5 Best Sights in The Kansai Region, Japan

Famous for the more than 2,000 stone mantoro (lanterns) that line its pathways, Kasuga Taisha is a monument to the Shinto tradition of worshipping nature. The lighting of the lanterns on three days of the year attracts large crowds that whisper with reverential excitement. February 3 is the Mantoro Festival, celebrating the beginning of spring, and August 14 and 15 are the Chugen Mantoro Festival, when the living show respect to their ancestors by lighting their way back to Earth for their annual visit.

Kasuga Taisha was founded in AD 768 and for centuries, according to Shinto custom, the shrine was reconstructed every 20 years on its original design—not merely to renew the materials but also to purify the site. It's said that Kasuga Taisha has been rebuilt more than 50 times; its current incarnation dates from 1893. After you pass through the orange torii (gate), the first wooden structure you'll see is the Hai-den (Offering Hall); to its left is the Naorai-den (Entertainment Hall). To the left of Naorai-den are the four Hon-den (Main Shrines). Designated as National Treasures, they are painted vermilion and green—a striking contrast to the dark wooden exterior of most Nara temples. To get to Kasuga Taisha from Nara Koen, walk east past the Five-Storied Pagoda until you reach a torii. This path will lead you to the shrine.

Completed in AD 752, this temple complex was conceived by Emperor Shomu in the 8th century as the seat of authority for Buddhist Japan. An earthquake damaged it in AD 855, and in 1180 the temple was burned to the ground. Its reconstruction met a similar fate during the 16th-century civil wars. Only the most central buildings in the once sprawling complex exist today. Among the structures, the Daibutsu-den is the grandest, with huge beams that seemingly converge upward toward infinity.

The Hall of the Great Buddha 大仏殿; Daibutsu-den) is a rare example of monumentality in the land of the diminutive bonsai. The current Daibutsu-den was restored in 1709 at two-thirds its original scale. At 157 feet tall and 187 feet wide, it is the largest wooden structure in the world.

Inside the Daibutsu-den is the Daibutsu, a 53-foot bronze statue of the Buddha. His hand alone is the size of six tatami mats. The Daibutsu was originally commissioned by Emperor Shomu in AD 743 and completed six years later. A statue of this scale had never been cast before in Japan, and it was meant to serve as a symbol to unite the country. The Daibutsu was dedicated in AD 752 in a grand ceremony attended by the then-retired Emperor Shomu, the Imperial Court, and 10,000 priests and nuns. The current Daibutsu is an amalgamation of work done in three eras: the 8th, 12th, and 17th centuries.

A peaceful pebble garden in the courtyard of Kaidan-in belies the ferocious expressions of the Four Heavenly Guardian clay statues inside. Depicted in full armor and wielding weapons, they are an arresting sight. The current kaidan-in, a building where monks are ordained, dates from 1731. The Kaidan-in is in northwestern Nara Koen, west of the Daibutsu-den.

The soaring Nandai-mon (Great Southern Gate), the entrance to the temple complex, is supported by 18 large wooden pillars, each 62 feet high and nearly 3 ⅓ feet in diameter. The original gate was destroyed in a typhoon in 962 and rebuilt in 1199. Two outer niches on either side of the gate contain fearsome wooden figures of Deva kings, who guard the great Buddha within. They are the work of master sculptor Unkei, of the Kamakura period (1185–1335). In the inner niches are a pair of stone koma-inu (Korean dogs), mythical guardians that ward off evil.

Named for a ritual that begins in February and culminates in the spectacular sparks and flames of the Omizu-tori festival in March, the Ni-gatsu-do (Second Month Temple) was founded in 752. It houses important images of the Buddha that are, alas, not on display. Still, its hilltop location and veranda afford a commanding view of Nara Koen. Behind the Ni-gatsu-do is a lovely rest area, where free water and cold tea are available daily from 9 to 4. Although no food is sold, it's a quiet spot to enjoy a picnic.

The San-gatsu-do (Third Month Temple), founded in 733, is the oldest original building in the Todai-ji complex. It takes its name from the sutra (Buddhist scripture) reading ceremonies held here in the third month of the ancient lunar calendar (present-day February to April). You can sit on benches covered with tatami mats and appreciate the 8th-century treasures that crowd the small room. The principal display is the lacquer statue of Fukukensaku Kannon, the goddess of mercy, whose diadem is encrusted with thousands of pearls and gemstones. The two clay bosatsu (bodhisattva) statues on either side of her, the Gakko (Moonlight) and the Nikko (Sunlight), are fine examples of the Tenpyo period (Nara period), the height of classical Japanese sculpture. The English pamphlet included with admission details all the statues in the San-gatsu-do.

The important temples and structures are close together; allow about three hours to see everything, allowing for time to feed the deer.

The Kofuku-ji Temple's Five-Storied Pagoda dominates the skyline. Built in 1426, it's an exact replica of the original pagoda that Empress Komyo built here in AD 730, which burned to the ground. At 164 feet, it is the second tallest in Japan, a few centimeters shorter than the pagoda at To-ji Temple in Kyoto. To the southwest of the Five-Storied Pagoda, down a flight of steps, is the Three-Story Pagoda. Built in 1114, it is renowned for its graceful lines and fine proportions.

Although the Five-Storied Pagoda is Kofuku-ji's most eye-catching building, the main attraction is the first-rate collection of Buddhist statues in the Tokondo (Eastern Golden Hall). A reconstruction dating from the 15th century, the hall was built to speed the recovery of the ailing Empress Gensho. It is dominated by a statue of Yakushi Nyorai (Physician of the Soul) and is flanked by the Four Heavenly Kings and the Twelve Heavenly Generals. In contrast to the highly stylized and enlightened Yakushi Nyorai, the seated figure on the left is a statue of a mortal, Yuima Koji. A lay devotee of Buddhism, Yuima was respected for his eloquence but perhaps more revered for his belief that enlightenment could be accomplished through meditation even while mortal passions were indulged. Although Kofuku-ji Temple is no longer a religious mecca, you may see older Japanese writing on ema (votive plaques) left by pilgrims to ensure the happiness and safety of their families. The exquisite incense and the patina of the gold leaf on the drapery of the Yakushi Nyorai create a reflective experience.

The concrete-and-steel Kokuhokan (National Treasure House), north of Kofuku-ji, houses the largest and most varied collection of National Treasure sculpture and other works of art. The most famous is a statue of Ashura, one of the Buddha's eight protectors, with three heads and six arms.

Although parts of the temple are under construction through 2023, most of the complex will remain open.

One of the earliest examples of Western-style Meiji architecture, the Nara National Museum was completed in 1889 to much controversy over its decidedly non-Japanese design. True to Nara's reputation as the seat of Japanese culture, the museum houses sculpture from China, Korea, and Japan, though its collection focuses mainly on the Nara and Heian periods. The West Wing has paintings, calligraphy, ceramics, and archaeological artifacts from Japan, some dating back to the 10th-century BC. The East Wing is used for temporary exhibitions. During the driest days of November, the Shoso-in Repository, behind the Todai-ji, displays some of its magnificent collection.

This temple was founded in 747 by Empress Komyo (701–760) in gratitude for the recovery of her sick husband, Emperor Shomu. Only the Main Hall, which houses many fine objects from the Nara period, remains. In the center of the hall is a wooden statue of Yakushi Nyorai, the Physician of the Soul. Surrounding this statue are 12 clay images of the Twelve Divine Generals who protected Yakushi. Eleven of these figures are originals. The generals stand in threatening poses, bearing spears, swords, and other weapons, and wear terrifying expressions.