Nara, Kyoto

(Let's pretend I'm still writing this in August, shall we?)  The morning after my climb on Fuji we set out toward Kyoto to find our reserved campsite in Fortress Forest Park.  This site is nestled in a remote place in the mountains.  Without the GPS, written directions, and some gas station employees, we would still be roaming the area trying to find the place.  We had plenty of room for our two tents and a full bathroom within walking distance.  There were other Japanese families camping in the area who made small talk with us and invited my son to play with sparklers after dark.

The next day we set out to find the Golden Pavilion (Kinkaku-ji) in Kyoto.  This is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the area.  It is a Zen Buddhist temple covered in pure gold leaf on two of its three stories.  It houses the relics, or ash remains, of the Buddha.  Walking around in jeans probably wasn't the smartest idea since it was one of the hottest days of the summer.  But, my legs were still marked up and very sore from the climb so I sucked it up.  Soon after entering the park we were approached by a class of students who were obviously trying to complete an assignment for their English class.  Their teacher asked us if her students could ask us some questions.  We agreed and the students (mostly boys) introduced themselves in English and asked us basic questions about our likes and dislikes.  Their responses were written down on notebook paper, so any supplemental questions or comments we added were met with looks of confusion and shyness.  It was funny.

As we moved through the park, we climbed numerous steps and inclines to make our way to the pavilion.  I wasn't sure what to expect, but I thought the pavilion would have been a little bigger than it was.  It sits out on still water framed with perfectly manicured trees. Beyond the pavilion were numerous shrines and stands to buy good luck charms.  There were charms that offered good luck for

everything from good health to passing exam grades.  I did enjoy the gift shop.  The variety of knick knacks, stationery, and coin purses was impressive.  We were also given samples of a tea called "matcha" (maht-cha).  It was very sweet, but not terrible.                                                                                                                                    After walking through Kinkaku-ji we went to search for a place to eat for lunch.  We ended up at an "Italian" restaurant that turned out to be pretty satisfying.                                                                                                                                   

After lunch we wanted to see one of the biggest Buddhas in Japan which is located in a town called Nara.  Again, I had no idea what to expect from this place except a big Buddha statue.  Imagine my surprise at seeing these animals when we first walked into the park! (See deer pics below)

These were free roaming deer that were very used to tourists.  You can buy food for them, but they get pretty aggressive if you don't feed them fast enough.

The main attraction is Great Buddha Hall which houses the world's largest bronze statue of the Buddha Vairocana.  This was the kind of attraction I had been waiting to see.  I enjoy larger-than-life exhibits, and this one did not disappoint.  The main Buddha statue sits just inside the entrance of the temple.  I find it interesting that the hand gesture of the Buddha is a lot like the hand gestures of Christ from European Renaissance paintings.  The Hall houses other Buddhist statues of similar size including a souvenir stand.   

One of the most interesting statues sits just outside the Great Hall on the right (pictured below). This is a statue of a Buddhist disciple. The white plaque instructs you to rub a part of your body that ails you, then rub the same body part on the statue, and you will be healed of your physical suffering.

Great Buddha Hall

Entrance to the Hall.  Notice the unbelievable door size!

I highly recommend visiting this area if you have the chance.  The entrance fees are affordable, and the unique architecture and statues are amazing.  Just don't do it after an epic mountain climb. The stairs are a killer!