Japan Meets Andrew Marston

The Great Todaiji

Only a few days a year does this upper door open to view the face of the big Buddha from the outside

Kofukuji 5 Story Pagoda

This past weekend I visited Osaka and Nara. The highlight of the trip was the To-kae Festival held in Nara Park. With roughly 502 hectares, Nara Park encompasses three world heritage sites (Tōdai-ji, Kōfuku-ji and Kasuga Shrine), the Nara National Museum, and the Silk Road Exchange Hall. It is also home to over one thousand deer that are considered National Treasures. The To-kae Festival is a ten-day event in the middle of August during which Nara Park is enchantingly lit up at night with thousands of candles. There is no entrance fee to the park or the temples during the event.