Japan (Lonely Planet, 11th Edition) - Chris Rowthorn [326]
Behind (north of) the Kondō is the Kō-dō (Lecture Hall), which houses yet another fine Buddhist trinity, this time Miroku Buddha with two bodhisattva attendants. You can exit to the north behind this hall and make your way to Tōshōdai-ji.
GETTING THERE & AWAY
To get to Yakushi-ji, take bus 52, 63, 70, 88, 89 or 97 from either JR Nara Station or Kintetsu Nara Station and get off at either the Yakushi-ji Higashiguchi stop or the Yakushi-ji stop (¥240, 22 minutes). From the stop, walk 100m south (same direction the bus was travelling) to a Mobil station, cross the road to the west, and walk west across a canal. From the main road it’s 250m to the temple’s south entrance.
You can also take a futsū on the Kintetsu Kashihara line and get off at Nishinokyō Station, which is about 200m walk northwest of Yakushi-ji (and 600m walk south of Tōshōdai-ji). If you’re coming from Nara, you will have to change trains at Yamato-Saidaiji (¥200, five minutes; kyūkō and tokkyū do not stop at Nishinokyō).
Tōshōdai-ji
This temple (0742-33-7900; admission ¥600; 8.30am-5pm) was established in 759 by the Chinese priest Ganjin (Jian Zhen), who had been recruited by Emperor Shōmu to reform Buddhism in Japan. Ganjin didn’t have much luck with his travel arrangements from China to Japan: five attempts were thwarted by shipwreck, storms and bureaucracy. Despite being blinded by eye disease, he finally made it on the sixth attempt and spread his teachings to Japan. The lacquer sculpture in the Miei-dō Hall is a moving tribute to Ganjin: blind and rock steady. It is shown only once a year, on 6 June – the anniversary of Ganjin’s death. Last entry by 4.30pm.
The Kondō (Golden Hall) of the temple, which is the main hall of the temple, is presently under reconstruction and is scheduled to reopen in November 2009.
Tōshōdai-ji is a 600m walk north of Yakushi-ji’s northern gate; see above for transport details from Nara.
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AROUND YAMATO-YAGI
Easily reached on the Kintetsu line from Osaka, Kyoto or Nara, Yamato-Yagi is the most convenient transport hub for sights in southern Nara-ken. From Kyoto take the Kintetsu Nara/Kashihara line direct (kyūkō, ¥860, 57 minutes). From Nara take the Kintetsu Nara line to Saidaiji and change to the Kintetsu Kashihara line (kyūkō, ¥430, 27 minutes). From Osaka’s Uehonmachi Station, take the Kintetsu Osaka line direct (kyūkō, ¥540, 34 minutes).
Kashihara
Three stops south of Yamato-Yagi, on the Kintetsu Kashihara line, is Kashihara-jingū-mae Station (¥200 from Yamato-Yagi, five minutes, all trains stop). There are a couple of interesting sights within easy walking distance of this station.
KASHIHARA-JINGŪ
This shrine (0744-22-3271; admission free), at the foot of Unebi-yama, dates back to 1889, when many of the buildings were moved here from Kyoto Gosho (Kyoto Imperial Palace). The shrine buildings are built in the same style as those of Ise-jingū’s Grand Shrine and are a good example of classical Shintō architecture. The shrine is dedicated to Japan’s mythical first emperor, Jimmu, and an annual festival is held here on 11 February, the legendary date of Jimmu’s enthronement. The vast, parklike grounds are pleasant to stroll around. The shrine is five minutes’ walk from Kashihara-jingū-mae Station; take the central exit out of the station and follow the main street in the direction of the mountain.
NARA PREFECTURE KASHIHARA ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM
This museum (Nara Ken-ritsu Kashihara Kōkogaku Kenkyūjo Fuzoku Hakubutsukan; 0744-24-1185; admission ¥400, foreign passport holders free; 9am-5pm, closed Mon) is highly recommended for those with an interest in the history of the Japanese people. The objects on display come from various archaeological sites in the area, including several kofun. Although most of the explanations are in Japanese, there’s enough English to give you an idea of what’s going on and a decent English