Ang Dakilang Lakwatsera: UNESCO World Heritage Site

So you have a day to spare in your Kansai trip? Why not go to Nara. Nara, like nearby Kyoto is an important ancient city in Japan. This city houses a lot of UNESCO World Heritage Sites and other important structures in Japanese history. But unlike Kyoto, Nara is easier to get around in. In fact, you can explore this city by foot (if you have the time and the energy), or take short bus rides to the different destinations. If you only have a day in Nara, you must not miss the following places.

** But before that, I just want to show you the mascot of Nara - a Buddha with antlers. This mascot is the mix of two of the most famous icons of Nara - herds of gentle deer roaming around Nara Park and the Big Buddha in Todaiji. **

Mascot of Nara - cute right? (taken on Sept 23, 2008)

1) Todaiji (東大寺)
This is one of the most famous destinations in Nara. This temple houses the biggest buddha in Japan. Just a side note, the second biggest buddha in Japan is in Kamakura. Ok, back to Nara. Aside from this, Todaiji is said to be the largest wooden building in the world. Because of these, Todaiji is declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and no trip to Nara will be complete without a visit to this temple. The temple is open from 8am - to 4:30pm from November to February, 8am to 5pm in March and October, and 7:30am to 5:30pm from April to September. Admission is ¥500. It is recommended to go here early in the morning so as to avoid the crowds of tourists.

Todaiji Temple (taken on Sept 23, 2008)

The Great Buddha of Nara (taken on Sept 23, 2008)

Another Buddha in Todaiji (taken on Sept 23, 2008)

Wild deer near Todaiji (taken on Sept 23, 2008)

Access:
a) 15-minute walk from Kintetsu Nara Station
b) 5-minute walk from Nara Kotsu Bus Daibutsuden Kasugataisha Mae Stop

2) Kasuga Taisha (春日大社)
From Todaiji, you can walk around 15 minutes or take the bus to Kasuga Taisha which is another UNESCO World Heritage Site. If you are not yet tired, I recommend walking to Kasuga Taisha because the path is very scenic and the approach to the shrine is just beautiful. Kasuga Taisha is famous for its stone lanterns and it also houses a lot of national treasures. The shrine is open from 9am to 5pm and entrance fee is 525 yen. If you go here in Obon (around the second week of August), you can see the stone lanterns lit at night. :D

Kasuga Taisha (taken on Sept 23, 2008)

Lanterns in Kasuga Taisha (taken on Sept 23, 2008)

Access:
a) 25-minute walk from Kintetsu Nara Station
b) 5-minute walk from Nara Kotsu Bus Kasuga Taisha Omotesando Stop

3) Koufukuji (興福寺)
From Kasuga Taisha, you can opt to walk around 20 minutes or take the bus to Koufukuji. This temple is another UNESCO World Heritage Site and is known for its five storey pagoda. You can enter the temple from 8am to 430pm everyday for a 500yen entrance fee.

Koufukuji Temple (taken on Sept 23, 2008)

Pagoda Near Koufukuji Temple (taken on Sept 23, 2008)

Access: 5-minute walk from Kintetsu Nara Station

4) Nara Park (奈良公園)
Nara Park is a very big park in the heart of Nara City. It houses all three temples mentioned above. This is a great place to rest and relax when you get tired from all the sightseeing and walking.

Access: 5-minutes walk from Kintetsu Nara Station

5) Horyuji (法隆寺)
If you still have time, go to the nearby town of Horyuji which is around 15 minutes from Nara City. This place houses another UNESCO World Heritage Site - the Horyuji Temple. This temple is one of the oldest and most beautiful temples in Japan. Even with its size, the whole Horyuji Temple can be explored by foot. It is open from 8am to 430pm. However, the admission fee is 1000yen so if you do not want to pay that much, you can just opt to walk around the peacefully beautiful temple grounds.

Horyuji Temple (taken on Sept 23, 2008)

Horyuji Temple "Guard" (taken on Sept 23, 2008)

Access: JR Yamatoji Line Horyuji Station

In August last year, my company told me to move from Tokyo to Osaka. It was kinda sad because I have grown to love Tokyo, but at the same time I felt lucky since living in Osaka will give me the opportunity to explore the Kansai Region. So I packed my bags and moved to the warm and friendly city of Osaka. I will save my Tokyo stories for later posts. In the meantime, I will let you in to my short trip to Himeji - the first place I visited outside Osaka in the Kansai Region.

Himeji is known for Himeji Castle - a UNESCO World Heritage Site and considered to be the most beautiful castle in Japan. The castle, just like other castles in Japan was transformed into a "museum" and is a popular tourist destination. You can also have a nice view of Himeji from the top floor of the castle. Even if there is an entrance fee of 600yen, do not worry cause it is worth it. :D

Himeji Caste (taken on Aug. 13, 2008)

Himeji Caste World Heritage Site (taken on Aug. 13, 2008)

Inside Himeji Caste Grounds (taken on Aug. 13, 2008)

View on top of the Himeji Castle (taken on Aug. 13, 2008)

Access:
JR Kobe Line Himeji Station: Speical rapid trains are available from JR Osaka Station and will take you to Himeji in around an hour charging the same price as local trains. However, you can still take the local trains if you want but travel time is longer.

Note:
I have read from Himeji's wikitravel entry that Himeji Castle will be under renovation from fall this year to 2014. It will still be open but some parts may be off limits or covered.