Nara

Our second study tour took place on the following Thursday in Nara, where we observed three monumental Buddhist temples: Kofukuji, Horyuji, and Todaiji. Each temple was unique in its own right, and it was interesting to be able to compare them in succession.

At Kofuji, we got to see Gojyo-no-to, the second tallest pagoda in Japan. The scale of the building is impressive, towering over everything else on site. The gesture is a powerful one, making the building feel as though it is effortlessly floating against the boundless skies beyond. This characteristic is made all the more clear when gazing upward from the base. It’s an awesome feeling being underneath a building of such staggering height and detail. Getting a closer look also enables the viewer to observe and appreciate the intricacies of the roof structure, which utilizes an elaborate system of wooden bracketing. One cannot help but wonder at the level craft and precision that goes into the creation of an architectural piece such as this.

At Horyuji, we saw what are believed to be the two oldest wooden buildings in the world, the pagoda and the Kondo of Sai-in. The complex that contained the two structures was peaceful, and was nicely accented by two cherry blossom trees in full bloom.

Our final destination for the day was Todaiji, a temple that is home to the largest wooden building in existence, the Great Buddha Hall. The size was larger than I could have possibly anticipated, and the sheer quantity of elements, both structural and ornamental, is astonishing. In addition, the building houses the world’s largest statue of Buddha, a bronze cast around fifty-feet tall.

Standing before all of these creations proved to be a surreal, otherworldly experience. It’s hard to grasp how something so large can be a product of manual labor. The scale left me feeling altogether a great deal smaller.