I must admit, even with my abject love of Japan and all things ancient, I haven't even heard of Nara until my best friend Bevlee Tanedo mentioned to me that one of her good friends, Dado (Dads) Montano whom I have met briefly when I was still living in Cebu, now lived there as an art instructor and resident painter with his lovely wife, Yoshi and kawaii daughter, Juri ^_^
So I brazenly contacted him and reminded him we know each other and that we plan to hang out with him to which he graciously invited us to come!
view of the countryside from a speeding train
brief view of Nagoya
The travel to Nara was about 4 hours on shinkansen (super 300 mph fast bullet train). Nara is not as touristy as Tokyo, Kyoto or Osaka. You hardly find anything translated into English. Nara is very much steeped in old tradition as it is the first capital of Japan. Dads informed me that Japan's historical chronology even has a Nara Period when in 701, the capital city of Heijo-kyo was constructed in the north of the Nara Basin modeled after the Tang Dynasty Capital, China.
Thad snapped this station mural of what Nara must've looked like in ancient times
The ever hospitable Dads accommodated us by freeing up his schedule and showing up even in the rain! Salamat kaayo, Dads! We are so humbled by your kindness. He met as at the station, and of course, recognized me by my flashing pink hair. It felt awesome having to speak a language most familiar to me, Visayan.
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As if this kindness wasn't enough, his super nice, mother-in-law, Tomoko-san drove us around for a bit to see some of the famous sightseeing spots and even bought us our soba lunch.
She also gave me my first taste of persimmons! Yasashi ne!
With inclement weather, Dads suggested we stayed around Nara Park which was more than enough for us since we really only had an afternoon of sightseeing before heading back to Tokyo. So first stop, Kofuku-ji. It is a Buddhist temple that was built in 669 and is part of the UNESCO World Heritage List. Below is the Tokon-do or East Golden Hall. The temple has been damaged by civil wars and fire and have been rebuilt many times but there were other three halls that remain missing.
Goju-no-to (Five Storied Pagoda) is the second tallest wooden tower in Japan.
Nanendo (South Hall)
Next, we went to Nara Grand Hotel that was built in 1909 to accommodate visiting dignitaries in the Kansai area. There have been mixed reviews of this hotel ranging from it being rundown to a most spectacular place to stay in Nara.
I would still opt to stay here if I could, given the history of this place.
The hotel also housed a collection of classic paintings such as these...
...and this one I saw from the second floor mezzanine, piqued my interest that I had to climb up and take a photo of it. It reminds me of a yurei (ghostly woman).
We moved on to Sagi-ike (pond). Dads kept lamenting the fact that the bad weather lessened the beauty of this place. In clearer weather, the view would've been perfectly reflected on to the pond. I believe him. Even on a dreary day, it is still breathtaking...
Dads and Thad
Ukimedo Gazebo and hashi (bridge) with a Thad on it ^_^
Tomoko-san and Dads took us out to lunch for some authentic and delicious soba
and tempura veggies. Oishi desu!
Tempura veggies!
Then we went to Kasuga Taisha. Nara's most celebrated shrine, it is famous for its lanterns donated by its worshippers. There are hundreds of bronze lanterns as well stone ones. Twice a year, they are lit during the Lantern Festival in early February and mid August.
Onwards to Nigatsudo Temple, part of the Todaiji temple complex.
Here's Dads showing me how to wash your hands before entering the temple as part
of the purification ritual.
About to trek the long slope...
The view from where we were...
then trekking down the stone stairway...
Now we're off to see Todaiji, the most famous temple complex in Nara. It is the UNESCO World Heritage Site list. When it was originally built in 728, it was flanked by two massive pagodas. They have long since collapsed and were not rebuilt. The temple is also the headquarters of the Kegon school of Buddhism. This was what it looked like in modeled in scale 1:50
What remains now is only 2/3 of its original size.
To get an idea of how massive the pagodas were, this is one of the spires that used to sit aloft the pagoda.
Deer (sika) are sacred animals in the Shinto religion. They are believed to be messengers of the gods. They roam freely around the park. There was a time when hunting deers was punishable by death. Coming from a state in America where they are hunted for sport makes me sad for our deers...if I can just ship them all to Nara where they will be safe, venerated and fed.
They're everywhere! The temples were all beautiful to look at but the deer sighting was
what I was really looking forward to! I pretty much squealed in childish delight every time I spied one, which was every second.
The gate viewed from outside
Daibutsuden or The Main Hall of the Buddha houses the one of largest enclosed bronze
Buddha statues in the world. It is an impressive structure, even though it is now only 2/3 of its original size, it is still the largest wooden structure in the world.
The weather is doing all sorts of unkind things to my hair while Thad's remains immaculate.
Just a few meters off the entrance is a 15 foot high octagonal bronze lantern. It is one of Japan's national treasures which dates back to the 8th century.
The Bronze Daibutsu Buddha, one of the largest in the world. The construction of the statue nearly bankrupted Japan's economy as they were using all the bronze available.
A massive wooden sculpture of Tamon-ten, one of the Guardian Kings. In Japanese folklore he is considered as one of the Seven Gods of Fortune. In Filipino legends, he is known as Bathala.
One of the supporting posts in the hall has a hole that is said to be the same size as the Daibutsu's nostril. It is believed that if you can squeeze through the hole, you will be granted enlightenment in the next life. I resisted the urge to do this because I was wearing that frilly skirt.
Outside the hall is a wooden statue of Binzuru. He is one of Buddha's disciples. Legend says that if you rub the statue and the rub a part of your body that has an ailment, it will be cured. Since I was still recovering from my upper respiratory congestion and wasn't feeling too great with it flaring up my asthma, I rubbed my chest and throat when I felt a touch on my back and saw Thad offering his ailment cure for me :-) I'm not quite sure what the akazukin (red-hood) is for.
Exiting Todaiji, this little deer decided to walk with me ^__^
Thad and Dads approaching Nandaimon (Great Southern Gate)
or it would've skewered me!
I admonished this one who tried to eat my skirt.
Nandaimon Gate up close
The gate contains two Nio Guardians (Nio means Benevolent Kings), never mind that they look fierce and menacing. According to Japanese belief, these guardians traveled with the historical Buddha to protect him. The statues were sculpted by the great Unkei in the 13th century. The gate itself together with the statues are Japan's national treasures.
I just can't help but be spooked by them though. I remember a scene from the anime Gantz when sculptures that looked like them came to life and started killing people!
Outside the gate, we spied a dango stand!
It was getting dark and we had to catch our shinkansen back to Tokyo. It was so fortunate that Dad's wife, Yoshi was still at her shop so I was able to meet her! She gave us some sweets and tea. What a lovely way to end our day in Nara.
I love deers. I sometimes collect anything that look like vintage, cartoony deers, so coming to Nara with all their kawaii (cute) deer-related omiyage (souvenirs) was a delight! I had a hard time leaving the store because I wanted to buy one of each!
But Dads surprised me with the best omiyage of all, a set of postcards of his watercolor paintings of everything Nara! I am so honored. This is such a truly, wonderful gift. Arigatou gozaimasu, Dads. Salamat jud kaayo!
Aside from his special art classes, he also paints murals and his paintings are used in calendars and postcards. This man is so talented and I am so proud of his blossoming career as an artist in one of the most beautiful places in the world. Look! he's even on TV!
This Nara trip enriched us so much. It's one of the best part of our trip. Tokyo may be world famous with its gritty off beat charm and dazzling lights but if there was a city in Japan I could see myself living in, it would be Nara. It has no pretentions. It has such serene beauty untouched by the passage of time. Tranquility, the order of the day. I may dress loud, for goodness sakes, my hair is neon pink but deep inside I relish peace and quiet and Nara delivers that. It's a paradise on earth for all we know, it is the real Shang-ri La.
So many thanks to Dado Montano, Yoshino Montano and Tomoko-san for their warm hospitality which is I think a ploy so that we'd come back and never leave... ^_^
Next up, off to Yanake, Nezu and Sendagi, the districts that got stuck in Meiji-Showa Era...
