Before Kyoto became the capital of
Japan in 794 AD, this honour was
held by
NARA , a town some
35km further south in an area which
is regarded as the birthplace of
Japanese civilization. During this
period, particularly the seventh and
eighth centuries, Buddhism became
firmly established within Japan
under the patronage of court nobles,
who sponsored magnificent temples
and works of art, many of which have
survived to this day. Fortunately,
history subsequently left Nara
largely to its own devices and it's
now a relaxed, attractive place set
against a backdrop of wooded hills.
Its greatest draw is undoubtedly the
monumental bronze Buddha of
Todai-ji
, while
Kofuku-ji and several
of the smaller temples boast
outstanding collections of Buddhist
statuary. However, even these are
outclassed by the images housed in
Horyu-ji
, a temple to the southwest of Nara,
which also claims the world's oldest
wooden building. The nearby temples
of
Yakushi-ji and
Toshodai-ji
contain yet more early masterpieces
of Japanese art and architecture.
Nara has the added attraction of
packing all these sights into a
fairly compact space. The central
area is easily explored on foot, and
can just about be covered in a long
day, with the more distant temples
fitting into a second day's outing.
Many people visit Nara on a day-trip
from Kyoto, but it more than
deserves an overnight stop, not
least to enjoy it once the crowds
have gone. If at all possible, try
to avoid Nara on Sundays and
national holidays.
The City
More a large town than a city, Nara
is an enjoyable place to explore.
There are plentiful English-language
signs, the grid street system makes
for easy navigation, and the main
sights are all gathered on the
city's eastern edge in the green
expanse of ...
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