ticket to nara from keihan station
inside the train station, changing trains
i totally love japan's vending machines!
a monk just outside the kintetsu nara train station (to his left is the road going towards the deers and the todaiji temple
one of the many deers roaming freely on the streets and parks towards the todaiji temple
the temple is so near! there's the rooftop now!
and we were sadly mistaken. this was just the gate of the temple. it's so beautiful. just like in the movies where the gates are made of wood and the color is faded red and brown, weathered by time.
the entrance to the todaiji temple
(entrance fee was around 500Y)
the todaiji temple was created around the middle of 700 (conflicting dates from different sources) by an emperor. it is said that this was created so that people can be protected from epidemics and to be able to consolidate the seat of power in the area. this temple is one of the biggest wooden structure in the world.
the Daibutsu is Japan's largest bronze Buddha and is also found inside the temple
the hole in the pillar is said to be the size of the Daibutsu's nostril and whoever can pass through it will have enlightenment in their afterlife. i didn't try this though coz there were so many people lining up and we were in a hurry to leave because we were all so hungry at this time.
Tamon-ten, one of the standing Four Heavenly Kings
my lunch at this famous Italian restaurant (forgot the name, though). yummy!
would you believe that this is inside a train? we actually thought that this was our train and we were so amazed. unfortunately, there were no other people around and this made us doubt that this is a regular train so we left. we were lucky we did because we realized that if we were inside when it left, we would have to pay lotsa lots of yen for the fare!
this was the right train! so ordinary!
for our last night at kyoto, we just had to visit the Gion district where the Geishas are. we did not see one, though we saw lots of geisha paparazzi. do you know that there are such things as them??? :) they hang around the street hoping to get a picture of a geisha coming out of the "pubs." we went and looked at the "pubs" menu and oh were they so expensive! imagine, steak for 18,000Y?! no way!
lakwatsera me on a Gion street marker. notice the geisha fan.
one of the restaurants with geisha inside
(we know this because security is so tight, we can't even have a glimpse inside!)
09/28/10
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