Nara excursion
Nara Deer Park visit, Todai-ji temple visit, Kasuga Grand Shrine visit
Details: Nara excursion
Nara can be an eye-opening experience. The enormous 50-foot bronze Buddha statue in Todai-ji was dedicated in AD 752 by having a priest symbolically “open his eyes” by scrambling up and painting them in (the original paintbrush remains at the temple); strings dangling off the brush allowed the dignitaries on the ground to hang on and participate in the action. The sense of “more is better” continues at Kasuga Shrine, where a thousand intricate bronze lanterns hang prettily off the building. Don’t bother the wild deer roaming the adjacent Nara Park — once considered messengers of the gods, they are still a nationally protected treasure.
Details: Todai-ji temple visit
Todai-ji is one of Japan’s most famous and historically significant temples and a landmark of Nara. The massive building houses one of Japan’s largest bronze statues of Buddha (Daibutsu). At 15 meters tall, the seated Buddha represents Vairocana and is flanked by two Bodhisattvas.
Details: Kasuga Grand Shrine visit
Nara’s most celebrated Shinto shrine.
Kyoto guided sightseeing tour
Kinkaku-ji temple (Golden Pavilion) visit, Fushimi Inari Taisha visit
With over 2,000 Buddhist temples and shrines still intact, Kyoto shines as one of the best preserved Imperial cities in Japan. Visit the famous Zen Buddhist Temple Kinkakuji, or Golden Temple, that gets its name from the pure leaf gold that covers the top two floors. Next, head to Inari, the main shrine of the god of business, and see the thousands of red torii, or Japanese gates, that snake their way up the hill to the inner shrine. The Sanjusangendo Temple offers visitors an unusual and unbelievable sight. Its main hall is filled with 1,000 life-size statues of soldiers of the Thousand Armed Kannon which stand to protect the main deity of the temple.
Hotel
Located conveniently in the Minami Ward district of Kyoto, Loisir Hotel Kyoto Toji is located a 17-minute walk from TKP Garden City Kyoto, 1.7 miles from Sanjusangen-do Temple and 1.7 miles from Kyoto Shigaku Kaikan Conference Hall. Featuring free bikes, the 3-star hotel has air-conditioned rooms with free WiFi, each with a private bathroom.
The property is a 12-minute walk from Kyoto Station, and within 1.7 miles of the city center. All rooms in the hotel are equipped with a flat-screen TV and free toiletries. A buffet breakfast is available every morning at Loisir Hotel Kyoto Toji. Languages spoken at the 24-hour front desk include English and Japanese. Tofuku-ji Temple is 2 miles from the accommodation, while Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine is 2.3 miles from the property.
