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Well on Sunday I came back from a week-ish long visit to Gunma (about 100km northwest of Tokyo) to see my grandparents. Glad to say that they are happy and healthy (as old people can be). My grandad picked us up from the train station and on the way home he started telling us to be careful of the bears and monkeys cuz they can come in the house if u leave the doors and windows open 0_0 (They live in the mountains). After a little panicking, and a chat with my grandmother, we were reassured that there would be no bears or monkeys attacking us in the middle of the night. So sorry to say that I have no exciting stories about any encounters with wild animals...

The week was spent lounging around and doing not much at all, which was nice after the busy Kyoto trip. What was especially nice was their massage chair...... oh it is the best invention in the world. It's not just any old massage chair, it has multiple massage settings that feel like someone is giving you a massage. This is something I am going to get for my new apartment... The toilet was so high tech as well! I never once had to lift the toilet lid while i was there - i just pushed a button and it went up automatically. For the boys there is a button that lifts both the lid and the seat. and of course there was a close button too. Plus the usual bum-washer and heater etc. It took a little while to get used to pushing a button to lift the toilet lid. Apparently it used to be sensered (so the toilet would open when you got near it, and the lid would close when u got off the seat), but it was too quick for old people and the seat closed on them cuz they couldn't get up quickly enough!

On the Saturday the folks and I went to do a little shopping at Takasaki train station, and I was able to buy 2 suit sets (one with jacket and skirt and pants, and the other with jacket and skirt) for less than the price of one suit at home! And these weren't cheapy s***ty suits either! What a bargain. I think I'm going to do some more suit shopping before I have to start work next year! Some things can be soooo cheap, but then other things just ridiculously expensive. For example: On the way home, I met up with my aunty and uncle in Tokyo (to see my counsin's play - contemporary drama is almost impossible to understand in any language!!), where I saw a melon selling for ¥10,500 (over AUD$100!!!!) What kind of people buy a piece of fruit for over $100? You'd hope it was the most mouthwatering irresistable thing u'd ever eaten!!! I think I'd be too scared to eat it... I think melons are the absolute most gourmet fruit you can get over there.

Anyway, even though I didn't do much except pretty much eat, it was a nice little rest before uni!

1. Todaiji Temple (World Heritage List)

From Nara train station there was a little walk to Todaiji Temple. On the way, we passed the Horyuji area, but a lot of the buildings in the area were being restored. However, the 5-storey pagoda (Gojunoto) was still standing - it was built in the 7th Century! amazing to think how they could have built anything so tall without any machines or other tools we use today...

After a little bit more of a walk past the museum and through Nara park, we reached Todaiji Temple - the largest wooden structure in the world! The construction of the temple was completed in 752 when Nara was still the capital of Japan (710-794 AD). It's crazy to think that the Japanese were building great structures like this while England was still in the Dark Ages! The temple at the moment is only 2/3 of its original size and it's still the largest wooden building... You can only look at it in awe.

Inside is a huge (16m tall) bronze statue of Vairocana Buddha, cast in 752, although damaged and repaired a few times since then. I felt so tiny standing next to such an enormous statue. One of the pillars in the building has a small opening at the bottom - I think it's supposed to be the nostrel of Buddha. If you can squeeze through it, your path to englightenment will be smoother (or something like that). I went throught it once when I was little, but I didn't dare do it this time. How embarrassing if I had gotten stuck! Although there were some adults with smaller frames who were able to go through - I'm not kidding, it's a tiny hole.

After seeing the temple it was time again to feed the deer!!!!!! (I fed them also on the way to the temple). All the little shops in the area sell deer biscuits for cheap. They pretty much eat anything though - even paper and green tea ice cream, which I struggled to keep from being eaten! And although they can be pretty pushy for the food (even biting me on the bum, biting at my clothes and stepping on my toes), they are also very polite, bowing when they want food like good little Japanese deer. It is sooooooo cute to watch them bow. I wanted to take one home with me!!!

(Mum and me in front of Gojunoto)
(Outside Todaiji Temple - mum and me)
(Todaiji Temple)
(Statue of Buddha inside Todaiji)
(the statue is huge!)
(Two fighting deer)
(Feeding the deer at Nara Park)
(Dad scolding a pushy male deer)
(Handing out more food!)
(can we take one home please!!)

I had fun on this trip, although all the walking around got pretty tiring at the end! Visiting the main temples was enough for me - I think the smaller temples would start to look the same if we went and saw too many more! Tomorrow I'm off to visit the grandparents in Haruna (out in the country for some fresh air). I'll be back in a week!

1. Kiyomizudera ("Pure Water Temple")

Kiyomizudera is the main temple of the Hosso sect of Buddhism, said to have been constructed around 780 by Enchin, a buddhist priest, in honour of Kannon Bosatsu (Bodhisattva of Mercy and Compassion). The temple has been burnt and rebuilt many times - the last construction occurred in 1633.

To get to the temple, you have to walk up a huge slope (lined with souvenir shops on both sides) until you get to the base of the main gate. Then you walk up stairs and through the Niomon gate - it's pretty tiring exercise!! There's a bunch of different areas you can go to once you're inside. I first went inside "Buddha's womb" (I think it was Buddha..) This consisted of me walking barefoot down some stairs into total darkness. I had to follow the bell railing on the side, walking through the darkness until I reached a lightened rock - this was meant to provide relief from the frightening darkness - and pray while turning the rock. Then I had to follow the rail through more darkness before stepping up stairs to the outside. It was pretty unnerving not being able to see where you were going...

Next was the main hall. The view from there was breath-taking - you could see the mountains and the gardens below. At the main hall you could go inside to pray to the statue of Kannon. I had to take off my shoes to go inside, and I knelt in front of the a big bell and banged it with the stick next to it and prayed (it makes a great sound!) (I'm not sure what the proper objects were ...) When I went outside I lit an insence stick and blew the smoke towards me - this is supposed to provide good luck , and I heard somewhere that if you blow the smoke to your head it will make you smarter.

Then you can take a detoured walk through the gardens before reaching the sacred spring, or go straight there. You should take the walk - you can see the pretty gardens and views and there are also places to stop for refreshments on the way. The spring has 3 streams flowing down. You take the scoops and drink from the water - it's supposed to have healing powers and bring good luck.

I liked Kiyomizudera - what is amazing is that (as with pretty much all of the temples in Japan), the main hall (and other parts of the Temple) at Kiyomizudera are all made without using any nails! The way they joined the wood keeps the structures in palce without needing nails or anything to hold them together! Pretty clever! Oh, and for those in need of some luck in love, there is a temple on the north side where you can pray for love and buy love charms !!

(The parents at Kiyomizudera)
(Refreshments at the spring)

2. Sanjusangendo

After a short rest at our hotel, we walked to Sanjusangendo Temple, which was close by. It dates from 1164 and is the longest wooden structure in the world (about 120m long). The name comes from the 33 (sanjusan) spaces between the building's pillars. There is one big main carving of Kannon, and stretching out on either side are 1000 smaller images. Imagine how long it would have taken to carve all these 1001 images! And they look eerily similar too.. Then in front of the Kannon are 28 statues that are guardian deities which protect Kannon and the Buddhists who believe in Kannon. It was interesting to read where all the deities came from and who they were (mostly came from India).

After 3 days of travelling around we were pretty tired, so we decided to call it a day. Off to Nara on Saturday!

1. Nijojo (Nijo Castle) (World Heritage List)

Nijo Castle was huge! It was built in 1603 by Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543-1616) and served as his official audience hall, but he didn't spend much time there. The castle is known for its beautiful interiors and 'nightingale floors', which squeek when you walk on them - it was designed to warn of intruders. I guess it would have made doing any sneaky behaviour with the mistress difficult! We spent a good couple of hours around the Ninomaru palace (the main focus of the castle - where all the reception rooms are with the paintings and nightingale floors) and garden outside. A Path was set out around the castle so we wouldn't get lost, and inside, there were pre-recorded tapes to explain what the rooms were used for and how they were made (NB: explanations are in Japanese).

The interior was amazing - wooden carvings around the edge of the walls (of peacocks and i guess other flowers and animals, I couldn't see further into the room), elaborate paintings on the shoji (doors made out of paper) of cherry blossoms, trees and tigers, and gold trimmings all over the place. I don't even want to think about how much it would have cost to build the place!!

Inside some of the rooms were life-size dolls which helped you see how the rooms were used, and how people were positioned when visiting the shogun. It was interesting to try and imagine how people would have lived in the castle some 400 years ago. As with most other historical places, there was a big garden to walk around outside. The castle is surrounded by a moat, and there is also an inner moat that surrounds the Honmaru Castle (which holds the living quarters). We weren't able to see inside the Honmaru Castle, but in total it was a great place to visit!!

(mum and me at the entrance to nijojo)

(parents outside nijojo castle)

(dad and me at nijojo garden)

2. Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion) (World Heritage List)

After visiting Nijo Castle, we went to see Kinkakuji ("Golden Pavilion"). IT was built by Shogun Yashimitsu (1358-1408) in 1398, originally as his retirement villa (pretty extravegant way to retire!) When he died it became a Zen temple in accordance with his will. The original Pavilion was destroyed by arson in 1950, but an exact replica was built. It's a pretty amazing sight to see - mum would say literally breath-taking. You walk through a path surrounded by trees, and then all of a sudden this golden structure is standing brightly in front of you. The top 2 stories are completely covered in golden leave, and it shines brightly in the sunlight.

When you walk around the lake, you get to see the Pavilion up close, and there is such a clear reflection of it in the water - it's really beautiful. The pavilion is also surrounded by a garden that you can walk through that is very peaceful. At the end you can stop and pray at the Zen Buddhist Temple - I bought a candle to burn at the front of the temple. I really liked Kinkakuji

(Kinkakuji)

(Kinkakuji from the side - dad and me)

(walking up the path in the garden)

3. Ryoanji (World Heritage List)

After a little rest for lunch we headed off to Ryoanji Temple. The main reason people go to visit the temple is to see the rock garden - a 25x10m Zen garden made only of 15 rocks and white gravel. Visitors are supposed to sit and meditate and figure out what the rocks signify to them. As soon as you step into the garden everyone becomes really quiet and you can't help but whisper. One of the rock collections looked like a crocodile and hippo in water with their noses poking out, staring at each other from opposite sides of an island. Another rock collection looked like a wambat coming out of its hole in the ground. I couldn't find anything with the other rocks - it was like trying to find shapes in clouds.

Outside, we walked through a tunnel of trees ( I bet it would be beautiful during autumn when the leaves start changing colour) to a pond garden. There were the most enormous irises I had ever seen in that pond - HUGE! It was a nice little relaxing stroll at the end of the day.

(Rock garden)

(Walking through the garden at ryoanji)

The folks and I went on a little trip to Kyoto and Nara before I have to start uni. It was pretty hot over there, but I got to see some really nice places. Kyoto is a city full of temples, so we just went to the main ones. The hotel we stayed in was pretty good, and cheap to - a walking distance to a lot of the touristy places (including Gion). It was a good trip to get away although it did get tiring in the end from all the walking around we had to do!

1. Ginkakuji (Silver Pavilion) (World Heritage Listing)

Some people find this place amazing, but others find it overrated. The temple itself was originally the mountain retreat of Shogun Yoshimasa (1358-1408). In a tribute to his grandfather, who covered Kinkakuji in gold leaf (see later), Yoshimasa intended to cover his own pavilion in silver, but was unable to do so because of the Onin Wars in Kyoto. So even though it was never covered in silver, it still retained the name.

Ginkakuji wasn't as spectacular as Kinkakuji and unfortunately we weren't able to see inside any of the buildings there. But it has its own unique beauty to it so I didn't mind it at all. I did enjoy the walk through the garden - it was so serene and calming, and it was so well maintained as well! Some people might find it boring, but I liked it!

(standing in front of ginkakuji - me and mum)

(garden at ginkakuji)

2. Heianjingu (Heian Shrine)

The Heian Shrine was built in 1895 to boost Kyoto's morale and economy after Tokyo was made the new capital in 1868, and to celebrate the approaching 1100th anniversary of the city in 1896. The Shrine was built in the Eastern foothills of the city also to honour the city's founder, Emperor Kammu.

The Shrine is bright red, with other pavilions and buildings (also bright red) surrounding a large open space in the middle. It's pretty eye-catching to say the least! It also has a huge garden to walk around in. It wasn't really as well maintained as the garden at Ginkakyji, but it was still beautiful. There was a large pond filled with irses, and stepping stones accross it - I had to be careful not to fall in! There was also a covered bridge across the pond where we could sit and feed the carp, and there were even little cute turtles! The race to the food was savage, and the carp kept stealing the food I was trying to give to the turtle!

(Heianjingu Gate)

(outside Heianjingu)

(Mum and me outside Heianjingu shrine)

(Bridge across the pond)

(Can 'notice' be binding if it can't be understood? ha ha )

3. Gion District

That night we walked down to the Gion District to have a bit of a look around and eat some food. This District is Kyoto's best-known geisha quarter, and I desperately wanted to see a maiko (Apprentice geisha), but it was raining pretty heavily that night, and I didn't get to see any... however, I think I did see a couple of geikos but wasn't quick enough to ask for a photo with them.

There were plenty of bars and sweets stores, but not too many 'average' restaurants that we could find. We didn't feel like anything fancy and we just wanted to get out of the rain. In the end we settled for a simple donburi (egg, meat and onion on rice) eatery which didn't end up being too bad! Cheap and filling!!