Horyuji

After visiting Nara, I hightailed it outta there because I had places to go, temples to see, etc.! My next stop was a famous old temple called Horyuji, positively chock full of national treasures and all that. This is a very old temple; it was commissioned by Prince Shotoku, the first patron of Buddhism in Japan, so we're talking 7th century.

I took a train from Nara, and then it was just a short bus ride to Horyuji. It was late afternoon when I arrived, so I had just enough time to see most of the grounds.

Below you can see the famous 5-story pagoda. Apparently some of the wood inside it dates to the 6th century, although it has been reconstructed since then. Pagodas like this one are the Japanese version of stupas, memorial mounds; you can't go into them and they are not hollow inside, generally speaking. This pagoda has some well known relics inside, I believe. I would like to revisit this place some day; unfortunately, I can't remember all that much about it. I was starting to get "temple fatigue" by this point, I think.

Was a very cool pagoda though. Below is the main hall, the kondo. It is another extremely old wooden building, dating to the 7th century, although it was extensively damaged later on. There are some treasures inside, including the very famous Shaka Triad (of the Buddha and his 2 bodhisattva attendents). Unfortunately it's so dark it's very difficult to see ANYTHING inside.

This is some random place. I'm not sure what it is, actually. Gorgeous building though. (I looked it up, and it seems to be the lecture hall. Built later, I'm pretty sure.)

The sun was starting to set, and tourists were starting to leave by the time I worked my way through Horyuji. There's another famous site here, called the Yumedono hall. I don't know why I didn't take a picture of it; perhaps it wasn't permitted. It's very interesting though; I believe it's 6 sided. Something like that. It was packed with school children, there are famous works of art within it as well, although the most famous work--the Yumedono Kannon--was not being displayed.

I walked through the complex, and back out again the other side. I was just really struck by the amazing quality of the light at sunset, so I took this picture. It was really remarkably beautiful. This is just some random gate/wall as I was walking out of the temple complex.

I ended up taking the last bus out. Most people seemed to have either walked, or taken some other form of transportation (a lot of tour buses had come out here) and so I was actually one of the few waiting there. It was quite strange. I think of all the places in Kyoto I visited, this is one that I'd most like to revisit (along with Nara.) I tried to fit it all in, not knowing if I'd get the chance to see it again, but in the end I didn't really get to see either one properly. Still, I'm glad I got a little taste of both, in the end. But I'd definitely like to come back someday.