This city has carried its original appearance through the centuries. It was designed according to the Chinese rectangular urban layout and resembled the Tang capital Chang'an.
Nara was the capital of the Land of the Rising Sun from 710 to 794. During this time, Buddhism from China was most actively penetrating Japan. It is for this reason that most of the ancient Buddhist monasteries with priceless art treasures are concentrated in Nara.
Excursion "Nara: towards temples and deer!"
Tour time: 10:00-18:00
- Before visiting the temple complexes, you will take a stroll through the luxurious Nara Parkwhich is inhabited by about 1200 reindeer. It is believed that the first mythical emperor of Japan, Jimmu, descended from heaven and arrived in what is now Nara on a deer. The spotted beauties living in the park are considered descendants of that deer and are called sacred. Tourists can feed them from their hands while strolling through the park and admiring the local beauty.
- Temple complex Todaiji (The Great Eastern Monastery (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) was built in the middle of the 8th century around a grand bronze statue of the Great Buddha erected by order of Emperor Shomu. The statue is 15 m high and weighs up to 500 tons. It is believed that the casting of the Buddha statue and the construction of the monastery involved no less than 101,000 people of the whole country, and the imperial treasury as a result of this project was quite poor. Both the Great Buddha statue and the temple itself were repeatedly repaired, but each time the restorers managed to preserve their original majestic appearance.
- Shrine Horyuji was founded by Prince Shotoku Taishya, who brought Buddhism to Japanese soil. The main hall, five-story pagoda and central gate of the temple were built in the 7th century and are the oldest surviving wooden structures of that era. In 1993, Horyuji was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
- sanctuary Kasuga-Taisya The shrine was built in the 8th century for the Fujiwara clan and occupies a special place in Nara architecture. Along with Todaiji Temple, the shrine is one of the UNESCO World Cultural Treasures. The inner courtyard of the temple complex is decorated with unique bronze lanterns, of which there are about 3,000 in total. The temple has a botanical garden Man'yoshu, which grows ancient trees - eight-hundred-year-old wisteria and thousand-year-old cryptomeria.
- Shrine Sangatsu-do ("Temple of the Third Month") was created in the 8th century. Inside the temple, in the very center of the hall, surrounded by "guardian gods" is a statue of Kannon, the goddess of mercy. It is considered a "place of power" and many Japanese tourists come here specifically to spend time in the quiet peaceful atmosphere of the temple.
- Shrine Nigatsu-do ("Temple of the Second Month"), is located on the grounds of Todaiji Temple, near the main building. In the second month of the lunar calendar (March 1-14), the temple hosts Omizutori, a series of Buddhist rituals that have been repeated every year for more than 1,250 years. The Fire Festival held here is one of the oldest Buddhist festivals in Japan.
