Nara, Tōdai-ji.


Tōdai-ji houses  the Nara Daibutsu, or Great Buddha of Nara, and it is one of the must-see places in Japan. From 710-784, Nara was the capital of Japan, lending its name to the Nara period. Today, the ancient part of Nara consisting of many temples in the large imperial gardens, appears little changed. The Great Buddha towers calmly over all other manmade things in the large hall, and despite the massive dimensions, the place exudes intimacy and spirituality. Without reference objects in the picture, it is hard to get the enormity of this sculpture, suffice to say his ears measure 8 feet. 

The imperial gardens of Nara invite to a stroll among the Sika deer that have been living there for over a thousand years. Regarded as messengers of the gods, their status is similar to that of cows in India, and they are nearly domesticated.