Japan Tour (7) - Nara: the city at the end of the Silk Roads

20  September 2024

As Japan’s first permanent capital from 710-794 AD, Nara is steeped in history and tradition, and has been so well kept throughout the centuries it’s like stepping into a time capsule from a long-lost world. Home to eight UNESCO World Heritage sites (we visited six of them), Nara was Japan’s first real city.

At its peak, it was home to 200’000 people out of a total population of 6 million. It has no city walls because it was built when the country was at peace. East met West in its bustling alleys and streets. In its markets, merchants from China, India, and Korea sold silks and artifacts they’d brought along the Silk Roads from Greece, India, Persia and the Byzantine Empire, all the way to Japan. The new faith, Buddhism, inspired glorious temples and shrines (until the Buddhist establishment became too powerful...)

Reachable in under an hour by train from Osaka, Nara is an absolute must-see on any trip to Japan.  We did most of the sites on foot but were also happy to use the loop bus (starting from train station) for the longer distances. The temples and shrines are mostly laid out around a huge park, inhabited by herds of deer casually strolling and chilling on the footpaths. Believed to be messengers to the gods in pre-Buddhist times, Nara’s sacred deer have been freely roaming around this city for over a millennium.

Todaiji ("Great Eastern Temple") is one of Japan's most famous and historically significant temples. Constructed in 752 as the head temple of all provincial Buddhist temples of Japan, it grew so powerful that the capital was moved away from Nara in 784 in order to lower the temple's influence on government affairs. Until recently, Todaiji's main hall, the Daibutsuden (Big Buddha Hall), held the record as the world's largest wooden building, despite the fact that the present reconstruction of 1692 is only two thirds of the original temple hall's size.

The massive building houses one of Japan's largest bronze statues of Buddha (15m tall). It took three years to make and more than 350’000 peasants worked on it. Over 2.6 million people were forced to contribute taxes of rice, wood, metal, cloth, or labor. It completely drained the country’s resources of copper and gold. At its splendid opening ceremony in 752, it gathered dignitaries from as far afield as Persia.

Along the approach to Todaiji stands the Nandaimon Gate, a large wooden gate (and national treasure) watched over by two fierce looking statues.

Kōfuku-ji was founded in Kyoto in 669 and relocated here in 710. The original Nara temple complex had 175 buildings, though much has been lost over the years to fires and periods of medieval warfare. Of those that remain, the most impressive are the Tōkondō (destroyed by fire 300 years ago and only rebuilt to its original size recently)  and the temple's two pagodas: the three-storey pagoda dates to 1181 and is a rare example of Heian-era architecture, while the 50m five-storey pagoda, last reconstructed in 1426 (and currently closed for renovations until 2030) is Japan's second-tallest pagoda.

Kasuga Taisha was founded in the 8th century by the powerful Fujiwara family clan to protect the new capital of Nara. One of Japan’s most sacred sites, it was ritually rebuilt every 20 years, according to Shintō tradition, until the late 19th century and is still kept in pristine condition. Many of its buildings are painted vermilion, in bold contrast to the cedar roofs and surrounding greenery. The corridors are lined with hundreds of lanterns.

Hōryū-ji was founded in 607 by Prince Shōtoku, considered by many to be the patron saint of Japanese Buddhism. It's renowned not only as one of the oldest temples in Japan but also as a repository for some of the country’s rarest and most-outstanding examples of early Buddhist sculpture. We saw an entire gallery of Hōryū-ji treasures at the Tokyo National Museum. Some of the temple’s buildings are considered to be the world's oldest existing wooden structures.

Gangoji was the first Buddhist temple built in Japan. Established in 588, also by Prince Shotoku, it was originally built as a seminary for monks and played a vital role in the introduction and development of Buddhism in the country.

The complex consists of several buildings. The main hall, known as the Daikodo, is a designated national treasure and a prime example of early Japanese Buddhist architecture. Another notable structure is the three-story pagoda, which is the oldest wooden pagoda in Japan, dating from the 8th century.

The temple grounds of Gangoji are beautifully landscaped, with serene gardens and stone pathways, reflecting the principles of Japanese aesthetics and creating a tranquil and harmonious atmosphere for contemplation and meditation. The temple is also surrounded by a protective wall, giving it a real sense of seclusion and tranquility.

Unfortunately, we ran out of time before we could get to the Imperial Palace site on the other side of town. It will be our first stop on our next trip back to this amazing place.

Postscript:

·         Temples are Buddhist, a religion introduced into Japan from India via the Korean Peninsula in the 6th century.

·         Shrines are places of worship for Japan’s native religion, Shinto, which pre-dates Buddhism.

·         These religions are closely intertwined and not exclusive, meaning people can follow both.