Nara : The City of the Deer & Todai-Ji

Nara is the capital of Japan’s Nara Prefecture, in south-central Honshu. The city has significant temples and artwork dating to the 8th century, when it was Japan’s capital.

The city has its fare share of castles, temples, parks and wild life. The best and the most amazing site being the Deer Park outside Todai-ji Temple.

Daibutsu, Tōdai-ji’s 15m-high bronze Buddha, is displayed in a large wooden hall. On the park’s east side is the Shinto shrine Kasuga Taisha, which dates to 768 A.D. and more than 3,000 lanterns.

Todaiji Temple is a famous Buddhist temple located in Nara, Japan. The temple is renowned for its Great Buddha Hall, which houses the world’s largest bronze statue of the Buddha Vairocana, known as Daibutsu in Japanese. The temple was originally built in the 8th century, during the Nara period, and has since undergone numerous renovations and expansions.

Todaiji Temple played a significant role in the development of Buddhism in Japan and is regarded as one of the country’s most important cultural assets. The temple grounds also feature several other important structures, including the Nandaimon Gate, which is the largest wooden gate in Japan, and the Shosoin Repository, which houses a collection of treasures from the Nara period.

The temple has a big courtyard and deer roam freely in Nara Park, site of Tōdai-ji temple. This is a site to to be seen as there are hundreds of them roaming in the temple courtyard, parks and even the main streets of Nara.

This place can be covered in half a day. However, if you want to see the Omizutori ceremony (details below) then you may want to plan this in the evening so that you see the temple and then the ceremony.

Make sure to check the schedule of ceremony on their website.

We could not attend this ceremony  as we planned our trip in the morning and my son was a bit tired to stay there for the rest of the day.

Places to see in Nara (half a day):

• Todai Ji Temple
• Deer Park (Todai ji Temple courtyard)
• Omizutori – Buddist ceremonies with fire and water (happens in the evening after sunset). Ten minute walk from Todaiji Temple.

Getting There: Once you reach Nara Train station (assuming you came from Osaka or Kyoto), you can take a bus from outside the station  which will drop you at the temple.

Travel Time by bus: 10 mins.