Kyoto 13 Nara & Uji Day Trip one of my favorite days

 

They are so cute, they bow for biscuits (shika senbei), which are sold all over the park.  The trick is hiding them and pulling out one biscuit at a time, or you will be rushed by deer. When cornered, split a biscuit and guide the deer with biscuits in two hands.  When you are done, splay your hands and say, See, no more... haha.  It worked for me.  I am the deer whisperer.   I have to see if I can upload some mini clips of them eating.

See this gentlemen's in trouble, he's got the biscuits in his hand and this deer is coming for them.  The deer is like, listen, I know you're holding out on me.

This is a huge complex, I had to skip the prehistoric forest, but did manage to get up to this high point.

to take a photo of the Nara Deer Park and Kyoto in the distance

Buddha's nostril

Devoted Buddhists can earn enlightenment in the next life by crawling through this symbolic nostril.

After watching a number of people getting stuck, um no, not for me, I'll earn enlightenment another way.

He seemed fit, no enlightenment for him.

It's difficult to appreciate the scale here, it's massive.

Todaiji (東大寺, Tōdaiji, "Great Eastern Temple") is one of Japan's most famous and historically significant temples and a landmark of Nara. The temple was constructed in 752 as the head temple of all provincial Buddhist temples of Japan and grew so powerful that the capital was moved away from Nara in 784 in order to lower the temple's influence on government affairs.

Until recently, Todaiji's main hall, the Daibutsuden (Big Buddha Hall), held the record as the world's largest wooden building, despite the fact that the present reconstruction of 1692 is only two thirds of the original temple hall's size. The massive building houses one of Japan's largest bronze statues of Buddha (Daibutsu). The 15 meters tall, seated Buddha represents Vairocana and is flanked by two Bodhisattvas.

This is the big Buddha

This ornament is found on the roof line on each end, and I have something on it, let's see if I can find it.  There is some significance to it, other than facilitating the shedding of water during rain. Shibi - is the decorative tile placed at both ends of the main roof ridge with also serves as rain cover.  It is said that the shape represents an amulet as well as a protective spell against fires.

Okay, back outside to see the deer.  I can't say they were terrifically behaved, I had been rammed by one, who left deer slobber on my coat, he was trying to stick his head into my pocket.  But I had them in my chest pocket, so ha!

So sad, goodbye little deers.

Then I wandered a bit around Nara.

It is a textile center, which I did not know when I was there. :(