By the time we got to Todaiji -- the largest wooden structure on earth, so they say -- the gate-guardians were starting to look familiar. I asked Glen to stand in front of this one so you could get a sense of how big it is. I forgot to take a picture of the matching one on the other side of the entry.
Everything about Todaiji is big. Look how small the people are next to the enormous doors.
I had to stand very, very far away to get the whole building into one shot.Off to the side is the fountain where people purify their hands and mouths. Although this is a Buddhist temple, the Shinto custom is observed. After washing, people stop to burn incense before going up the stairs to the main building.
People inside are dwarfed by the large golden statue to the left of the even larger Buddha.
One of the giant pillars behind the Buddha has a hole cut through its base. People gathered around it in groups, urging one another to shimmy through. This was easy for the little kids, a bit of a struggle for the larger teenagers, and a real challenge for the few older folks who tried it. If someone got stuck, their laughing friends would push and pull them through, and everyone would applaud when they finally made it. I never figured out if this was simply an athletic feat or something that was thought to bring luck. Probably both, I guess.
On the porch outside sits a statue with a wizened face. A small plaque nearby notes a folk belief that touching a part of its body and then the same part of one's own body will bring healing to that part. The statue was too big, and I was too shy, for me to reach up and touch its knees.
P
ossibly the most famous thing about the Todaiji grounds are the deer that, as at Miyajima, beg for treats from all the pilgrims. Vendors along the path sell special biscuits for feeding them. The deer are very insistent, and they will eat your shirt if you are a bit slow with the biscuits. And if you start feeding one, soon you will attract a whole herd.
