In Nara, Japan, there is a "treasure house" which is only open once a year in autumn - Shosoin. Shosoin was designated as a World Heritage Site in 1998 as part of the "Cultural Heritage of Ancient Nara". The collection here is as many as 9,000 pieces, spanning a thousand years of history. The Shosoin Exhibition has been held for the 76th time since its first exhibition in 1946. Every autumn, the Shosoin Exhibition adds a touch of autumn color to the ancient capital of Nara, and this year's Shosoin Exhibition will be held as scheduled. 
The poster cover this time features a gold-glazed twelve-prism mirror. This is the only silver-tin alloy mirror in the collection of the Shosoin Repository. The decorative pattern is separated by gold threads, which is extremely gorgeous. It is also the oldest and most precious enamel product in existence in Japan. The Shosoin exhibition will display 57 pieces of treasures, 11 of which will be exhibited for the first time. 
 This year, different types of exhibits will also be on display, including furniture, clothing accessories, Buddhist instruments, ancient documents, etc., including a gorgeous brocade elbow pad "Purple ground phoenix shaped brocade imperial scepter" (North Warehouse 47), "Green glazed small ruler" (Central Warehouse 111), "Dark green glazed fish shape" (Central Warehouse 128) and other items used by Emperor Shomu, in order to fully present the charm of the Shosoin collection. 

Nara

Japan

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Nara National Museum

Museums

游侠半仙

The Nara National Museum is divided into an old building and a new building. Photography is not allowed inside the museum, only the Vajra Hercules statue in the special exhibition can be photographed.
The Nara National Museum is located in a corner of Nara Park, adjacent to Todaiji Temple, Kofukuji Temple, Kasuga Taisha Shrine, etc.
In a relaxed and comfortable environment, you can feel the charm of Buddhist art and the rich historical and cultural essence behind it.

Shisui, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Nara

JW Marriott Hotel Nara

Nara Park

Spring Outings

楠走人生

Whether it is a world heritage site such as Dongda Temple, Xida Temple, Xingfu Temple, Chunri Dashe, or cultural exhibitions in major museums, it is like announcing the cultural heritage of the city. Unlike these cultural heritages, Nara Park, where more than 1,000 fawn birds are also known for their charms. How many people come here to spend a leisurely afternoon with fawns! They are like cultural messengers in Nara, waiting for this place loyally; They are more like storytellers, you are close to them, they will stick to your ear unreservedly, like telling you the story of Nara! Come to Nara, buy a pack of deer cakes, interact with the deer, or bring a book, sit for an afternoon, here will make you forget the existence of time, isn&#39;t the meaning of travel just like this?

Tōdai-ji

Historic buildings

一直在路上的猫

Todaiji Temple is a must-visit when visiting Nara. The main hall costs 800 yen and the treasure house costs 400 yen. I personally think that it is enough to just visit the main hall. It is the main temple of the Japanese Buddhist Kegon sect and one of the seven major temples in Nanto. It was built to pray for the soul of Prince Ki, the crown prince of Emperor Shomu. It began with Kinzhongshan Temple established in 728. In 741, Kinzhong Temple was upgraded to Kinkomyoji Temple in Yamato Province, the predecessor of Todaiji Temple.

&bull; Reconstruction process: It was destroyed by war at the end of the 12th century and began to be rebuilt in 1182. Chongyuan adopted the &quot;Big Buddha&quot; architectural style of the Song Dynasty and hired Chen Heqing, a Song Dynasty man, to participate in the casting of Buddha statues and other work.

&bull; Overall layout: Located in the east of Nara, northwest of the Kasugayama primeval forest, it is symmetrically arranged with the north-south central axis. The central axis is the South Gate, the Middle Gate, and the Golden Hall, surrounded by corridors. The temple is centered on the Great Buddha Hall, which is the general layout of the Tang Dynasty pagoda.

&bull; Single building: The Great Buddha Hall is one of the largest existing wooden structures in the world. It adopts a hip-and-gable double-eaved roof with large cantilevered eaves and exposed wooden structure white infill walls; the South Gate is the largest mountain gate in Japan. There is no ceiling in the room. Short columns are used to support the beams, and the beam heads and ridges are all decorated with carvings.
Main cultural relics

&bull; Vairocana Buddha Statue: One of the largest bronze Buddha statues in the world, the statue is 14.98 meters high. The lotus petals around the pedestal are carved with a &quot;Lotus Treasury World&quot; wool carving, expressing the &quot;world of enlightenment&quot; in the &quot;Avatamsaka Sutra&quot;.

&bull; Avalokitesvara Statue: Located in the Fahua Hall, it was completed in the 19th year of Tenpyo. It has three eyes and eight arms, and a dignified expression, symbolizing the ability of Avalokitesvara to save all living beings.

&bull; Moonlight Bodhisattva Statue: In front of the left side of the Avalokitesvara Statue, with hands folded, wearing Tang clothes, the skin on the cheeks and hands is soft and elastic, and lifelike.
Cultural significance

&bull; Religious status: Todaiji Temple is the temple of the Japanese Huayan Sect. It has the mission of studying Buddhist doctrines and cultivating monks, and has become a temple of learning for the eight sects. The Chinese Tang Dynasty monk Jianzhen once set up an altar here to give precepts.

&bull; Artistic value: The architecture, Buddha statues, paintings, calligraphy and other works of art of Todaiji Temple integrate the artistic styles of the Tang Dynasty in China and the native Japanese art styles. It is an outstanding representative of ancient Japanese art and has important value for studying the development of ancient Japanese art.

&bull; Historical value: Todaiji Temple has witnessed the historical changes since the Nara period in Japan. It is an important symbol of Japanese history and culture. In 1998, it was listed as a historical monument of ancient Nara by UNESCO.

Note that there is a hole under a wooden pillar inside. Many people are waiting in line to drill it. You can try it.

Kasugataisha Shrine

A shrine in Nara Park, built in 710, and rebuilt in 768 to protect Heijokyo and pray for national prosperity. The builder was Fujiwara no Fuhito, and it was built for the patron saint of the Fujiwara family, who was in power at the time. With the prosperity of the Fujiwara family, its status gradually increased.

The outer perimeter is free, the main hall is 700 yen, the treasure hall is 500 yen, and the Manyo Botanical Garden is 500 yen.

&bull; Main hall building: The main hall is composed of 4 parallel shrine halls. The surface of the building is all painted vermilion, which is in harmony with the green jungle at the foot of Kasuga Mountain. The corridors, lanterns and shrine halls form a unique landscape painting.

&bull; Stone lanterns: There are 3,000 stone lanterns and hanging lanterns in the shrine, with simple shapes. Many lanterns are covered with mottled moss, showing traces of time.

&bull; Shrine Garden Plants: There are about 300 varieties of plants planted in the &quot;Kasuga Taisha Shrine Garden&quot;, all of which are recorded in the ancient poetry collection &quot;Manyoshu&quot;.

&bull; Enshrined gods: The gods enshrined in the shrine include Takeo Tsuchigumi no Mikoto, Munetsu no Mukoto, Amagaya no Mikoto and Himei.

&bull; Deer Messenger of God: According to the legend that Takeo Tsuchigumi no Mikoto came riding a deer, deer are regarded as messengers of God. There are many deer in Nara Park, which has become one of the characteristics of Kasuga Taisha.

&bull; Cultural Relics Collection: The shrine also houses 3,000 cultural relics, including 520 national treasures.

&bull; Important Festivals: The regular festival of the shrine is the Kasuga Festival on March 13. In the early Heian period, the palace festivals were held here. At that time, the Kasuga Festival was listed as one of the &quot;Three Major Imperial Festivals&quot; along with the Aoi Festival of Kamo Shrine and the Iwashimizu Festival of Iwashimizu Hachimangu Shrine.

Mount Wakakusa

Mountain climbing

&bull; Basic overview: Mount Wakakusa is located in Nara City, Nara Prefecture, Japan, between Todaiji Temple and Kasuga Taisha Shrine. It is 342 meters above sea level and covers an area of ​​330,000 square meters. From a distance, it looks like three overlapping hats, so it is also called Mount Mikasa.

Tickets are 150 yen, and entry is closed before 17:00. If the weather is good, you must come to Mount Wakakusa to watch the sunset, which is really beautiful. Check the sunset time in advance, and come in before 17:00 to take pictures and climb up. It takes 40 minutes to climb to the top. There are three peaks: the first, second, and third. The south is easier to walk than the north. Remember to buy deer biscuits when you come in, because they are not sold inside.

&bull; Natural landscape and ecology: Mount Wakakusa is a lawn mountain. In spring, cherry blossoms are in full bloom, complementing the new green grass; in autumn, maple leaves are like fire, dyeing the hillside into colorful colors. This is one of the habitats of Nara deer, and Japanese macaques, squirrels and many birds live here.

&bull; Climbing routes: There are mainly the Kasuga Primeval Forest Route and the Yagyu Kaido Walking Route. The former is suitable for walking, while the latter is suitable for hiking and exploration. It is also convenient to climb the mountain from the &quot;Wakakusa Mountain Trailhead North Exit&quot; behind Todaiji Temple or the &quot;Wakakusa Mountain Trailhead South Exit&quot; behind Kasuga Taisha Shrine.

&bull; History and Culture: There is a front-front and back-rounded Warblerzuka Tumulus on the top of Wakakusa Mountain. Abe no Nakamaro, an envoy to the Tang Dynasty, mentioned Mikasa Mountain in his works, which is now Wakakusa Mountain.

&bull; Wakakusa Burning Mountain: The &quot;Wakakusa Burning Mountain&quot; event is held on the fourth Saturday of January every year. There are different opinions on the origin. The more credible one is the boundary dispute between Todaiji Temple, Kofukuji Temple, and Kasuga Taisha Shrine. After arbitration, the mountain burning ceremony was held and gradually became a tradition. The mountain burning ceremony started at about 6:30 pm, and the entire 33 hectares of the mountain were covered by fire, which was a spectacular scene.

Toshodaiji

暝逝

Many people must have heard of the term &quot;Jianzhen&#39;s voyage to Japan&quot;, which tells the story of a Tang Dynasty monk who traveled to Japan to spread Buddhism and the advanced culture of the Tang people. The Toshodaiji Temple in Nara was built by the Japanese for Jianzhen after his arrival, and the original structure and many historical sites are still preserved.

Time:	Oct 26–Nov 11, 2024 (UTC+9) ENDED
Location:	Nara National Museum

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The 76th Annual Exhibition of Shoso-in Treasures | Nara National Museum

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