Nara Homestay: Temples and the deer

June 26
So today we woke up at a leisurely 11pm and woke to the delicious aroma of our Homestay mother fixing us some adorable sandwiches and fries.  We then prepared to  leave for the ancient temple grounds of Horyuji.  It was raining and humid but even so, it was very easy to see that this place was special.

  The 187,000 square meter grounds contain the oldest surviving wooden structures in the world.  These beautiful structures preserve images of Japan as it existed during the Asuka Period over 1,300 years ago.  The story of Horyuji’s founding was discovered in 747 on an engraving on the back of an immense Yakushi Nyorai Buddha statue located on the eastern side of the room in the temple’s main hall.  The writings tell of the emperor Yomei who suffered from a deadly illness.  He vowed to build a temple to Buddha as a form of prayer for his recovery.  Unfortunately his prayers were unfulfilled as he died shortly afterwards.  Empress Suiko and the Prince Shotoku in respect for the late emperor completed the temple and built the Yakushi Nyorai Buddha statue which literally translates to “the arrival of the healer.”
               In 670 an enormous fire swept through the grounds, destroying the original temple, however it was gradually rebuilt and completed in the early 8^th century.  Several of the structures have survived since the rebuilding making Horyuji the oldest Buddhist temple in Japan.  Horyuji contains over 2,300 important cultural and historical structures and articles, including 190 that have been designated as National treasures.  Moreover, in December 1993 the temple grounds became the first treasure to be selected by UNESCO as part of the World Heritage list. 

That night for dinner we were all able to try our hand at making our own sushi!  this was a lot of fun, as well as very very delicious!  There were seaweed pieces and cut up fish in the center of the table and the family would roll up their own sushi.  There was even an instance where a  small quail egg was cracked over the top of the sushi roll.  That was certainly interesting meal.


The next day we woke up nice and early to help make some onigiri (triangular shaped rice balls with filling and seaweed)...Despite not having any talent for it Laura and I made some and packed it away for later.  We had to get going we had a lot to see and do today!


Our first stop was at an emperor's former castle/ throne.  The land around it was sprawling and vast.  Fields of tall grasses swayed along the sides of the palace, but a huge area of gravel paved the way to the front entrance.  Unlike all the other temples I had visited thus far the emperor's palace was bright and beautifully colored in tones of reds and greens.  It was truly beautiful.


After that we followed our host family to an area of the park where we got to try on clothes from the past haha.  It was quite hilarious if I do say so myself.  There were 5 layers of clothing...it was not an easy thing to put on.  


Finally we were off to Nara Park and Todaigi Temple.  Nara Park is most famous for its tame wild deer.  Literally the paths were littered with them.  Some of the males had imposing antlers but seemed completely unphased by the human crowds around them.  After sufficiently feeding them some Shika Senbei (deer crackers) we moved on to the reason for coming to the park, the great temple Todaigi.  


This was an absolutely massive building that loomed over the entire park.  There is a reason for its size though, it houses the largest indoor statue of Buddha in the world.  And when I say the statue was big...I mean it was BIG.  The beautifully carved statue sat peacefully upon a open lily and overhead intricate and ornate decorations surrounded his great head.  The entire statue was gold plated but showed signs of its age.  Another interesting little attraction inside the temple was a large post off to the side.  In the post a hole was carved and my partner and I watched curiously as kids began to squirm their way through the tiny hole.  My host father explained how the hole is the size of the Buddha's nostril and symbolizes a rebirth if you are able to go through....I watched with growing anxiety as smaller skinnier and younger children wormed their way through the hole.  Finally after a group og High School boys successfully made it through followed by my partner...I knew it d be the most embarrassing thing ever If I too couldn't make it through.  I mustered my strength and put aside my dignity and began my attempt at amking it through.  After much squirming and struggling I was able to just get out....and a round of applause followed...ugh.  Never again. :P