Osaka
We left Kyoto and drove about an hour to Kyoto to see yet another temple. This time it was to a Shin Kasuga shrine and Todaji-ji Temple. It houses the world’s largest bronze statue of the Buddha Vairocana, known in Japanese as Daibutso. First built in 768AD by order of Emporer Shotoko. The doors were extremely tall and the hall had many ikebana floral arrangements. Maybe this was one temple too many! Part of the experience is the free roaming deer that wander around the complex and Nara park. You can buy biscuits to feed them. Japanese consider them to be messengers from the Gods. So they are protected and not eaten at all. Todai-ji is said to be the largest wooden building in the world. The current structure was built in 1692, the original from 852 was one third larger again. Bigger and older than the wooden govt house in Wellington! Next was a wander along Dotonburi St in Osaka to our lunch place. All the restaurants place oversized plastic representations of t...
