Impression of Winter Nara

Todaiji Temple

Todaiji (東大寺, "Great Eastern Temple") is one of Japan's most famous and historically significant temples and a landmark of Nara.

The temple was constructed in 752 as the head temple of all provincial Buddhist temples of Japan. Todaiji's main hall, the Big Buddha Hall, held the record as the world's largest wooden building.

The massive building houses one of Japan's largest bronze statues of Buddha.

Nara’s Deer

One of the most memorable experiences when you visit Nara, is encountering the area's wild deer.

Deer’s coat changes from season to season, it looks darker in winter and will become reddish brown in summer.

There is a legend that in AD768, the first of the four gods of Kasugataisha Shrine traveled all the way from Ibaraki Prefecture North of Tokyo, to Mt. Mikasa in Nara, on a white deer. Thereafter, deer were considered sacred, and killing one was punishable by death.

Today, they are protected as Natural Monuments, and revered as holy animals in Nara. The deer are wild, but they enjoy eating the special crackers that are sold around Nara Park, and will approach humans.