Toshodai-ji temple
The Toshodai-ji temple was founded in the 8th century by Jianzhen, a great Chinese monk who came to Japan to introduce the precepts of Buddhism. Through its architecture, this old temple exudes a majestic atmosphere. It’s not far from the city center, but it feels like you’re in a quiet forest. Its main pavilion, Kon-do dating from the 8th century, contains three large statues of Buddha. To the right of Vairocana Buddha (Main Buddha) stands Yakushi Buddha (Physician Buddha) and to his left, the thousand-armed Kannon Bodhisattva of Compassion. They are breathtakingly beautiful. The Thousand-Armed Kannon is normally depicted with twenty pairs of arms, but that of Toshodai-ji would really have been depicted with a thousand arms. A few have been lost, but this meticulous sculpture is still impressive. You will be able to feel a peaceful atmosphere of Japan of yesteryear in its vast enclosure.
And don’t miss seeing the carpet of moss spread out in front of the Jianzhen tomb. It is carefully maintained.
- The entrance ticket price for Toshodai-ji Temple is 1,000 yen.
- On otsukimi day (the contemplation of the full moon in September), night visits are possible.
Akishino-dera Temple
Akishino-dera Temple, the hideaway located northwest of downtown Nara, offers a peaceful and pleasant landscape with a moss-covered garden. The sunlight passing between the trees on the velvety moss is very pretty. . . This temple houses a statue of the goddess of art, Gigei-ten, otherwise called “the oriental muse”. Her graceful smile is attractive. The head and the rest of the body were created at different times, but as a whole it creates a beautiful harmony.
- The entrance ticket price to Akishino-dera Temple is 500 yen.
The Shohaku Art Museum
Located in a quiet residential area in western downtown Nara, the Shohaku Art Museum houses the collection of paintings and sketches by Uemura Shoen, Uemura Shoko and Uemura Atsushi.
Uemura Shoen is a woman painter from the first half of the 20th century. She specialized in the genre bijin-ga, paintings of beautiful women. Jo-no-mai, the prelude to a dance no is one of her masterpieces. At a time when art was considered a domain reserved for men, she stood out for her delicate way of expressing the beauty of women. Her paintings make us feel not only the elegance of women but also their inner strength. Uemura Shoko (son of Shoen) and Uemura Atsushi (grandson of Shoen) are masters of the genre kacho-ga which literally translates to flower and bird painting (this genre also includes motifs such as animals, fish and insects). The genres are different, but their paintings are full of refined beauty.
- Shohaku Art Museum entrance ticket price is 820 yen.
- In the case of special exhibitions, you have to pay extra.
- It is closed on Monday.