6 Walking Tours in Quiet Nara Prefecture

se_0.0

In Japan, a unique figure emerges as individuals have an average of 1.8 religions per person, due to the coexistence of Shinto, Christianity, and Buddhism. Notably, Shinto and Buddhism influence each other, forming nearly a single belief system. The distinction between Shinto and Buddhism in Japanese life is clear: they pay respects at a Shinto altar in the morning and a Buddhist altar in the evening. During significant life events and when praying for worldly well-being, they visit shrines, and when faced with death, they turn to temples. This harmony of Shinto and Buddhism, showcasing the integration of indigenous Shinto beliefs with the foreign beliefs of Buddhism, can be observed in the daily routines, seasonal practices, and life cycles of the people, as well as in the altars of homes and the temples and shrines of neighborhoods. As a traveler in Japan, one will encounter many shrines and temples, understanding that shrines are the dwelling places for the gods of Shinto, and temples house the Buddhas of Buddhism. Kofuku-ji, a temple of the noble Fujiwara clan from the early Nara period, was notably powerful and prosperous among the major temples designated for national Buddhist ceremonies. However, a significant fire in 1717 destroyed most of its major buildings. Moreover, the Meiji government's policy to separate Shinto, considered an indigenous religion, from Buddhism, resulted in the dismantling and demolition of buildings and fences, and the repurposing or export of documents and Buddhist statues. Today, visitors to Kofuku-ji will find only a few buildings and the five-story pagoda remaining.

se_0.0

Nara Prefecture boasts a performance-based culinary attraction similar to Insadong's honey taffy, known as 'Nakatanido.' Here, two individuals work in rapid succession pounding mochi, producing rice cakes famously infused with mugwort and filled with not-too-sweet red bean paste. Witnessing their process is as astonishing, if not more, as seeing honey taffy being made for the first time. Visiting in the morning, one can expect to find long lines, predominantly tourists, eager to watch the mochi-making. The freshly made mochi, priced at 130 yen each, is exceptionally chewy and generously filled with a rich, mildly sweet red bean paste that complements its texture perfectly.

se_0.0

Japanese gardens excavate the good elements from nature and fuse them to create something familiar yet new. The Sakuteiki, a book on Japanese gardens, states that combining various styles according to the pond shapes or land conditions in a garden is the best approach.

Thus, Japanese gardens advocate for the fusion and modification of existing elements when creating a garden. In Japan, rather than leaving nature as it is for viewing, the landscape is arranged and appreciated through the philosophy and technique of reproducing the natural scenery, embedding one's taste in the beautiful landscape sites.

Between Nara Park and Todai-ji in Nara Prefecture, there are two adjacent gardens, Isuien and Yoshikien.

Isuien, preserved since the Meiji period, allows one to experience the Japanese tea garden through the view from the tea house, hiding the landscape of Todai-ji's South Great Gate and three mountains behind the trees within and outside the garden, creating a visual harmony where the garden and the background naturally connect.

Yoshikien, free for foreigners to enter, was once the site of the Kohfukuji temple but became privately owned during the Meiji period. Now it is owned by Nara Prefecture, featuring the current buildings and garden.

Different from the Korean attitude of appreciating the landscape as it is, Japanese gardens exhibit a scene where humans modify the natural to integrate it as part of the garden or its background, indicating that in Japanese gardens, humans are the subjects and nature the object.

Photo, article: Jeong Se-young (@se_0.0)

#Additional information about Isuien

📍Location: 74 Suimoncho, Nara, 630-8208 Japan
📍Admission time: 9:30~16:30
📍Closed: Every Tuesday
📍Admission: 1200 yen (adult), 500 yen (university, high school student), 300 yen (middle school, elementary school student)

se_0.0

Drawing from nature and integrating these elements, Japan's gardens create something familiar yet new. The Sakuteiki, a book on Japanese gardens, suggests that the best approach is to combine various styles according to the pond's shape or the land's condition.

Japanese gardens advocate for the fusion and modification of existing elements. In Japan, the appreciation comes not from leaving nature as it is but from recreating natural landscapes through ideologies and techniques, embodying one's tastes in beautiful places.

Between Nara Park and Todaiji in Nara Prefecture, there lie two gardens: Isuien and Yoshikien.

Isuien, preserved since the Meiji era, offers an authentic experience of Japanese tea scenery from a teahouse, with a landscape that hides the view of Todaiji's South Great Gate and three mountains with trees, creating a visual harmony between the garden and its backdrop.

Yoshikien, free entry for foreigners, was once a temple belonging to Kohfukuji during the Meiji era, became privately owned, and now belongs to Nara Prefecture. The current buildings and garden were developed during this time.

Contrasting with the Korean attitude of appreciating the untouched landscape, Japanese gardens utilize actual nature as part of the garden or its backdrop, with human intervention to make it appear natural. The subject is human, and the object is nature.

Photo, Article: Se-Young Jeong (@se_0.0)

se_0.0

Todai-ji, located in Nara Prefecture, is known by many names such as the world's largest wooden building and home to the world's largest bronze statue of Buddha, central temple of the Kegon school, and the best among Nara's seven great temples. Just as we talk about Bulguksa when mentioning Gyeongju, Todai-ji cannot be omitted when discussing Nara Prefecture. According to records, Todai-ji's predecessor was Kinshoji, built in 728 by Emperor Shomu in memory of his deceased prince. During that period, Japan was suffering from disasters and epidemics, and to provide aid, Kokubunji temples (temples built by the state for the peace and well-being of the nation and its people) were constructed across the country, with Todai-ji as its head temple. Along the path to Todai-ji's main gate, Nandaimon, you can see dozens of deer, typical of Nara Prefecture. A pile of tourists attracts the deer, who follow them, hoping to be fed deer crackers. Nandaimon was rebuilt in the 12th century in the architectural style of the Song dynasty, matching the grand scale of Todai-ji, with two King Kong warrior statues inside that reach 8.5m in height. Passing through and buying a ticket at the middle gate leads to the Great Buddha Hall, where you can enjoy the scent of incense. The hallways connected on either side of the middle gate wrap around the Great Buddha Hall, connecting to the north central gate. The Great Buddha Hall, Todai-ji's symbol, was reconstructed in 1709 after a fire, with dimensions of 57m in length, 50m in width, and 47.5m in height, which is said to be 30% smaller than the original. The 16m tall bronze Buddha statue inside used most of the bronze available to the nation at the time, nearly leading to financial ruin. The contradictions of creating a religious symbol that jeopardized the country's finances during hard times are profound. There are various stones laid on the path to the Great Buddha Hall, representing different countries' participation in the annual Buddhist event hosted by Todai-ji, inviting monks from across Asia. The black stone in the center represents India, the red stones on either side represent China, the light grey next to them represents Korea, and the diagonally laid stones on the outermost part represent the path walked by Japanese monks. While most visitors come to see the Great Buddha Hall, climbing the hill to the east of Todai-ji reveals additional halls, among which Niigatsudo and Sangatsudo are famous. The view of Todai-ji from Niigatsudo is particularly beautiful, attracting visitors. Photos and text by Seo Yeong (@se_0.0)

se_0.0

People often visit Todai-ji only to see the Great Buddha Hall, but walking eastward from Todai-ji, you'll find hillsides dotted with auxiliary halls. Among them, the most famous are the Nigatsu-do (February Hall) and Sangatsu-do (March Hall). Climbing up to Nigatsu-do offers a beautiful view back towards Todai-ji that attracts visitors.

영뽀또

Cute deer follow you around in Nara Park (Deer Park), so buy a senbei and pop it in your mouth as you roam :)
Coming out of exit 3 of Nara Station and going straight ahead will get you to Deer Park :)