I got one for myself and put it in my backpack for later.

There are a number of restaurants and shops near the station. The shops were mostly empty at this time of the day, with very few people around. The next bus to Nachi Falls was scheduled for 12.30 pm, so I wandered around the area looking for some souvenirs.

A small group had gathered near the bus stop by the scheduled time. Most of them were Japanese couples. I didn’t notice any foreigners among them. This bus also makes a stop at Nachi Station too, in case you are arriving via Mie.

As the bus drove through the town, one can see many abandoned broken-down buildings in the area. The typhoon Talas that struck in 2011 had been quite severe on the town of Nachikatsuura. Once the bus moved into the outskirts of the city and entered the mountains, it was a much more serene view.

It takes about 20 minutes to reach Daimon Zaka Bus stop from the Kii Katsuura Station. The ride costs me ¥420. A young couple also got down with me. The bus continued on with the rest of the tourists to Nachisan.

I could have gone directly to Nachi-san but I wanted to hike through the primeval forest. What is the fun of coming to this beautiful countryside if one doesn’t experience the unique landscape of Kumano’s spiritual forest?

Kumano Kodo Daimon Zaka slope

Daimon-zaka means “large gate” referring to a gate that once stood at the entrance to the slope. I was not really sure which way to go, so I followed a narrow path going towards high ground, hoping it was the right trail.

Meoto Sugi

The path leads up to two huge cedar trees, standing on either side, which serves as a beginning to the Daimon-zaka Slope. These two almost 800-year-old cedar trees are known as Meoto Sugi (Married Couple) Trees. For centuries these trees have been standing together welcoming pilgrims and tourists – making their way up the hill. In 2000, the locals came together and performed a wedding ceremony between them. It is believed that couples marrying between these trees will find eternal love.

Beyond the married cedar trees, the path gives way to an ancient cobblestone staircase called Kumano Kodo trail which runs from the base of the valley all the way to the parking lot near Nachi San.

Kumano Kodo Trail in Nachi

The Kumano Kodo (Ancient road of Kumano) is a network of pilgrimage roads that link all three major sacred sites in the Kii Mountain range. Japan’s Kumano Kodo trail is one of only two pilgrimages in the world with UNESCO World Heritage status – the other being Spain’s Camino de Santiago. During the Heian period, people used to make the pilgrimage from Kyoto to Kumano Taisha using this trail. The trail, however, is not limited to Nachi. Its total length is about 300 km extending across the prefectures of Wakayama, Nara, and Mie. In July 2004, the Kumano Kodo, pilgrimage routes were registered as UNESCO World Heritage as part of the “Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range“

A fleet of rocky steps took me up the Daimon Zaka slope. The massive cedar trees surrounding the trail create a divine atmosphere in the primeval forest. The Kumano Kodo’s rugged, forested mountains, quiet rural valleys, rivers, and waterfalls provide a spectacular backdrop for hikers.

At a point in the trail, the forest opens up beside the road. From the road, though very far away, I could see the top of Sanjudo Pagoda.

The trail is properly maintained and easy to climb. Mani, my wife, was here in December when it had rained profusely and the slopes were a bit slippery. So, fellas, keep an eye out for the weather before you embark on this hike.

I reached the parking lot in about half an hour and about 270 steps. The hike is not very tough and I saw several aged Japanese making their way down, as I was hiking up the hill.

Kumano Nachi Grand Shrine

Once I came out of the Daimon Zaka slope, there is a series of long steep stairs to get to Kumano Nachi Grand Shrine. Kumano Nachi Taisha (熊野那智大社) is a Shinto shrine and part of the UNESCO-designated World Heritage Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range. Its main deity is Izanami no Mikoto, who is a deity of unity. Along these stairs, you can find numerous shops selling black stone souvenirs.

Climbing up, I reached a fork on the stairs. The left one with a big red Torii led to Kumano Nachi Taisha. I decided to skip the Shrine for now and if time permitted return back to see it.

Kanzeon Bosatsu

To the right, just at the fork in the stairs, one can find a small wooden temple with a statue of Kanzeon Bosatsu, merciful hermaphrodite Goddess (観世音菩薩) is one of the five great Bodhisattva who administers mercy and compassion. A stone pillar in front says “For World Peace.“

Kanzeon (観世音) can be broken down into three words – the one who constantly surveys (kan 観) the world (ze 世) listening for the sounds (on 音) of suffering. Kanzeon and Kannon is used in Japanese with the same meaning. You might think why these sound almost similar. Well… Kanzeon was shortened by removing the ze(世) to make it Kannon.

Seiganto-ji Temple

A few paces later, I found myself in front of the Seiganto-ji Temple. I lit some incense sticks at the altar. Seiganto-ji is the first temple that is visited in the Saikoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage. It is said that Seiganto-ji was established by an Indian monk, Ragyo-shonin, who happened to travel to the Nachisan area and practiced ascetic Buddhism at the base of Nachi Falls in the 4th century. As such, the original build of the Seiganto-ji qualifies to be the oldest temple in the Kumano area.

The original buildings were destroyed during the Japan unification war. What we see currently was re-built in 1590 AD on the orders of Hideyoshi Toyotomi (who was the Military General and a friend of Oda Nobunaga). Seiganto-ji was designated as a World Heritage Site in 2004. The main worshiped deity here is Kanzeon Bosatsu (also known as Bodhisattva Kannon).

From the temple grounds, on the other side, one can get a full view of the Kii mountain range. I didn’t spend too much time in this area – given my rush to capture the iconic Sanjudo Pagoda in front of Nachi Falls.

Sanjudo Pagoda

After walking down a fleet of stairs I finally found myself in front of the vermilion pagoda juxtaposed with the cliff-diving Nachi Waterfall. It is hard to explain in words the majestic view of the waterfall in the backdrop, with the vermilion pagoda standing against it. I can only imagine how this view might have influenced the spirituality of the residents in the temples and shrines here. This is definitely the most beautiful photo of Nachi Falls that I have captured.

Religious Significance of Nachisan

Since ancient times people have considered this area to be a pilgrimage. For centuries people have visited these lands believing in the mystic powers of the mountains of Kumano. One of these beliefs is that if a worshiper prays at the Three Grand Shrines, he or she can attain salvation. The shrines thus attract many pilgrims ranging from members of the Japanese Imperial Family to the common folks.

I took a few more photos of the stunning pagoda with the Nachi-no-taki together. If you have time do not miss going up to the top balcony of the Pagoda.

The hike had made me hungry. I dug into the french fries I had obtained from the vending machine at the Kii-Katsuura station. I was also carrying a couple of shrimp Onigiri with me. After the quick lunch, I just laid down on one of the seats in front of the pagoda, mesmerized by the amazing view.

Nachi Waterfall

It was 2.30 pm already. After the quick rest, I walked downhill along the road towards Nachi Falls. A few meters downhill there is a narrow stone path cutting through the forest, towards the Nachi Falls.

One can also take the road if you don’t want to cut through the forested trail.

After walking for about 15 minutes I was at the gates of Hirou Shrine, one of the three Kumano Grand Shrines. It was also a relief to see the bus stop just nearby.

Hirou-jinja

Hirou Shrine’s gate marks the entrance to the Nachi Falls. I went through the Torii to a wide stone stairway that goes directly to the base of the waterfall. The cedar trees are much more massive here than anywhere on the trail.

At the base, I took a breather in front of the cascading waterfall. Flowing between the peaks of the Kumano Nachi mountain, the Nachi River creates over 48 waterfalls. Nachi Falls, also known as Nachi-no-taki, is the largest of them.

If one wants a closer look at the waterfall, one can enter the shrine and take the stairs up towards a wooden deck. It costs ¥200 to enter the shrine. From the vermilion deck, you can get the best view of Nachi falls as the water falls from the incredible height, hits the rocks below, and transforms into a small stream at the foot of the waterfall.

While coming down there is a small reservoir with natural spring flowing through the mouth of a stone-carved dragon head. Drinking spring water is supposed to give one good health. I filled my bottle with some to take back home for my wife.

It gets dark early in these mountains. It was only 4 pm but the light had begun to fade. I went back to the bus stand and waited anxiously for the next bus to show up. Anxious, because the last train to Osaka was at 6.10 pm and I didn’t want to miss it. Missing that last train would have left me stranded in Nachi. Thankfully, the Japanese are very punctual and the bus arrived exactly at 4.25 pm and I reached Kii Katsuura station by 4.50 pm.

Waiting at the platform it was hard not to be still lost in those memorable moments that I spent at the stunning Nachi Falls. I had a wonderful time in the mountains of Nachi. Though the pilgrimage has been in operation since ancient times, it still remains quite off the map for most tourists. That inadvertently resulted in a richer experience for people like me who love silence. If you are planning a day trip to Nachi Falls, I would advise visitors to stay back for a night in Nachi so you can start the tour early in the morning. I missed out on exploring the Kumano Nachi Taisha because of lack of time.

Train from Nachi to Osaka

Nachi is a journey into the realm of nature that brings purification to the soul. For centuries Japanese pilgrims have walked the Kumano Kodo, a more than 1,200-year-old network of trails that pass cedar forests, cascading waterfalls, and picturesque villages in the Kii Mountains.

Nachi being the terminal station, the train pulled into the station about 20 minutes early. I got myself a bag of peanuts and took my seat on the train. It was a near 4-hour journey back to Tennoji. The hike had taken a toll on me. I turned on my music playlist thinking of the charming elevated temple with the lovely view of Nachi Falls. I spent nearly 8 hours traveling for that one memory of the magnificent vermillion three-story pagoda and I will tell you that it was worth it.

Stretching across the Kii Peninsula on the island of Honshu, the pilgrimage takes us off the beaten track into a world of stunning scenery, soothing hot springs, delicious food. This journey through southern Wakayama and the Kumano Kodo will prove to be one of the most exceptional experiences you will have during your trip.

Thanks for reading. Leave me a comment if you liked the post or follow my story as I visit the illuminated Kenrokuen Garden in Kanazawa.

What are the hike challenges?

The Kumano Kodo is a mountain trek with waterfalls and shrines and physically demanding. Set mostly in the deep forest, there are a number of steep ascents and descents along the trail. I would highly recommend walking poles.

Kumano Kodo trail Information

I only covered a fraction of the Kumano Kodo trail. For the full route, please allow 7 days in total, including rest days.

Admission fees

Most of the areas I visited were free. To enter the shrine at the base of Nachi Falls it cost ¥200 per person.

Bus Schedules – Nachi Falls

Provided below are the bus time tables between Kii Katsura Station and Nachi Falls. Please note Nachi Falls is not the terminal stop. There another stop that goes all the way up to Nachisan mountain.
Updated March 17th 2018
Timings & fares are subject to change

Bus fare from Kii Katsura Station (Adult / One Way)
Daimonzaka: ¥420
Nachisan / Nachi-no-Taki-mae( Falls): ¥620

Kii-Katsuura Station to Nachi Falls

Nachi Falls to Kii-Katsuura Station

Ringing in the new year at Todai-ji

We decided to do something different this new year eve. We walked down to Todai-ji at midnight to usher in the new year with the blessings of the great Daibutsu. Todai-ji is the largest of the Seven Great Temples of Nara and one of the “Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara“.

The roads were lit and the streets were empty. Nothing new for someone who has lived in Nara even for a short amount of time. Once we reached the Nara Park area, we could see some families walking towards the temple. A group of deer were gathered under the street lights.

The narrow road comes directly up to the temple from behind. As we reached the Todaiji grounds, the crowd became denser. The regular gate that is used for entry for tourists was closed. The caretakers were preparing to open the imposing main gate. Generally the main gate remains closed and visitors have to use the two smaller side gates on each side. A huge queue had formed in front of the main gate. It looked like all of Nara had descended to the temple. It was still not midnight. We went towards the back of the queue and took our positions. We waited patiently for the clock to strike, midnight. The gate was opened to the public exactly at midnight and they started letting people in to the courtyard.

New Years Eve in Nara

Once we went through the gate, the horned roof of the Daibutsuden is the first thing that comes into view. People gradually made their way to the Daibutsu Hall. Todaiji houses the Nara Daibutsu, a gigantic bronze statue completed around 757. It took 9 years and an enormous manpower of 2 million workers working together to complete this magnificent statue. In the dark my Nikon D7100 was struggling to take photos. Mani was having better luck with her Sony Alpha 6000. It does offer better results in low light.

Over the years, the main wooden building and the statue have been damaged by fire and natural calamities several times. Each time it was repaired keeping the authenticity of the place intact. As we got closer, we could see the Buddha face clearly from the windows on the upper floor. It is one of the motivations for the huge crowd. The upper floor windows are opened rarely and on very important occasions. People come from afar just to see Buddha’s face from these windows.

I fished out my zoom lens and took a closer shot of the face. This was taken handheld as tripods are not allowed to be set up inside the premises.

On both sides of the wide path, there were several bonfires in tub like apparatus. It was cold and we waited near one of the bonfires for the initial crowd to disperse.

Once the crowd was sparse, we went towards the Daibutsuden Hall. It has begun to drizzle. Rain had been forecast and so we had brought along our waterproof jackets.

I have been inside the Daibutsuden before but on entering the dimly lit main hall, one can’t, but be overwhelmed over and over again by the 15 meter high, gilt bronze statue sitting on sacred lotus leaves. The blackened statue depicts Rushana, also known as Dainichi Nyorai or the Cosmic Buddha.

After paying respects, we walked out. At the main gate, the queue was no more, but there was still a steady stream of enthusiasts who wanted so see the face of the Buddha through the upper doors. I set up my tripod and took some pictures of the entrance gate.

Near the Nakamon Gate, there is a small pond and Todai-ji looked amazing from there.

Everything about Todaiji is huge. It has a long history and many stories attached to it. Every time I come and see the huge Daibutsuden Hall, I feel really small. We were supposed to leave for Hiroshima at dawn, so we left early for home. Nara Park with its herds of deer and the Todaiji make for an amazing night. If you are around Kyoto or Osaka, do take out a day to visit this lovely place.

Thanks for reading. Please leave me a comment if you liked my post. I also visited Todaiji during the day time some time back. You may find useful information if you are planning a visit.

The majestic Heijo Palace

While I was living in Nara, Kyoto used to be one of my favourite places to hang out during the weekends. Unless I had a JR Pass lying around, I would generally take the Kintetsu local line from Nara to Kyoto. On-route, the train line passes through a wide stretch of paddy fields with a beautiful building standing majestically at the Heijo Palace site.

As the local train used to run past the heritage building, it used to captivate me each time, especially during my late-evening rides. Today I took out some time to explore the Palace grounds and capture its majestic persona, which at one point of time, used to be graced by the presence of emperors.

To understand the importance of Heijo Palace site, we need to go all the way back to the Nara Period (710-794 CE). It is said that the Japanese empire was born from Yamato Imperial dynasty, towards the end of the 7th century which also coincided with the end of the Asuka period. Before the last of the emperors of the Yamato kindom – Emperor Monmu passed away, he expressed his will to have his mother succeed him till his son would be mature enough to assume the imperial position.

One of the first actions taken by the Empress Genmei, was relocating the capital to Nara, which provided an auspicious location surrounded by mountains on three sides. In those times this region was known as Heijo-kyo. Empress Genmei, during her reign between 707 through 715 CE, established this region as her capital and commissioned many new Buddhist temples as well as moving and rebuilding older ones. Except for a five-year period (740–745), when the capital was briefly moved after the death of the emperor, it remained the capital of Japanese civilization until Emperor Kanmu established a new capital in Nagaoka-kyō in 784.

How to reach Heijo Palace Grounds

Because we stayed near Kintetsu Nara Station, we took the Nara Kotsu bus #12 from the nearby bus stand to Saki-cho bus stop. The ride takes about 20 minutes and the bus will drop you just beside the Daigoku-den Hall near the Heijo Palace Site Museum. As an alternative route, you can catch the Kintetsu-Nara local and get down at Yamato-Saidaiji. From there it is a 12 minute walk to the Heijo Palace site.

The bus route involves less walking and you can buy an all day bus pass that costs ¥500, if you are planning for an all day outing around Nara.

Origins of Heijo Palace

Heijo-kyo became the site of the Imperial capital when it moved from Fujiwara near Asuka in 710, thus establishing the Nara Period of Japanese history. It is said that the capital was designed on the model of the Chinese city of Chang’an, present-day Xi’an.

In its heydays, Heijo Palace site covered an area of about about one square kilometer. The site used to have on its premises the emperor’s residence as well as numerous government offices. For its great historical and cultural importance, the excavated remains of the palace, and the surrounding area, were established as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998.

Although the palace site once stood as the majestic center of the ancient capital, all of its original buildings were eventually lost, with the exception of a single hall that was moved in the 8th century and now stands at Toshodai-ji Temple.

When the capital was moved away from Heijo-kyo in 784, Heijo Palace site and its adjoining government buildings were abandoned as officials and other citizens flocked to the new capital. The temples on the outskirts of the former capital, however, retained their importance, and the city of Nara eventually resumed its growth around these temples, while the palace grounds and its surrounding areas were reduced to paddy fields and waste grasslands.

As the bus dropped us off, we found ourselves in rural atmosphere. There were hardly any houses for as far the eye could see. Far away from the hum-dum of Nara park, the Heijo Palace site, sits quietly, rarely frequented by the hoards of tourists that flock to Nara.

The government however has gone to considerable lengths to showcase the history of Heijo Palace for visitors with historical reconstructions and museums. We decided to explore the museum first, gain some extra insight before going on to the ruins of the site itself. One of the first things you will notice inside the museum is excavations of a burial ground.

The Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties has conducted research and investigation of the site on a continual basis since 1959. Some other artifacts from the original palace building have been secured here like this shaft from the well inside the Imperial domicile area.

Here we see excavated remains of the roof tiles of the buildings surrounding the palace. Traditional Japanese roof tiles, Kawara are a highly visible and elaborate component of Japanese architecture. They display a technical and artistic sophistication while being highly functional.

Tiles of terracotta and clay were introduced to Japan in the sixth century and became popular immediately. These strong tiles could be easily made using locally sourced and readily available clay, they were fireproof and naturally water resistant, an important consideration in a country with heavy snow and rainfall.

In addition, the hall exhibits miniature models of the Imperial Palace and government offices from the Nara period. If you observe closely, these models used roofs instead of tiles. Such roofs were known as Warabuki. In this process, dried straw is tied into bundles which are then tied to the roof structure, with upper bundles overlapping the lower ones. The Warabuki roofs provided good protection from the snow and rain, but they were also susceptible to catching fire quite easily.

In the image below you can see an artists representation of how the Palace grounds used to look at the time when Nara was the capital of Japan. In the center of Heijo-kyo, there used to exist a 74-meters wide Suzakuoji Street extended straight from Rajomon Gate, the south gate to the capital. The western and eastern area of this street was respectively called Ukyo and Sakyo.

The planning of the capital was based on the Jobo system to layout the streets in a grid-like pattern. It is said that more than 100,000 people lived in Heijo-kyo during this period. Exploring the exhibits at the museum will take you about an hour.

As we came out into the bright daylight outside the museum, there are just ruins stretching far and wide. These are the base of the columns of the Latter Audience Hall. It was built on the orders of the Emperor Shomu after the capital moved back to Nara from Shigaraki in 745 CE. All that remains now of the Latter Imperial Audience Hall are the excavated foundations of the hall and the nearby ruins. 

From here we walked down to the Daigoku-den. Three major structures of the former palace complex have been reconstructed in recent decades. Foremost among them is the Former Audience Hall (Daigoku-den) which was recreated during the 1300th anniversary of Nara becoming Japan’s capital in 2010.

The emperor and empress lived, worked and received visitors in the imperial domicile section. It was surrounded by a roofed walkway, divided lengthwise by an earthen wall.  The building is called the “former” audience hall, because it was replaced by the “latter” audience hall in the second half of the Nara Period.

The large audience hall was used as the site of important ceremonies and meetings. Its ceiling is decorated by the four animals of the direction on the compass and the twelve animals of the lunar calendar. A throne stands in the center of the hall. The building is called the “former” audience hall, because it was replaced by the “latter” audience hall in the second half of the Nara Period. The latter audience hall’s foundations are visible to the east of the former audience hall.

The reconstruction was started in 2001 and completed in 2010. For the reconstruction, Japanese cypress wood was used. The building’s pillars and beams were painted in vermilion, the walls in white, the roof with ceramic tiles. The upper part of the interior of the hall was painted with symbols of the Chinese zodiac such as the Tiger, the Horse and the Ox alongside the walls, and floral pattern on the ceiling. The paintings were executed by the renowned painter Atsushi Uemura based on designs from the Nara period.

Inside the Daigoku-den hall, you can find many replicas created using historic documents left behind by people from the same period. This is a replica of the Shibi ( 鴟尾 ) that used to adorn the palace. A shibi is a Japanese ornamental tile set on both ends of the ridgepole that tops a shingled roof of Japanese castles and other important structures.

Here you can see the ornament that used to adorn the center part of the roof between the two Shibis.

In the center of the audience hall you can find a replica of the emperor’s throne, called Takamikura (高御座). This was an important item that symbolised the imperial office, and at state events such as the enthronement and New Year’s Day ceremonies the emperor proceeded to the audience hall and took his seat on the throne. Nobles lined up in the inner court south of the hall and paid their respect.

With no records of the construction or design of the Takamikura of the Nara period, the details are unknown. The reconstructed model of the Takamikura was made after experts consulted various literature and historical materials, and based on the throne in the Kyoto Imperial Palace which dates to the Taishō era. Details of the design and patterns were created by referring to materials such as the treasure of the Shōsōin repository.

After exploring the audience hall, we walked down tords the next compelling structure on the premises – Suzakumon Gate

The Suzakumon Gate

The placement followed the ancient Chinese palace model requirements at the time, where Suzaku (朱雀 Suzaku), the Vermilion Bird was the Guardian of the South. Research for the restoration of Suzakumon Gate started with excavations at the former site in 1964, and the production of a one-to-ten scale miniature model in 1965. In 1993, it was decided that the gate of Nara would be reconstructed.

In front of the Suzaku Gate, ceremonies were conducted on New Year’s Day and for welcoming or farewelling foreign envoys. In addition, ancient men and women exchanged their love songs there, calling it utagaki. The magnificent gate has an air of dignity as the front gate of the Palace.

It proved extremely difficult to work out what Suzakumon had looked like, as there were no surviving structural remnants. A conjectural model was developed, based on comparable architecture elsewhere, and the new gate was constructed from a mixture of traditional building materials (cypress wood and tiles) and concrete, in order to resist earthquakes. The reconstructed gate was opened in 1998.

As per old records, various ceremonies were conducted on New Year’s Day and other important occasions in front of the Suzaku Gate. In addition, men and women in those times exchanged their love songs here, during the celebration of <em>utagaki</em>. Villagers would sing and dance along with reciting of poetry, in celebration of the beginning of spring or autumn.

Many of the songs and poems, as well as accounts of the ritual itself, are recorded in the Man’yōshū and other contemporary documents, making them among the oldest forms of literature in Japan. These traditions, albeit in a modern way, have still been kept alive and if you find yourself in Nara around August, you must visit the site.

Suzakumon Gate was protected by guards and was usually closed. Its magnificent appearance as the main gate to the palace exhibited the authority of the government inside and outside.. The magnificent gate certainly has an air of dignity befitting the front gate of the Palace.

In front of the Suzakumon Gate lies a statue of Tanada Kajuro. At first I thought it was the statue of one of the emperors but you will be surprised that he was a local gardener who worked dedicatedly for protection of the heritage site.

After the capital was transferred from Nara to Nagaokakyo, various attempts were made to return the capital to Heijokyo, but as time passed, the ancient capital was in ruins as nature slowly took back the city.

Around the end of the Edo period, Kitaura Sadamasa started research on the site of Heijokyo. Then, at end of the Meiji Period, research by Sekino Tadashi and Kida Sadakichi revealed the appearance of the ancient capital of Nara. In between the Meiji and Taisho period, local people including Tanada Kajuro along with Mizobe Bunshiro launched a movement to preserve the former site of Daigoku-den.

If you are willing to stay the evening you can capture some breathtaking shots of the palace. As light falls, the palace is illuminated. It appears as if any moment, we will be transported to the times when the Emperor would address his subjects during ceremonies.

As light falls, the palace is illuminated. The Former Imperial Audience Hall (Daigokuden) at the northern end of the palace was the largest and most important building in the complex. Here the Emperor had his throne and addressed his subjects on New Year’s Day just as the present Japanese emperor still does on January 2nd.

Thanks for reading! I look forward to your comments and questions. If you are looking to explore more of the Mie region, follow my story as I visit the married rocks of Futami

Opening Hours

9:00 to 16:30 (Last Admission 16:00)

Closed Days

Every Monday (If Monday is a national holiday, on Tuesday)
31st December
1st January

Admission Fee

Free

Todai-ji : Home of Buddha

Today we went for a walk to Nara Park to explore the age-old Buddhist temple of Todai-ji (東大寺). Once the most powerful temple in all of Japan, guarded by the fierce Sohei warrior monks, its phenomenal rise eventually forced the Emperor to shift their capital from Nara to Kyoto to stop its growing influence.

After a long week of dull cloudy days, the sun was finally shining through. It was a Monday and I was hoping the crowd would be less compared to the weekends. The last time we were at the park, it was late in the evening and the temple hall had closed down for the day. Shrines and temple in Japan close down early around 5/5.30 pm depending on the season. The last entry time is generally around 30 minutes before closing time.

Mani & I walked down to Todai-ji along the route from Nara University. The lanes on this route are much peaceful compared to the regular thoroughfare via Kofuku-ji. The narrow lanes lined with vintage wooden houses adds to the nostalgia. After walking for about 10 minutes, we were at the Daibutsu-ike pond.

Nandai-mon Gate of Todai-ji

A few paces beyond the pond, we took a right turn to reach the Nandai-mon Gate – a large wooden gate watched over by two fierce-looking Asuras. Eighteen giant pillars, each of 21 m height, support the roof with the entire structure rising to about 25 meters above the stone plinth on which it rests. The Nandai-mon Gate is the largest temple entrance gate in Japan, complementing perfectly in scale to the huge Daibutsuden (Buddha Hall).

The original structure erected during the Nara period was destroyed by a typhoon in the Heian period (794-1185). The present gate, which dates to the Kamakura period (1185–1333), was reconstructed by Chōgen, the monk responsible for restoring Tōdai-ji, at the end of the twelfth century. The ridgepole was raised in 1199 and the structure was completed in 1203.

The Nio statues, positioned on either sides of the gate, were carved sometime in the 13th century by the sculptors Unkei and Kaikei. It is said they took only 69 days to carve out these immensely detailed wooden statues. The massive statues are about 8.4 meters in height and look particularly impressive at night when they are illuminated.

The statues represent the Nio Guardian Kings. Known as Kongo Rikishi , the statues, one with mouth open, the other with mouth closed, are said to represent life and death. In Indian mythology, these two guardian kings are referred to as Vajradharas or thunderbolt holders. I have researched in more detail about the history of Nio Guardians. You can read all about it here.

The 7m-tall wooden kongorikishi statues at Tōdai-ji in Nara were made by Busshi Unkei in 1203.

Just beyond the Nandai-mon, you can find the entrance gate to the main grounds of the temple. This gate however is opened only on special festive days. To enter the compound you have to take a left turn to the corner where you will find a smaller door that leads to the admission ticket booth inside.

Kagami-ike

Beside the gate, you can find the beautiful Kagami-ike pond. The pond features a tiny green island. On the island there’s a small shrine dedicated to three female kami, protectors of fishermen, called Itsukushima. The name of the pond implies its a mirror, and at a certain angle you can see the reflection of Todai-ji in the pond.

From the pond, we made our way towards the admission booth that lies inside the outer compound. The tickets cost us ¥600 per person. After buying the tickets, one has to go past a narrow gate, beyond which you will find a black Urn semi-filled with ashes. Three troll like creatures hold up the urn on their shoulders.

There is a small rectangular box adjacent to the urn called the saisen-bako, where you can drop some money that goes towards the upkeep of the temple grounds. You should avoid throwing your offering so as not to appear disrespectful. While it is less about the amount of the offering than the sincerity of your prayers, Japanese superstition dictates that certain yen amounts bring good or bad luck. Beside the donation box there are bunches of incense sticks. You can light up a few before offering your prayers.

The five-yen coin is considered a good choice for donation because it sounds like ‘go-en’, the Japanese word for luck. The ten-yen coin, however, is considered unlucky despite being worth twice as much because it sounds like ‘tou-en’, which means that your luck will be far away.

Standing at the urn and looking towards the Great Hall is a grand sight. Pictures cannot convey the feeling I had as I gradually started walking towards the main hall. I felt like a tiny tiny person.

Todai-ji’s grounds are spacious. Within the precincts of the temple are an array of other buildings in the hills, including halls and storehouses that spread over a big part of northern Nara Park. Visitors are not allowed to wander into these areas. As you walk towards the main hall, you will find a small structure to your right where you should wash your hands. It is not necessary but recommended.

Todai-ji’s main hall, the Daibutsuden (Big Buddha Hall) is the world’s largest wooden building.

Origins of Todai-ji

Buddhism might have its roots amidst the overwhelming Himalayas, it might have bloomed in the Indian districts of Gaya, but ultimately it found its home in the beautiful islands of Japan, specially in this small part of Nara.

The name Todai-ji literally means giant temple east of the capital. It served as an institute of higher learning for monks and as the headquarters of Kokubunji temples established by Emperor Shomu across the nation to propagate Buddhist teachings.

The reign of Emperor Shōmu extended from 724-749 CE. It was marked by several attempted coups and rebellions, as well as natural disasters and epidemics. Towards the later stages of his reign, he tried to be a virtuous ruler. He was inspired by his wife, who opened medical clinics and cared for the needy. He began to believe that Buddhism could bring protection, peace, and prosperity to his people.

There’s a document that verifies that a decision was reached by the emperor in 734 after he’d been worrying greatly about his leadership. Around that time, many people had starved to death after a series of natural disasters, including drought, famine, and a major earthquake. Such was the anarchy that people stole from one another to survive.

In 741, Emperor Shōmu issued an edict that said every province should have a monastery and nunnery. The system of monasteries was known as Kokubun-ji. In 743, the he announced plans to build a huge statue of Vairocana, the Cosmic Buddha.

History of Todai-ji

Todai-ji is the headquarters of the Kegon sect of Japanese Buddhism and Vairocana Buddha is considered by followers of the sect to be the spiritual body of the historical Buddha – Gautama Buddha or Sakyamuni. Construction of the Great Buddha began in 743. The 53-foot-high bronze statue was cast in eight stages. It included 500 tons of ornamentation made of copper, tin, lead, and gold. The casting process used up all the copper in the Japanese archipelago. The chief sculptor, Kuninaka no Kimimaro, was the son of a Korean immigrant.

Did you know: An artist named Kuninaka no Kimimaro led the original Daibutsu construction project

The vast temple was constructed as a symbol of imperial power and took over 15 years to complete. Once the casting was completed in 749, Shōmu gave up the throne and became a Buddhist priest.

The Daibutsu, or Great Buddha, was more than 60 feet high and included three million pounds of metal covered with gold. The original temple hall is said to have been even more spectacular. It is said that the original was 86 meters wide, so 29 meters wider than the current building. It incorporated a blue-tiled roof, white walls, and lacquered pillars. Built in the style of a Chinese palace building, the main hall had enormous red columns along with a yellow ceiling, green window frames, and a black tile roof. Two 90-meter-tall, seven-story pagodas stood at opposite ends of the from the hall. Both were destroyed over a period of time. The Great Buddha Hall was finished in 751 CE.

Fact-file: Its hard to imagine that Daibutsuden is now only two-thirds of its original size. Wonder how huge it was originally

The construction of Todai-ji and the bronze Buddha used up extensive amount of bronze, and by the time it was completed in 749, it had used up all of Japan’s bronze resources.

The Great Buddha and Tōdai-ji temple were consecrated in 752. The “eye-opening” ceremony was attended by visitors from the Asian continent. The 17,000 attendees included monks and nobles from Japan, as well as monks and dignitaries from China, Korea, and India. Of course, the reigning Empress Kōken was there. So was her father, the retired emperor Shōmu.

Though it was originally founded in the year 738 CE, Todai-ji was not opened to public until the year 752 CE.

Just before you enter the temple, you will find the Octagonal Lantern in the style of a Tachi-gata. The lantern dates from the time of the founding of Todai-ji. The distinctive large fire chamber (hibukuro) is covered with a sloping roof (kasa) surmounted by a jewel finial (kurin). It rests upon a stone base surrounded by small stone posts emanating from the pedestal. Eight panels makeup the fire chamber, ornamented with celestial musicians. The lantern contains four pairs of hinged doors decorated with lions running across clouds.

If you look closely you can find on one of the panels a representation of Krishna, a Hindu deity, playing his flute.

Myths surrounding Todai-ji

There are a number of mythical tales surrounding Todai-ji. I will share one of the interesting ones that is mentioned in the 12th century, Konjaku monogatari shu, a collection of folklores.

The story goes like – after Todai-ji was completed, Emperor Shomu desired to hold a dedication ceremony to consecrate its new statue of Buddha. A monk from India known as Baramon was asked to serve as the lecturer at the dedication ceremony. The priest Gyoki and the Emperor were still deliberating on who will read the sutras. Gyoki, himself being a monk of high regard, who became a monk at Asuka-dera, a temple in Nara, at the age of 15 and studied under Dōshō as one of his first pupils.

One night in his dreams, the Emperor was visited by a heavenly being and was told that someone will show up in front of the temple on the morning of the dedication ceremony. Whether he be a priest or a commoner, he or she should be the reader.

The next morning, the emperor confided in Gyoki, his dream and they sent a messenger to the gate of the Temple at dawn in front of the gate of the temple. It so happened that an old man came along, carrying on his back a bamboo basket filled with blue mackerel.

The emperor firmly believed in his dream and asked the old man to be dressed in religious robes and serve as the reader of the sutras. The old man protested that he just a fishmonger and not qualified for such a task. The emperor however would not accept his refusal.

Did you know: 2.6 million people were employed to construct the original Daibutsuden wood building

When the dedication ceremony started, the emperor had the fishmonger take a seat on the dias, beside the lecturer. The babboo basket with th fish was kept on the east dide of the hall. When the dedication ceremony ended, the fishmonger suddenly vanished into thin air. The emperor was not surprised at this as he had expected something miraculous to happen because of his dream. He asked his attendants to check the bamboo basket whis was still there. To their surprise, theu found eighty volumes of the Flower Garland Sutra in place of the mackarel. The local folk to this day beleive that the Buddha hiself had appeared to see through the ceremony.

It was March 14, 752 CE. From that day on, the emperor designated that day for an annual religious service called the “Flower Garland Sutra” service. And so the story was passed on through the ages.

At the entrance to the main temple building that houses the massive Daibutsu, lies another urn where you can light incense sticks and pray before entering. We paid our respects in front of the incense burning urn before entering the ancient building.

The massive building is somewhat darker inside with a pleasant smell of the incense. Inside lies one of Japan’s largest bronze statues of Buddha. The 15 meter tall Buddha represents Vairocana and is flanked by two Bodhisattvas.

After achieving enlightenment in what is now the small town of Bodh Gaya in Bihar, northern India, Buddha sat for a week in deep meditation and it is this pose that is represented in the giant statue. The current sitting Buddha statue is 72 feet high, weighs over 550 tons, and is covered with almost 130 Kg of gold.

To build such a large statue and buildings, workers had to dig down 2.5 meters over a 90 meters by 60 meter area, larger than a football field – just to find firm ground. Concrete-like layers of clay, ballast and sand were then placed on the firm ground similar to how the foundations of the Great Wall of China was built.

The Todai-ji Buddha has been severely damaged over the years. In one such instance in the ninth century, its head was knocked down during an earthquake. On two separate occasions, first in 1180, and again in 1567, its right hand melted in a fire that also ravaged the temple. The body of the statue was reconstructed in 1185, and the head rebuilt in 1692. The present statue is said to be only two thirds the size of the original.

Todai-ji’s Indian Connection

Todai-ji also has a strong connection with India, my home country. At the time, the Great Buddha and the Todai-ji were erected, many Indian monks were residing in China, teaching Dhamma and translating Buddhist scriptures into Chinese. In 730 CE the Japanese envoy to the Chinese court, met Bodhisena, a Buddhist monk from south India, and invited him to visit Japan.

After a long journey, Bodhisena and his fellow monks arrived in Osaka and later moved to Nara in the year 736. The monk Bodhisena helped spread the use of Sanskrit and establish Huayan Buddhism in the country. On the invitation of Emperor Shomu, when the temple was inaugurated, Monk Bodhisena took a huge brush and filled in the pupil of the eyes of the Great Buddha.

To the left and right of Buddha lies an image of Nyoirin Kannon; one of the 33 forms of Kannon (Guānyīn/ Avalokiteśvara, the bodhisattva of compassionate mercy). Nyoirin Kannon, the bodhisattva of the jewel and the wheel, presides over the six realms of karmic rebirth. The statues were added in the Heian period. These eighth-century statues at Todai-ji can be considered undisputed landmarks in the development of Japanese sculpture.

Here in a corner you can find a replica of the golden horn-shaped decorative roof piece that adorns the roof of Todai-ji, known as Shibi. These tail-shaped roof ornaments were first used in China, and became popular in Japan in the Asuka and Hakuhō periods (552 – 710).

They were positioned on the main ridge of temples and palaces, and were thought to provide protection against fire. Japan’s oldest Shibi can be found at Tōshōdaiji Temple in Nara and are dated to the 8th century.

As we walked towards the back, in the clockwise direction, there lies two towering 30-foot-high wooden statues of warriors. The first one we approached was the Kōmokuten (広目天). He is referred to as the King of the West. He is a Hindu deity incorporated into Buddhism as one of the four Shintennō, a group of fierce-looking guardian deities who protect the four cardinal directions of Buddha’s realm. The four are typically placed around the central deity on Buddhist altars. Kōmokuten protects the western quarter. Like the other members of the Shintennō group, Kōmokuten is typically dressed in armor and stands atop a demon.

The Kōmokuten are generally depicted holding a writing brush in right hand and a sutra in left – symbolizing the power of Buddha’s teachings to overcome ignorance, evil, and all obstacles.

On the other corner of the hall lies the Tamon-ten (多聞天). He is said to be the most powerful of the four Shitennō, with the other three serving as his vassals.

Tamon-ten protects holy places and places where Buddha expounds the teachings. He is generally depicted carrying a pagoda-shaped treasure house in his right hand (from which he gives wealth to only “the worthy”) and holding a spear with his left hand to ward off distractions. He is also believed to have a deadly dragon breadth which is why he always stands with his mouth shut.

In-between the two statues, towards the back of the Daibutsuden Hall, several detailed miniature models of the former buildings are on display.

Another popular attraction inside the hall is a pillar with a hole in its base. It is said that those who can squeeze through this opening will be granted enlightenment in their next life. Quite a few kids were going through in there. I had no chance but I did notice some adult Japanese trying their utmost and succeeding.

We went around a full circle around the Buddha statue and came up to the exit. Several souvenir shops can be found near the exit where they sell charms, hand-beads and other souvenirs.

Outside the hall, to the right of the temple is a wooden statue of Binzuru Pindola Bharadvaja, seated in the lotus position. One of 16 Arhats designated by the Buddha Sakyamuni at his death to keep spreading his teachings. There is a belief that the statue has a gift of healing. if one touches a part of the Pindola in the same part of his body where they have any health concern, it would get cured right away.

On a lighter note, because of its positioning, you cannot reach the back of the statue, so people with back problems can stay away!

According to local stories, one day, the Buddha asked Binzuru to visit a wealthy man whose family was plagued by evil spirits with simple instructions to exorcise the spirits. Binzuru banished the demons in the house. The wealthy man, being grateful, wanted to celebrate. After repeated offers of the drink, Binzuru capitulated to have one as not to be rude to his host. It was not long before he was all drunk and the spirits returned.

Buddha, hearing of this, banished Binzuru from his company. Binzuru, filled with regret, followed the Buddha around the country and sat outside the Buddha’s tent to hear his sermons. On his deathbed, Buddha, acknowledging his loyalty, called for Binzuru and forgave him. He commanded Binzuru to remain in the world as a healer. Binzuru thus always sits outside the temple, so people come to him to ease their suffering.

As we walked out, I noticed many omikuji tied along wooden posts. The omikuji are random fortunes written on white strips of paper at Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples in Japan. When people receive a negative forecast they tend to tie the omikuji at the temple to ward off the negative fortune.

It was truly a memorable experience visiting Todai-ji. I may not be a religious person but I love the wonderful tales these historic places tell.

We wandered around Nara Park all day spending some time at the Kasuga Taisha. The area also has some wonderful restaurants where you can indulge in local delicacies. In the evening, we went down to Ukimido to capture the lovely pavilion in the vivid colors of sunset. Once it was dark and the street lights began to come on, surrounding us in a romantic light, as we walked back towards the city.

I went back to Nara Park various times to capture the heritage site during the night. During these late hours, visitors are comparatively much fewer and it is easier to photograph these mesmerizing structures.

Todai-ji at Night

If you can come back in the evening, the park looks completely different. Late in the evening, the temple grounds close, but the gates around the park are brightly lit up. Apart from one or two people, the area is generally devoid of tourists. With no tourists around to feed them, the deer wander away down to the meadows to graze. This is the Nandai-mon Gate at night.

Past the  Nandai-mon Gate, I took some more shots of the main temple entrance gate.

A few paces to the east, the Todai-ji was also looking beautiful overlooking the Kagami-ike pond. It is because of this beautiful reflection on the surface of the pond that gets its name Kagami-ike or ‘mirror lake.’

You can find more pictures of the Todai-ji temple when I visited it on New Year’s Eve when the main hall is opened to the public even during the night.

Admission Timings

Apr – Oct : 7:30 – 17:30
Nov – Mar : 8:00 – 17:00

Admission Fees

Adult ¥600

Built

752 CE

Built by

Emperor Shomu

Exploring the Yakushi-ji Temple

After spending a couple of hours in the peaceful gardens of Toshodai-ji, I walked down to Yakushi-ji using Google Maps as my guide. It led me along a narrow path along a Canal. The water flowing in the Canal was sparkling clear. I cannot in my wildest dream think of such clean flowing water in Kolkata (my hometown).

I trudged along the path at a leisurely pace. At the first intersection, I asked a traffic cop for directions who directed me towards the gate of the temple. While walking towards the Yakushi-ji temple, I happened to see a lovely courtyard on my right and I went in to take a look.

Genjo Sanzoin Garan, Yakushi-ji

The signboard was in Japanese and the paper map I had from the tourism office did not contain any mention of this place. At the end of the courtyard was a beautiful gate. As I walked nearer to the gate I saw an admission booth at the end of the courtyard. The guy at the counter was of little help when I asked about the place, but he did understand “Yakushi-ji” and offered me a ticket to go inside. From the ticket, I realized that it was the Genjo Sanzo Complex. Priced at ¥1100, the admission ticket to Genjo Sanzo Complex also includes entry to the Yakushi-ji temple grounds.

It was a working day and thankfully the crowd was a lot less compared to Nara Park

In the center of the walled structure is a two-storey red pagoda. The corridors surrounding the pagoda were decorated with Bonsai trees. Along with the tiny trees, the exhibit also featured some beautiful Ikebana (Japanese flower arrangement) flowers.

Towards the end of the passage, in a covered area, I was found some 6 foot high paintings featuring the various places Hiuen Tsang visited on his journey, that culminated with him reaching Nalanda. Ikuo Hirayama, a famous Japanese-style painter is credited for creating these enriching wall paintings. Photography of the paintings was prohibited.

On my way back I was clicking some photos of the red Pagoda when a Japanese guy, approached me. I don’t recall his name but he was quite friendly and we got into a conversation. I told him I was from India. In his broken English and lot of app translation, he made me aware of the Hiuen Tsang connection. Tsang is also known by the name of Genjo Sanzo.

Note: Genjo-Sanzoin is opened only from Jan.1-5, Mar.1-Jun.15, Sep.16-Nov.25

Hiuen Tsang

The Genjo Sanzoin Garan(薬師寺玄奘三蔵院伽藍) was built in honor of Hiuen Tsang (Xuanzang in Chinese, 602-664) , who traveled to India in around 632 CE to seeking learn more about Buddhism. His travels along the Silk Route is something I studied with great zeal as a child. His visit to India was an important event during the reign of king Harshavardhana. We are much indebted to this Chinese traveler for the valuable accounts he left behind, detailing the political, religious, economic, social conditions of those times.

He spent around five years studying Buddhism at the University of Nalanda. He brought from India about 20,000 scrolls of sutras and dedicated his life to translating about 13,000 of them. No mean achievement. For his contribution, a memorial hall was dedicated to him at Nalanda in Bihar, that I plan to visit someday. Built in 1981, the octagonal hall enshrines some remains (a few pieces of skull) of Hiuen Tsang.

It is also interesting to know how the remains of Hiuen Tsang found their way to Nara.

It was in the midst of Sino-Japanese war in 1942, when the Japanese military found Hiuen Tsang’s remains in Nanjing, China. After intense mediation between the two countries, it was settled that both share the remains and enshrine it in their respective countries. The remains were initially brought to Jionji in Saitama. Some of these ashes were later donated to Yakushi-ji in 1981 when the Genjo-Sanzoin complex was built.

Confirming the way to Yakushi-ji, I made my way towards the 9th century temple. Before leaving, I roamed around the beautiful garden of the Hiuen Tsang memorial. In the garden I noticed a couple of big black ravens, almost double the size of any I have seen before. Their crackling sounds broke through the pin-drop silence of the grounds.

Yakushi-ji Temple (薬師寺)

It didn’t take me long to reach the entrance to Yakushi-ji, it’s just opposite to the Genjo Sanzo Complex. One has to cross the road and go past the admission checkpoint. I had to show the ticket I purchased at the Genjo Sanzoin. The entry to the temple grounds goes through a small building
selling souvenirs and books. You can find many books dedicated to the history of the temple, some if English but mostly in Japanese.

History of Yakushi-ji Temple

Yakushi-ji is among Unesco’s list of “Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara” World Heritage Site alongside Todai-ji and Kasuga Taisha Shrine. The temple is the headquarters of the Hosso sect of Japanese Buddhism. Known as the Temple of Medicine, the construction of Yakushi-ji was commenced in 680 CE on the orders of Emperor Tenmu. It was hoped that the grand temple will aid in the recovery of the Empress from a serious illness at that time.

You might be left bewildered that this huge site was initially constructed in Asuka in south Nara, in the Fujiwara capital.

Unfortunately, during the long term of the construction, Temmu himself died and his wife acceded to the throne. For most parts of the temple, the actual construction was undertaken during her reign. In 697, the dedication ceremony for enshrining the Yakushi Nyorai was held and the temple was opened to the public.

Within just 10 years of its completion, the capital was moved to north of Nara in 710. Following this in 718, the whole Yakushi-ji compound was shifted to the current site.

As you walked into the compound, the first thing you will notice is the Kodo hall to your right. A few steps ahead on the right you will find a small building with a huge bell.

Toindo Hall of Yakushi-ji

I kept walking down on the straight path towards the Toindo Hall. Before the Toin-do Hall a temple existed here known as the Tozen-in Temple, built under the instruction of Imperial Princess Kibi during the Yoro era (717-724) to pray for the soul of her mother, Empress Genmei. The present Toin-do Hall was constructed in 1285 during the Kamakura period.

The standing statue of Sho-Kannon (Aryavalokitesvaraand from the Hakuho Period, 645-710), the Honzon of this hall, is enshrined inside Zushi (a cupboard-like case with double doors within is an image of Buddha, a sutra, or some other revered object kept at a temple) in the hall. The statue is said to retain the influence of Indian sculpture style of the Gupta Period (350-650) In the year 1733, during the Edo period, the hall was reconstructed, but facing West this time. The hall is the oldest Zen hall in Japan.

The hall also contains some Nio statues. These photos might be a bit blurry as photography was forbidden inside the hall and I used my heavy-weight 80-400 mm lens to take these.

The below idol of Jikokuten, is part of the four heavenly kings. According to temple records, it is said to be created in 1289 CE and painted in 1296. The idol poses fiercely with its feet on devils while protecting forcefully the teachings of Buddha.

Kondo Hall of Yakushi-ji

I circled around the Toindo Hall and found myself at the front gate of the Yakushi-ji temple. Yes, its a bit weird but the main entrance to the temple grounds is actually at the back.

At the gate you can see two huge warrior statues guarding the entrance on both sides. Niō (仁王) or Kongōrikishi (金剛力士) are two wrathful and muscular guardians of the Buddha standing at the entrance of most Buddhist temples in Japan.

These Nio guardians have their own interesting story. If you wish to know more, read here about the Nio Guardians.

The main hall referred to as Kondo is characterized by two illustrious pagodas on either side. The Hall houses a bronze Buddha from 697 AD. The Yakushi Nyorai, or Healing Buddha, is seated between two attendant Bodhisattvas, Nikko Bosatsu (of the sun) to the right and Gakko Bosatsu (of the moon) to left. The engravings on the pedestal where Buddha is seated seems to be a from a combination of cultures including Greece, Persia, India & China. Originally covered with gold, they now appear black due to the fire in 1528.

The statue was originally cast during the reign of Emperor Temmu in 680 and completed by Empress Jito in 697. It is the Buddha of healing who vowed to cure the disease of the mind and the body.

Note: Generally Yakushi Nyorai is depicted with a medicine pot on its left hand, but the statue in this temple does not have it.

West Pagoda at Yakushi-ji

Yakushiji temple grounds contains two pagodas. Unfortunately the East Pagoda was all covered up for repairs which is going to last till about April 2020. The East Pagoda is a National Treasure from the Hakuho Period. It is about 34 meters high. The East Pagoda (Toto) dates from around 698 AD. This pagoda, miraculously survived the fire that destroyed Yakushi-ji in 1528. It is the only surviving architecture of the Hakuho Period in Japan.

While the East Pagoda is black in color, the West one is red. The original West Pagoda burned down in 1528 and was rebuilt in 1980.

Pagoda means a grave in the Pali, the ancient Indian language

Daikodo Hall of Yakushi-ji

I walked around the back towards the Lecture Hall. The Kodo (Lecture Hall) was rebuilt in 1852. It is the largest hall in the temple grounds.

This hall enshrines Miroku Triad from the Hakuho Period flanked by two Arhats. The Miroku Nyorai is flanked by Houonrin Bosatsu (left) and Daimyoso Bosatsu (right) as you face it.

Shaka Judai Deshi Jo (Sakyamuni’s Ten Great Desciples)

Behind the sculpture of Buddha, with a thin wall dividing the room, are kept 10 idols of Arhats. The Arhats are said to be the followers of Buddha who have followed his Eightfold Path and attained the Four Stages of Enlightenment and are free of worldly cravings. These 10 Arhats formed part of the First Council in Rajagrha, where they vowed to renounce material life in order to devote themselves more effectively to the relief of human misery.

These statues were sculpted by Shinya Nakamura from Kagoshima Prefecture.

Yakushi-ji was burnt down and destroyed many times by fires, wars and natural disasters. However the biggest damages were caused by fires – first in 973 and then again in 1528.

Today only the Yakushi-ji triad in the Kondo, the Sho-Kannon in the Toindo and the East Pagoda recall the grandeur of its original features.

It was already 4:30 pm and the temples around Nara generally shut down after 5 pm. I took some more pictures of the west pagoda and then walked back to the souvenir stalls.

At the souvenir shop I purchased a photo book, containing photographs of the sculptures at Yakushi-ji. The book contains pictures of many age-old figurines that are rarely displayed. I also wanted to buy a bunch of incense sticks, but they were way too expensive at ¥2000 a bunch.

Before moving out, I asked the person at the counter, how to go back to Kintetsu Nara. He directed me towards the train station nearby, but I was still not too sure with trains, and decided to find the nearest bus stop. I thanked him with a smiling “Arigatou.” I believe one can get away, around Japan with just these three words: Arigatou, Sumi-masen & Gomen-nasai… and not to forget, a Smile 🙂

I walked towards the train station looking for the nearest bus stop. I looked for the time-table at the bus stop, but it wasn’t very clear. A girl, probably also waiting for the bus, asked me about JR Nara Station. I told her I was myself going back to Kintetsu and they were in the same route.

We decided to walk back down the road towards the canal to Toshodai-ji. At Toshodai-ji we asked an elderly lady and she pointed us towards the correct bus stop. We waited there at the stop for a few minutes, along with some other tourists before the bus came along and drove us back to our destinations.

Yakushi-ji at Night

If you wait around a bit for the darkness to set, you can also see the wonderful image of the West pagoda lit up by the bulbs inside the Yakushi-ji complex. The summit of the Pagoda, called Water flame lights up in bright golden as the evening slips into the night.

Yakushi-ji has a lot of history. It is one of the seven large temples in Nara that includes like Todai-ji, Daian-ji, Saidai-ji, Gango-ji, Horyu-ji and Kofuku-ji. I was disappointed at first, not to have seen the black pagoda, but still the grounds are a great place to roam around and witness the moments of glory of Nara.

Thanks for reading. Please leave me a comment if you liked the post or follow my story as I visit one the most overlooked temple at Nara Park – Kasuga Taisha.

When was Yakushi-ji built ?

680 CE near Kashihara. Yakushiji was originally constructed in Fujiwara-kyo south of Nara (present day Kashihara city), and was finally completed in 698. The temple was moved to its present location in 718, after the capital was moved to the north of Nara in 710.

What are Yakushi-ji temple visiting hours?

8:30 – 17:00 (last admission at 16:30)

What is the price of admission tickets for Yakushi-ji?

Only Yakushi-ji: Adults: ¥800
Yakushi-ji with Genjo Sanjo-in: Adults: ¥1,100

When is Genjo Sanjo-in is open to public?

Genjo-Sanzoin is opened only from Jan.1-5, Mar.1-Jun.15, Sep.16-Nov.25

Do they have an official website?

yes, please go here: http://www.nara-yakushiji.com/

Photo Walk to Kofuku-ji

Kofuku-ji is both a landmark and a symbol of Nara. It used to be the family temple of the Fujiwara, the most powerful family clan during much of the Nara and Heian Periods. The temple originally is said to have contained almost 150 buildings in its premises, but only a few have survived, and most rebuilt over the years.

I had a quick breakfast at the Nara University cafeteria and head off to Kofuku-ji on foot using the narrow lanes. The route I love to go to Kofuku-ji is via the Sanjo-dori. It is the happening street in the area with hundreds of shops selling souvenirs and local delicacies. There is always a buzz along the street and I love to visit it often, just to have a good time.

A brief history of Kofuku-ji

Today Kofuku-ji is one of the head temples of the Hosso sect of Buddhism but it has had a very humble beginning. In the year 669 CE, Kagami no Okimi, the consort of Nakatomi-no-Kamatari, founded a Buddhist temple on their family estate in Yamashina Suehara (modern-day Kyoto) to pray for her husband’s recovery from illness.

Her literary works appear in Manyoshu, the oldest extant collection of Japanese waka (poetry in Classical Japanese), compiled sometime after AD 759 during the Nara period. In “Manyoshu,” her name appears as ‘鏡王女’ while in “Nihonshoki” (Chronicles of Japan) it is ‘鏡姫王.’ Her poems are said to be composed after Kamatari’s death, in the memory of her husband. She is also widely considered to be the birth mother of FUJIWARA no Fuhito, who later went on to be the founding patron of Kofuku-ji.

This temple which came to be known as Yamashina-dera was relocated to its present site shortly after the establishment of Heijo as the capital of the empire. The temple was renamed to Kofuku-ji and it grew rapidly in size under the patronage of successive emperor and empresses. During that time the Fujiwara clan had great influence over the imperial family and their blessings to Kofuku-ji, propelled its rise to an important influence even in political matters. In the Heian period (794-1180), the temple assumed control over the Fujiwara tutelary shrine of Kasuga and rose to become the dominant power in Yamato province.

Over time with the decline of the Fujiwara clan, the temple lost its shine. The temple was destroyed by the Taira, rivals of the Fujiwara, in the 12th century Heike wars. Financial pressures eroded the political influence that it had previously enjoyed. In 1595, during the reign of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the temple was stripped of its last remaining estates and replaced them with an annual endowment of only 21,000 koku of rice. Although this amount was sufficient for the maintenance of the temple grounds, a catastrophic fire in 1717 destroyed most of the temple complexes.

With waning power, Kofuku-ji became one of the primary targets of the anti-Buddhist policies of the early years of the Meiji period (1868-1912). In 1868, the Japanese government brought out an ordinance called shinbutsu bunri, which ordered the separation of Shinto from Buddhism. This brought to an abrupt end the centuries-old tie between Kasuga and Kofuku-ji. After a few years when things calmed down, Kofuku-ji was granted permission to re-establish itself as a religious institution.

As you keep walking along the Sanjo-dori. the road will open up near a pond, that falls on the right. it is the Surosawa pond. On your left, you will find a stone staircase that will take you inside the Kofuku-ji grounds. These stairs always remind me of the end scene from the movie “Your Name.”

As I went up the stone stairs, midway to the top, there is a left path, where you can find a Jizo statue surrounded by idols of little children. I spent some time here with the Jizo. The idol is carved out of a single piece of stone. It reminded me of the stone idols from our Hampi trip. The Sun was soft and I was able to get some nice sharp images.

The Jizo referred to as “O-Jizo-san” in Japanese honorific language, is a deity fondly loved by Japanese people. You will find Jizo statues like this in many places including Buddhist temples, graveyards, beside lakes, and even at the corner of some streets in the cities. If you are interested in exploring more, you should visit the Hase-dera temple in Kamakura which is said to host, on its grounds thousands of Jizo statues.

During colder times, you will find them draped in red. Jizo statues are clothed in red bibs and sometimes also hoods. What is a bit funny for me is that, you might also sometimes find cans of Sake beside the statues. The Japanese mostly pray to the Jizo wishing for protection for their lost baby so their spirits might go to heaven without suffering.

Three Storeyed Pagoda

Just beyond the Jizo statue there lies a three-story pagoda. This Pagoda was originally built in 1143 CE at the behest of Fujiwara no Kiyoko, the consort of Emperor Sutoku. The current pagoda was recreated shortly after the destruction of the entire temple complex in 1811, making it one of the oldest of the structures at Kofukuji.

The first storey contains a set of four murals painted on wooden panels that each depicts a Buddha. In addition, the goddess Benzaiten (Saraswati) is enshrined on the eastern face of the central pillar.

After taking some shots of the pagoda, I retraced my steps back to the staircase. As you reach the top you will find yourself in front of the Nanendo hall or commonly referred to as the Southern Hall. Before you go for the hall, if you check on your right, you will find a Chuyoza, a place to purify yourself before you go to pray at the temple.

It’s not much of a deal, you just take the ladle, fill it with the running water and wash your hands one at a time. In the end, you let the remaining water drip down along the handle of the ladle where you were holding it, in a way cleansing it for the next person to use.

The Southern Hall

The southern octagonal hall was initially built in 813 by Fujiwara no Fuyutsugu, in memory of his father. The current hall is the fourth reconstruction and was erected between 1741 and 1789. Enshrined inside it is a seated image of Fukukensaku Kannon.

The southern hall is opened to the public only one day in the year on October 17th

Some people were praying in front of the Nanen-do hall. The air was smoky with the incense sticks burning on an urn placed in front of the temple. Beside the temple hall, there is a small shop that sells incense sticks for ¥100. You can choose between sticks for praying for either health, happiness, or wealth. The words are written in Japanese only, so you might need someone to assist you if you are not able to understand which one to choose.

A left turn here will take you to the Hokuen-do. It was built in 721 by the Empress Gemmei and Emperor Gensho to commemorate the first death anniversary of Fujiwara Fuhito. The building originally dates back over a thousand years, and their present reconstructions were completed in 1210 respectively. The building also houses some of the temple’s treasured artifacts but is only open to the public only a few days a year. Notably among them is a set of four images of the heavenly kings that were created in 791, the finest examples of Japanese dry-lacquer sculptures.

The building is open to the public only on special days every year. The dates of this period vary every year, so please contact the temple authorities before visiting.

A few steps ahead there is a flat base, where once Kofukuji’s main building, the Central Golden Hall used to stand. It was destroyed in a fire in 1717 and – although a replacement hall was built on a smaller scale in the 1800’s – the original Central Golden Hall was not reconstructed. Reconstruction works are currently ongoing and are scheduled to be completed in the year 2018.

The Central Golden Hall opened in 2018, I have updated the details at the end of the journal.

For me, Kofuku-ji’s main attraction is the five-story pagoda known as Gojunoto. At 50.1 meters, it is the second tallest pagoda in Japan after Kyoto’s Toji Temple. The construction of the Five-storied Pagoda was originally started in 730 by Empress Komyo, the daughter of Kofukuji’s founding patron: Fujiwara no Fuhito.

Over its long history, the pagoda burned down a total of five times, with the latest reconstruction dating to around 1426. Enshrined around its central pillar, on the first story are a Yakushi triad (East), a Shaka triad (South) and an Amida triad (West) and a Miroku triad (North)

Lots of women visiting the temple were in the traditional Kimono. It was a beautiful sight to see them walking past the ancient temple. If you are interested in obtaining a Kimono for rental, there are many places along Sanjo-dori, but you have to book it in advance.

Eastern Golden Hall

Beside the Gojunoto is the Easter Golden Hall. The Eastern Golden Hall (Tokondo) was originally constructed in 726 by Emperor Shomu to speed the recovery of the ailing Empress Gensho. Rebuilt in 1415, the Tokondo hall is dominated by the presence of a large image of Yakushi Nyorai (the Healing Buddha) along with the Bodhisattava Nikko & Gakko. The hall also features seated images of 12th-century wooden Monju Bosatsu and Yuima Koji, surrounded by standing images of Four Heavenly Kings.

National Treasure Hall

The Kofuku-ji National Treasure Hall (Kokuhokan) was erected in 1959 to house images, paintings, ritual artifacts, and historical documents that were enshrined in temple buildings that no longer exist. Among the most notable treasures are an 8th-century statue of Ashura (one of Buddha’s eight protectors) carved in the 8th century, an even older bronze head of Yakushi Nyorai, and 12th-century carved wooden statues of priests with strikingly human facial features.

While entrance to Kofukuji’s temple grounds is free and possible around the clock, there are two areas that require paying an entrance fee: Kofukuji’s National Treasure Museum and the Eastern Golden Hall. The recently renovated National Treasure Museum exhibits part of the temple’s great art collection and is an absolute must-see for lovers of Buddhist art. Among the many outstanding exhibits is the three-faced, six-armed Asura Statue, one of the most celebrated Buddhist statues in all of Japan. Unfortunately for me, it was closed on the day.

Kofuku-ji is a nice place to enjoy the history of Nara. Besides the temple, there are many other things to enjoy in Nara Park. If you are the explorer type, you should also check out Umikodo Pavilion, when looks stunning at night.

Kofuku-ji in Fall

Since I lived nearby, I came to Kofuku-ji many times. This is a shot of the beautiful pagoda during the fall. Nara Park has a brilliant fall and if possible, you should plan a trip at that time. For more information you can check out my journal of Nara during Fall.

Update: Central Golden Hall

The Central Golden Hall was opened to visitors in October 2018. Initially, the hall was constructed between 710 and 714 at the behest of Fujiwara-no-Fuhito. It has had an unfortunate history, with the building burned down a total of 7 times. The most recent of these fires occurred in 1717. With dwindling finances, more than a century passed before a temporary structure was finally erected in 1819.

However, the hall suffered extensive damage due to a leaking roof and had to be demolished in 2000. The newly constructed hall faithfully reproduces the Nara-period original based on archaeological evidence, drawings, and other historical records.

We came back at night to capture the celebration of the opening of this grand hall. At the time of writing this, visitors are not allowed to photograph the inside of the hall.

Later that night, we had a quiet stroll along Surosawa pond. The atmosphere becomes quite calm once the day tourists go back to Kyoto and you can enjoy some quiet time by yourself near the pond. I have spent many evenings here, just sitting and staring at the surroundings. A vending machine nearby will fulfill most of your needs if you are thirsty.

Kofuku-ji is one of the first temples I visited when I came to Japan and it will always have a special place in my memories. If and when you are visiting do not forget to explore Nara Park, it is huge and you will never forget the experience of the deer moving around among humans as you could only imagine in fantasy stories.

Thanks you so much for reading. I hope you have a wonderful time experiencing Nara as I did. Please leave me a comment if you liked my story or if you need to ask anything. I am also available on Instagram if you want to connect. Peace.

Admission Fees to Central Golden hall

Adults: ¥500
School Students: ¥300

Admission Fees to National Treasure Hall

Adults: ¥700
School Students: ¥600

Admission Fees to Eastern Golden Hall

Adults: ¥300
School Students: ¥200

When was Kofuku-ji built?

Kufuku-ji had a very humble beginning and the first structure was built in 669 CE in old Kyoto. It was later moved to Nara and succeeding generations of the Fujiwara clan kept building on it until it became a massive temple grounds comprising of over 140 buildings.

Who built Kofuku-ji

The first structure of the Kofuku-ji temple was commissioned by Kagami no Okimi, the legal wife of FUJIWARA no Kamatari. To pray for the recovery of Kamatari’s illness, she established Yamashina-dera Temple in 669 CE, which later became Kofuku-ji Temple.

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