You might think that spending two weeks in a country is not long to absorb the culture, but it was long enough for us to realise that Japanese people like all things precise – like the lines of Japanese Lanterns at Nara Japan. This love of precision extends to temple trees that receive delicately manicures with hand scissors, while parkland trees have their posture corrected – supported by poles like the elderly citizens they are.
Being a Virgo, my brain likes orderly lines. Friends and family might argue my compatibility with this Zodiac Sign as a cosmic mistake, taking into consideration my dislike of housework.
My latent Virgo sensibilities were however excited by Nara Japan with it’s endless lines of Japanese lanterns.
What You Will Find in This Post
Nigatsu-do Temple Nara
The Japanese lanterns below are on the balcony at Nigatsu-do Temple, a sub temple of Todai-ji where we saw Nara’s Daibutsu or giant Buddha.
In the courtyard out the back the ritual water cleansing station has a line of white lanterns, three of which are shown below.
Marty purchased a refreshing cold orange drink from the… lines of bottles, in the vending machine only to discover it was a boiling hot orange drink. Only in Japan would a vending machine discharge both hot and cold drinks.
A Shrine close to Hokke-do Hall with it’s precise traditional bunting and aluminium chairs.
As we walked toward Kasuga Taisha shrine I noticed multiple lines of moss covered standing Lanterns. Ooh and lines of concrete in the pathway and see the steps in the background…
I love these lanterns being held in check by the rope lines.
Lines of Lanterns and “Ema” wishing plaques. Ema are timber votives with wishes written on them. This is a Shinto tradition but they are found at tempoes as well as Shinto Shrines. Buddhism and Shintoism mix freely in Japan.
Nara Kasuga Shrine
These lines of lanterns lead to Nara Kasuga Shrine. Donated by Japanese people they are lit twice a year. What a sight that would be.
Japanese lanterns at Nara Kasuga shrine.
Meoto Daikokusha Shrine Nara
Exploring nearby we discovered Meoto Daikokusha, a shrine dedicated to matchmaking and marriage as suggested by the lines of Pink Heart Ema Votives.
Japanese Name Plates
We’d left the shrine and were walking back toward Sanjo Dori when I came across a final line, this time of Japanese Name Plates erected at the side of the path. These are the names of people who have donated.
Budget Travel Tips
These Japanese lanterns are free to view. They are all situated in Nara-koen in an L shaped forest walk from Nigatsu-do to Kasuga Taisha back toward Sanjo Dori. Just walk through the forest and you will find the lanterns.
I’ve linked to Nancie’s Travel Photo Thursday over at Budget Travelers Sandbox.
Deer and Daibutsu at Nara Self Guided Walking Tour
Great post 🙂
I love your lines of things in Japan. Absolutely stunning. I too appreciate orderliness and symmetry in my life. Great Photos!
Holy smokes, they are everywhere!! I loved you talking about being a Virgo…too funny, Jan! I also have plenty of OCD but it’s in certain areas and not others. Isn’t that weird? I love a gorgeous lawn but not to where I’m trimming it with tweezers. Yet, I will triple check to make sure I turned off a light! I love that vista you had in that one building up at the top. Have a great weekend! 🙂
Thanks for dropping by Mike. It was a great view and I loved those lines of lanterns 🙂
Oh gosh I so would love all of those lanterns lit up – what a sight that would be! Guess what….I love a clean house, just don’t like cleaning it either 🙂
And you know what, cleaning will always be there, but exploring is way more fun 🙂
Love the picture, but gee a Hot Drink? Never heard of that before, strange. At least you weren’t thirsty Jan, I am always looking for more and more water – can’t get enough of it, sure miss our motorhome water filter when we travel without it.
Exploring is great Lisa. Your motorhome would get messy quickly with the boys playing outside and coming in. At least it is only small though 🙂
I am in awe of their “pleasing precision” as you so beautifully described it. 🙂 I love to watch movies that show this type of building, home, setting. It is so peaceful and clean and…precise. Totally unlike my home. 🙂 I find it a nice visual escape before I return to my beloved hodgepodge. 🙂
Yes I like my house when it is clean and tidy but most often it is a mix of projects. I always have at least two Countries I am researching. At the moment I have got Eastern Europe and Sicily books and plans afoot, but I am blogging about Japan so those books are about as well. 🙂
wow!Amazing! I am imagining how it will be when the lanterns are light up!
Reminding me temples of Sri Lanka,although we don’t use lanterns of this type,it is beautiful to see the lanterns during Buddhist festivals.
I love the Buddhist ceremonies, they are so beautiful. We hope to visit Sri Lanka one day.
I would love to see all those lanterns along the walkway lit up. It must be such a beautiful sight. The surrounding autumn foliage in your photos is a nice background. I think the ones with the moss covered lanterns are my favorite. You and I share a similar attitude towards housework. I do miss the luxury of having a maid come twice a week as we did in Malaysia. My mum and dad came to visit last week for the first time since we returned to Texas. I think that vacuuming spree should last me a while.
I absolutely love Nara and these lanterns are wonderful, how I wanted to take any of them home with me…so tempting aren’t they?
I admit I do love lanterns and would love to have some from our travels at home.
Jan, I couldn’t agree more. Love the lanterns!!! I have way too many photos of them myself, and I love all of yours!
What a beautiful and interesting location. My favorite photos is the one with the moss and lanterns. Beautiful
Since I did this post Rhonda, I have been thinking about the other lanterns I love. The round red ones in China Town in Singapore struck a chord also, and the coloured glass ones of Morocco.
Hi Jan. Beautiful! I don’t think I have ever been in a country as precise as Japan. It would have been weird to see something that was a little untidy! 🙂 Thanks for linking up this week. #TPThursday
Japan surprised me Nancy. I went with an open mind not knowing what to expect and we both enjoyed it a lot. So much in fact that we intend going back again and again.
I love your overall theme in this post. But, these pictures are just beautiful and really make me miss Japan. One of the things I admire about Japan is their efficiency and sense of order and beauty. We didn’t make it to Nara but what a lovely place to visit.
Thanks for your comments Mary. Nara was a very pleasant day trip and the deer added something different to the normal temple experiences.