Before I traveled to Japan, I had done a great deal of thinking what I was going to do when I had finished my pilgrimage on Shikoku. Nothing really stood out, which had nothing to do with there being nothing at all to do. There were lots of things I would like to do. Climbing Fujisan stood of course high on the list. I was also tempted to visit the ethereal and the scary so-called suicide forest of Aokigahara (Sea of Trees). Time on the other hand, was something I had no real control over. Over the course of my pilgrimage, however, I quickly forgot all about what happened afterwards. Thankfully, it sort of fixed itself in a way.
The pagoda at Kōfukuji in the evening.
After finishing my pilgrimage at Kōyasan, I journeyed to Nara. I had to switch some trains to get there, but it was all nice just to sit and relax and watch the scenery unfold outside the windows. I will meet Tomohiro-san at a train station in Nara, but I arrive a little time before our meeting time, so I get to do a short evening walk near the train station. Where I visit the Kōfukuji temple and the small pond close by it. Meeting Tomohiro-san is a good moment. He comes from work and then we drive to his home. To be invited home to a stranger is a great act of kindness and hospitality.
Nan'endō at Kōfukuji, part of the Saigoku 33 Temples Pilgrimage.
A pond in Nara in the evening, Kōfukuji pagoda at the back.
He gave me the choice of visiting Nara or Kyoto, they live between those two large cities, but Nara is closer. I reckon I might be able to see some of Kyoto on the return trip to Tokyo, so I agree that Nara is the best option as we also will have better time than Kyoto there. Driving to Nara we are lucky with the weather too. Nara was once the capital of Japan, before it was moved to Kyoto. There are no lack of temples and sights to see.
The main hall of the Tōdaiji temple.
The large bronze Buddha inside Tōdaiji.
In Nara we first visit the huge Tōdaiji, the Eastern Great Temple. The main temple hall is huge, not to think of that the original main hall that burned down was even larger (30% bigger). It was the largest wooden building in the world until 1998. Inside is the largest bronze statue of a Buddha in the world, Vairocana, about 15m tall. Being here is so different than at a temple on Shikoku. At one hand the temple is magnificent, on the other hand you feel so small next to it. And then there is the crowd of course. There is so much to a small temple too. The gate to Tōdaiji, Nandaimon, is huge as the Daimon-gate of Kōyasan, but appear a lot more worn. Tōdaiji is the headquarters of the Kegon school of Buddhism.
Binzuru (Pindola Bharadvaja) Wood from the 18th Century Edo period. Pindola was one of the disciples of the Buddha who is said to have excelled in the mastery of occult powers. It is believed that if you rubs a part of the image of Binzuru and then rubs the corresponding part of your own body, you will be free of any ailment on that part of your body.
If you walk into Nara Kōen (park) unaware or not warned of the deers, you might be in for a surprise. They are everywhere, almost domesticated. And they are hungry. Some has even learned to bow to you to get food. Thus restrictions has been made to what kind of food you should give them. Which again provides another way for streetvendors to sell goods, specialized food for deers (deer-crackers for instance). It is kind of fun to feed the deers. There are more than 1200 of them. Before the second world war, the sika deers were considered divine and sacred, but after the war they were stripped of that status and instead designated national treasures.
Feeding deer next to a remaining part of one of the pagodas that burned down at Tōdaiji, the top spire.
Nara Kōen holds several temples and shrines. And it is an atmospheric walk going through the park. Stone lanterns, and of course the appearance of the deers between them. We go to the Kasuga-taisha shrine. Besides the usual wonderful architecture, the one thing that stands out at this shrine is the lanterns, many of them in bronze. At the compound there is also a Chaya, a traditional Japanese teahouse offering tea to the guests.
Deerfeeding at Nara Park.
Kagamiike pond in Tōdaiji.
Of course, now I am a tourist. It is good to have Tomohiro-san and his wife guiding me around too, they can tell me about the places we visit. Hopefully, I am not a too demanding tourist.
The huge Nandaimon gate.
We end our tour of Nara with a visit to Kōfukuji (the Hossō school) and an exposition of the significant statues attached to the temple. On a sidenote, the Nan'endō (South Octagonal Hall) of this temple is a part of the Saigoku 33 Temples Kannon Pilgrimage.
Kasuga-taisha shrine.
Ancient stone lanterns and deer bowing to get food.
Before we leave however, I persuade Tomohiro-san to drive me up to Wakakusayama. I had been intrigued by the open landscape that we could see from the city, the result of a forest fire some years ago. My fascination of ridgewalks are always at play. Lots of deer there too. From the open top, with nice views of Nara with deers in the foreground, I walk down on an open ridge. Now I have The Ridgeway fresh in memory. I try to be as quick as I can, a short but wonderful small walk down to an open area with most of the temples of Nara visible below and up again.
At Wakakusayama, with views of Nara and an abundance of deers.
We then travel back home to Tomohiro's home. For dinner he makes okonomiyaki, traditional Japanese pancakes. It is very good. I am guite short of words when it comes to describe how grateful I am of this hospitality.
View of Nara from Wakakusayama.
Tomorrow I will travel back to Tokyo, but a visit to Kyoto on the way is sort of mandatory. I need to change trains there anyway. After almost 50 days in Japan, it feels strange to know that I am soon on my way back to Norway. Like it always is when I have finished one of my long distance trails. I also cannot help compare this experience to the one I had after I hiked the Baekdudaegan in South-Korea three years ago. Then I met Mr. Cho Byeongsam, who also invited me to his home after I had finished my walk.
Looking at Tōdaiji from the road to Wakakusayama.
A wonderful epilogue to my Shikoku 88 Temples Pilgrimage.
<- KōyasanEpilogue: Kyoto ->
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