Rainy Day Reads

A trip to Japan is all about cherry blossoms, geisha spotting and zen gardens and you can get almost all of that in Kyoto. We spent a few days in the city and used it as a head quarters for day trips around the area too.  Kyoto abounds in temples and old houses and if you want to shop and experience the culture, Kyoto is the place to be, as it is the centre for old crafts like woodcarvings, silks, lacquer and paper goods. Kyoto used to be the home of the imperial court and this of course meant that the city blossomed and was the centre of religion, music, theatre and dance, as well. The city experienced its heyday in the Muromachi period in 1334-1568 AD. Entire neighborhoods became dedicated to a single craft, the craftsmen delivering goods to the court and the feudal lords. The workshops of their descendants can still be found today in the back alleys of the old part of town.  Supposedly Kyoto is the home of 20% of all of Japan’s national treasures, such as mor...

During my big East Asia trip in 2009 I went to Japan and while there I visited Nara. My friend and I stayed in Kyoto and took a day trip to Nara to see the temples and the deer that roam around the area. The temple called Todai-ji is said to be the biggest wooden structure in the world. Inside the temple there is a giant Buddha statue made of bronze. This Buddha is the greatest sight in Nara and has attracted pilgrims and travellers for centuries. It was originally created in 743 AD, when Nara was the capital of the recently united Japan. In the temple there is also a wooden pillar with a hole in it. It is said that if you can crawl through the hole without getting stuck (!) you will have good luck. Nara is smaller than Kyoto and the old buildings and temples are better preserved than the ones of Kyoto. Todai-ji Tenple The Buddha The wooden pillar  Around the park area of Nara Koen there are more than 1000 deer who roam freely around. You can pet them, b...