奈良縣: Todaiji Temple(東大寺) & Nara Deer Park奈良公園(春日山)

Date: Saturday, 12th April 2008 (Morning) - Day 2

Weather: 16˚C~19˚C (daytime) / 14˚C~15˚C (night time)

Once we checked out from Rihga Royal Hotel in the morning, the coach was already on stand-by to transfer us to next destination => Nara Deer Park & Todaiji Temple located in Nara 奈良縣.

We entered Nara Deer Park first, then passed through a passageway to Todaiji Temple. On the spacious lawns many deer graze on the grass. They just came by 'naturally' and situated near this temple for many2 years..... This park was so crowded! I took a photo of Mom together with Anne & 盈盈 (picture above). Anne is our tour guide from Singapore & 盈盈 is from Tokyo (a Taiwanese but lived in Tokyo for more than 20 years).

Todaiji Temple was found by Emperor Shomu in 728. It was built during difficult time (after World-War 2), the period of poverty, the country was very poor, nobody could help him but he has faith in it. He believed that once this is completed, the country will emerge as a new continent and the economy of Japan will re-establish. He never gave up, he used wood to replace nail, built them layer-by-layer. With the success of this built, everyone thinks he is a god, so they named him 天王. Ever since this incident, even the governors or ministers would want to meet him before they launch any project as they believed Emperor Shomu will bring in lucks!





So, with world's largest wooden structure of 57m in width and 50m in depth is enshrined a 15m tall image of the great buddha (picture above). It was said it's head has fallen off from his body many2 times and being re-installed. Then, Inside the temple, there is one particular pillar which has wide opened hole at the bottom of the pillar and said that whoever can squeezed through their body, he/she will have prosperous years ahead. Do you believe it??





There is another 'god' seated outside this temple (see far right-hand corner of 3rd picture above). Whenever you have pains in your body, be it the hands, legs, head, tummy, etc - by touching it's body (1 time) and touching back our own body (1 time) -> will resulted in disappearing of our sickness, so miracle !!

When we are thirsty along the way, there are free drinking waters available, so, just drink it ka ka ka! (盈盈 also said the fresh water in Japan is clean and ok to drink ne!)