JAPAN, Nara - Kofuku-ji Temple

Kofuku-ji was built in the year 669

and is still just as lovely as ever.

The bibs on the statues are to keep them warm.

Red symbolizes luck.

As we descended the steps from 

the temple grounds we noticed

a very large crowd gathered around

the lake at the city's center.

We discovered they were waiting for the very

parade we had seen as we exited the train station.

During our walk around Nara

Ammon's flip flop broke.

Time for new shoes ...

JAPANESE style.

JAPAN, Nara - Todai-ji Temple

As we exited the Nara Train Station

we noticed a group of people,

dressed in various traditional Japanese

outfits, were gathering in front of the 

building pictured below.

When we asked what 'event' was going on

no one, including the natives, knew.

When we finally found someone with an answer

we were told it was a parade of descendants

honoring their ancestors buried in 

the shrine up the hill.

We jumped in a taxi and rode to Todai-ji temple.

A Buddhist temple.  It is the largest 

wooden building in the world and houses the

world's largest bronze Buddha.  It is also headquarters

to the Kegon school of Buddhism.

Deer - messengers from heaven -

roam freely here.  We had several follow us.

The temple is HUGE.  When you compare the 

building to the people below it, you can

see how extreme the size difference is.
It's difficult to believe this temple
dates back to 728.

A TRULY INCREDIBLE place!!

JAPAN, Osaka Castle

We traveled across the barren desert

to get to the Osaka Temple.

Actually it was a HUGE baseball field 

but it sure looked and felt like a

HOT barren desert to me.

The Osaka Castle is one of Japan's most

famous castles and was built in 1597.

Storming the castle!

The view of Osaka.

After our tour of the castle we were

able to try on TRADITIONAL 

Samurai gear and kimonons.

BEAUTIFUL Osaka Castle.

Crazy foreigners.

JAPAN, Itsukushima Shrine

From the Hiroshima Peace Memorial

we traveled to Hatsukaishi were

Itsukushima Shrine is located.

The shrine is on an island and can only

be accessed by boat.

The original buildings of the shrine were 

built in the 6th century and for most

of the shrine's history commoners were not

allowed to set foot on it's sacred grounds.

The deer that wonder the island are

considered to be holy messengers from heaven.

We arrived as the sun was setting

and at low tide.  So the gate could be

accessed on dry land.

At high tide the water fills in around

the shrine and it looks like it's floating.

The tide is coming in.

We ended our time on the island

by paying a visit to Doctor Fish.

For SEVEN minutes these tiny fish

nibbled the dry skin off our feet.

It felt like a bunch of tiny bubbles

popping on your skin.

Our feet were nice and smooth

after our 'treatment'.