Nishinokyo (西の京; lit. the Western Capital) is the western part of Nara City, which was called "Heijo-kyo," the capital of Japan from A.D. 710-784.  The word "Nara" is probably derived from the Korean word meaning "country," which suggests that Nara was the capital much influenced by the Korean culture while Kyoto was greatly influenced by China, especially the Tang Dynasty (唐, 618-907) and the Sung Dynasty (宋, 960-1279).  The current population of Nara City is 365,469 (March 1, 2005).
  
  The following description is quoted from the UNESCO World Heritage Centre :
  
  Nara was the capital of Japan from 710 to 784.  During this period the framework of national government was consolidated and Nara enjoyed great prosperity, emerging as the fountainhead of Japanese culture.  The city's historic monuments -- Buddhist temples, Shinto shrines and the excavated remains of the great Imperial Palace --provide a vivid picture of life in the Japanese capital in the 8th century, a period of profound political and cultural change.
  
  Criterion (ii): The historic monuments of ancient Nara bear exceptional witness to the evolution of Japanese architecture and art as a result of cultural links with China and Korea which were to have a profound influence on future developments.  Criterion (iii): The flowering of Japanese culture during the period when Nara was the capital is uniquely demonstrated by its architectural heritage.  Criterion (iv): The layout of the Imperial Palace and the design of the surviving monuments in Nara are outstanding examples of the architecture and planning of early Asian capital cities.  Criterion (vi): The Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines of Nara demonstrate the continuing spiritual power and influence of these religions in an exceptional manner.

IMAGE	IMAGE NO.	DATA
Yakushi-ji Temple		Late in the 7th century (A.D. 680), the erection of Yakushi-ji Temple (薬師寺) was planned by Emperor Temmu (天武天皇) to pray for the recovery of his Empress Unono-Sarara-Himemiko (鵜野讃良皇后; later Empress Jito [持統天皇]) from a serious illness.  The construction of Yakushi-ji on the site of Asuka (飛鳥), the southern part of Nara, in the Fujiwara-kyo (藤原京), was not completed before the Emperor's death.   During the long term of construction, Temmu died, and his Empress acceded to the throne and was called Empress Jito.  In fact the actual construction was taken over under her reign, and the dedication ceremony for enshrining the chief Buddha, Yakushi Nyorai (薬師如来; Skt. Bhechadjaguru; the Physician of Souls), was held in 697.   The whole compound was completed in 698.  But it was only ten years later that the capital was moved to the north of nara in 710.  Yakushi-ji Temple was also moved to the present site in 718.  The splendid layout of the seven halls including "Kon-do" (金堂; Main Hall), "Kdo" (講堂; Lecture Hall), the East and West Pagodas (東塔 &西塔) were quite the reappearances of the Buddhist Paradise on the earth.  It was then called "Ryu-gu Dukuri" (竜宮造り; The construction of The Dragon's Palace or the Sea God's Palace).   However, Yakushi-ji Temple was burnt down and destroyed fires, wars and natural disasters several times; the largest damage was caused by the civil fire in 1528.  Today only the Yakushi-ji Triad in the "Kon-do" (金堂), the "Sho-kannon" (聖観音) in the "Toin-do" (東院堂), and the East Pagoda recall us the grandeur of its original features.  (based on the official pamphlet with some additional information)
	nnk2005-001	(Saturday 19 February) "Kita-mon" (North Gate) of Yakushi-ji Temple
	nnk2005-003	(Saturday 19 February) The Japanese "Ume" trees near "Kita-mon," Yakushi-ji Temple
	nnk2005-005	(Saturday 19 February) The East Three-storied Pagoda (far left), "Kon-do" (Main Hall) and "Ko-do" (Lecture Hall), Yakushi-ji Temple
	nnk2005-009	(Saturday 19 February) The "Kairo" (Cloister Gallery) of Yakushi-ji Temple
	nnk2005-010	(Saturday 19 February) "Kon-do" (Main Hall) viewed through the eastern cloister, Yakushi-ji Temple
	nnk2005-012	(Saturday 19 February) "Toin-do" (East Hall), Yakushi-ji Temple.  It was originally built in 721 by Princess Kibi-no-Himemiko on the first anniversary of her mother Empress Genmei's death.  The present building was, however, rebuilt in the late Kamakura Period in 1285.
	nnk2005-014	(Saturday 19 February) Statues of "Sei-Kannon-Bosatsu" (Skt. Avalokitesvara; Ch. Kuan Yin; Holy Buddhist Goddess of Mercy) and two ("Zocho-ten" [Skt. Virudhaka; the Guardian of the South] and "Bishamon-ten/Tamon-ten" [Skt. Vaikravana; the Guardian of the North]) of "Shi-Tennos" (the Four Devas), "Toin-do," Yakushi-ji Temple.  Courtesy of Yakushi-ji Temple
	nnk2005-017	(Saturday 19 February) "Jikoku-ten" (Skt. Dhrtarastra; the Guardian of the East), in the east (right) side of Central Gate of Yakushi-ji Temple.  The original statue was burnt down on the fire in 973, then restored and reburnt down twice.   The present statue was reconstructed in 1991 with the other statue and the gate after a through investigation and documentation.
	nnk2005-018	(Saturday 19 February) "Komoku-ten" (Skt. Virupaksa; the Guardian of the West), in the west (right) side of Central Gate of Yakushi-ji Temple.  The original statue was burnt down on the fire in 973, then restored and reburnt down twice.   The present statue was reconstructed in 1991 with the other statue and the gate after a through investigation and documentation.
	nnk2005-020	(Saturday 19 February) "Kon-do" (Main Hall) viewed from the "Chu-mon" (Central Gate).  The original gate was burnt down on the fire in 973, then restored and reburnt down twice.   The present statue was reconstructed in 1991 with the other statue and the gate after a through investigation and documentation.
	nnk2005-022	(Saturday 19 February) "Yakushi-Nyorai-zazo" (the Seated Statue of the Buddha of Healing), Main Hall of Yakushi-ji Temple.  This bronze statue was made in the Hakuho Period (645-710).  The statue of "Yakushi-Nyorai" was originally cast by the order of Emperor Temmu in 680, and completed by Empress Jito in 697.  "Yakushi-Nyorai" is the Buddha of Healing (Skt. Bhaisajyaguru), and the Lord of the Emerald Pure Land in the East, who vowed to cure the disease of the mind and body.  For this reason he was already very popular in Japan before the 7th century.  He is also worshipped in order to achieve longevity.   Although "Yakushi-Nyorai" generally has a medicine pot in his left hand, the statue in this temple does not have it: he sits on the medicine box instead of the lotus pedestal which is the crest of the Buddha.  Courtesy of Yakushi-ji Temple.
	nnk2005-026	(Saturday 19 February) "To-to" (East Pagoda), Yakushi-ji Temple.  This three-storied pagoda, miraculously surviving even in the great fire in 1528 when most parts of the temple were burnt down.  It is the only surviving architecture of the Hakuho Period in Japan.   "Pagoda" means a grave in Pali, the ancient Indian language, and it was called "stupa" in Sanskrit.  Pagoda is naturally different from a tower, for it is the grave of the Buddha.  Yakushi-ji Temple was the first temple which had the East and the West Pagodas in its ground.
	nnk2005-028	(Saturday 19 February) "Sai-to" (West Pagoda), Yakushi-ji Temple.  The original west three-storied pagoda was burnt down in the time of the great fire in 1528.  This pagoda was restored in 1981.
	nnk2005-029	(Saturday 19 February) "Ko-do" (Lecture Hall), the biggest building of Yakushi-ji Temple (a frontage of 41 m, a depth of 20 m and a height of 17 m).  It was rebuilt in 1852.  This hall enshrines another Yakushi-Triad made in the Hakuho Period.  On the eight day of every month the Buddhist Service of Turning Sutras is held in this hall.
	nnk2005-030	(Saturday 19 February) A photo I took on the way to Toshodai-ji Temple from Yakushi-ji Temple.
Toshodai-ji Temple		Although Toshodai-ji Temple (唐招提寺) is located in what seems to be the outskirts of Nara today, 1,200 years ago when Nara was the capital of Japan, this area was a central block of the city.  It was in 759 A.D. that Emperor Temmu (天武天皇)'s son Prince Nittabe-Shinno (新田部親王) granted the land for establishing this temple.  The name "Toshodai-ji" is named after the first chief abbot Ganjin (鑑真; Jian-zhen; Chien-chen, 688-763) from "To" or the Tang Dynasty of China (唐), who was the chief priest of invited by Emperor Shomu (聖武天皇) to teach the Chinese Buddhist precepts to Japanese Buddhist monks here.  Toshodai-ji Temple is also known as "Kenshoritsu-ji," which comes from the fact that it was the first Japanese temple to be devoted to one of China's Buddhist denominations-- namely the Nanzan sect. Great Teacher Ganjin (or Katai-taishi [過海大師]) was the legendary Chinese Buddhist missionary to Japan.  After five unsuccessful attempts to cross over the Sea of Japan,* and losing his eyesight completely, he finally arrived in Nara in 754 when he was already 67.  It was the time when Japan was gradually forming herself into a Buddhist country.  Until his death at the age of 76 in 763, he was engaged in missionary work.  He had an ordination platform constructed in front of the Temple of the Great Image of the Buddha at Todai-ji Temple (東大寺), where he initiated the Buddhist teachings to many Japanese high priests and even to Emperor Shomu (聖武天皇) and Emperor Koken (孝謙天皇).  Ganjin's achievements were remarkably influential across the nation.   Even today Toshodai-ji Temple is regarded as the head temple of the Japanese Ritsu-shu (律宗) denomination of Buddhist teachings. (based on the official pamphlet)   At that time, the sea travel between China and Japan, though the distance is only 1,500 km, was quite a dangerous journey which usually took about two months presumably because of the lack of navigation and the assured sea route.  In the case of Ganjin's journey, he took more than twelve years and even the loss of his eyesight!
	nnk2005-031	(Saturday 19 February) "Nandai-mon " (Great South Gate), Toshodai-ji Temple
	nnk2005-035	(Saturday 19 February) "Ko-do" (Lecture Hall), one of the ancient, magnificent structures of the Tempyo -Era (729-749 A.D.)  It is the only existing example of a Tempyo-Era palace structure.  Toshodai-ji Temple
	nnk2005-036	(Saturday 19 February) Seated statue of the Miroku" (Skt. Maitreya; the Future Buddha); the main icon of the lecture hall of Toshodai-ji Temple.  The figure holds its right palm out toward the worshipper in the semui-in (fear-not mudra) and places its left hand palm down upon the knee.  This pose shows that this is a representation of "Miroku."  An inscription on the back of the knee states that the statue was repaired in August 1287, thanks to the efforts of Shinjo, "priest of soliciting contributions."  Courtesy of Toshodai-ji Temple.
	nnk2005-038	(Saturday 19 February) A haiku monument dedicated to Ganjin by Basho Matsuo in front of "Hongan-den" (Hall of the Original Vow of Amida Buddha; Skt. Purva-pravidhna), Toshodai-ji Temple:   With young leaves shining ---   I wish I could wipe the drops   From your non-sighted eyes.                Basho Matsuo (1688)                (trans. Eishiro Ito)
	nnk2005-043	(Saturday 19 February) A small shrine in front of "Jizo-do" (Hall of "Jizo"), Toshodai-ji Temple.   "Jizo" is the Guardian Deity of Children (Skt. Ksitigarbha-Bodhisattva).
	nnk2005-046	(Saturday 19 February) "Ganjin-wajyo Miei-do" (or "Kaisan-miei-do": Ganjin the Founder's Hall)
	nnk2005-047	(Saturday 19 February) Way to Ganjin-wajyo's grave, Toshodai-ji Temple
	nnk2005-048	(Saturday 19 February) Way to Ganjin-wajyo's grave, Toshodai-ji Temple
	nnk2005-049	(Saturday 19 February) Gate to Ganjin-wajyo's grave, Toshodai-ji Temple
	nnk2005-050	(Saturday 19 February) Way to Ganjin-wajyo's grave, Toshodai-ji Temple
	nnk2005-051	(Saturday 19 February) Ganjin-wajyo's grave, Toshodai-ji Temple
	nnk2005-053	(Saturday 19 February) Hozo Pond, Toshodai-ji Temple

        

Copyright (c) 2005 Eishiro Ito.  All rights reserved.