Nara - the Forgotten Capital

When planning their trip to Japan, most people include Tokyo and Kyoto on their itinerary under the assumption that they will be covering the ever-fascinating contrast between new and old in Japan.  While Tokyo is, indeed, a skyscraper jungle punctuated by odd little shops springing out from here and there, a heaven for techies who aspire to nothing more than getting lost in the streets of Akihabara, where all sorts of hi-tech toys, manga and anime characters compete for attention, Kyoto is often seen as a remnant of the “old ways” with its magnificent and abundant temples, cozy restaurants and kimono shops. Truth be told, both cities rely on a prevailing side to attract their visitors while discretely protecting their other faces. They both have a split-personality, like Japan itself: Tokyo is home to many beautiful places of the old times like the Asakusa district and the Imperial Palace and Kyoto’s main streets are bustling with fast cars and modern shopping malls.

One hour away from Kyoto lays the city of Nara, the first permanent capital of Japan, established in 710. Initially called Heijo, Nara became known as the center of Buddhist activities with its numerous monasteries and Chinese-influenced buildings, lending its name to an entire historical period of Japan. If a visitor truly wishes to witness the greatness of old Japan, Nara is one of the best places to go to.

Coming out of the main train station, there’s a variety of tight little streets waiting to tempt the visitor with old-style sweets shops, where sweets are made out of rice flour, filled with sweet red bean paste and mimicking peaches or tea leaves.  Traditional sweets are still much appreciated although Western-style cakes and pastries have won over the young crowds. Nara’s narrow streets are, otherwise, filled with shops selling hand-crafted objects, kimonos, traditional Momiji dolls, beautiful hair pins and other decorative items, colorful umbrellas made out of special paper, everything a traditional art-loving customer would look for. They make a great authentic souvenir for the people back home or a well-received gift for a Japanese friend.

After slowly walking in history's footsteps, the visitor finally arrives in a glade full of green and…deer. Nara Park is famous for its roaming deer, always hungry for a deer-biscuit, shika senbei, happily sold by vendors all over the park. According to the legend, the god called Takemikazuchi arrived in Nara on a white deer which prompted the deer to be regarded as a “heavenly” animal and, thus, protected and cared for.

Feeding the “messengers of God” along the way makes for a fun stroll towards the largest wooden building in the world, the Todai-ji Temple, listed as an UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its huge dimensions may be accounted to hosting the largest Buddha statue in the world, Daibutsu for the Japanese. In front of the towering statue, visitors can burn osenko, incense believed to have healing powers. Inside the Great Buddha Hall, light can barely shine upon the statue. Filtered through the small windows, it lends a drop of gentleness even to the fearsome statues of the guardians watching over the temple and its surroundings. Enlightenment seems attainable, especially since there is a legend that passing through a hole in a supporting pillar, apparently the same size as one of Buddha’s nostrils, blesses the person in their next life.

You can find the rest of the story and more photos HERE.  


Pentru restul articolului si pentru mai multe poze, va rog sa urmariti link-ul de mai sus. Multumesc! ^_^

Maine, ultima editie subterana a Lecturilor Urbane

Ultima editie Lecturi Urbane din metrou va avea loc maine, 30 martie, incepand cu ora 19, pe peronul Unirii 1. Apoi, copilul acesta care buchiseste isi va lua zborul spre suprafata. 

Iata o perspectiva imbucuratoare: dupa orice colt de strada, in tramvaiul sau in autobuzul dumneavoastra, s-ar putea sa fie cineva care asteapta sa va ofere o carte! Va indemn sa o acceptati, e un dar de speranta, de implicare, de curaj.

Roblogfest

 

Initial, nu aveam nicio intentie sa ajung la RoBlogfest decernarea de premii si party. Pentru mine, faptul ca m-ati votat astfel incat am intrat in finala a fost un premiu in sine, ma simt foarte onorata si, daca v-as avea in fata ochilor acum in loc de monitorul asta bine-cunoscut, probabil ca nu m-as putea abtine sa ma inclin, multumesc! 

 

Insa m-am razgandit fiindca am vrut sa cunosc cat mai multi oameni cu care interactionez online. M-am bucurat enorm ca am schimbat cateva cuvinte cu Lumea Mare, Imperator, EasyPeasy, Mazilique si Ada si ca am avut sansa sa o cunosc pe Adriana de la Viajoa, echipa de fete calatoare care a castigat premiul la sectiunea de Travel. Sincere felicitari, la cat mai multe articole frumoase! 

Ceai cu povesti din Japonia

Ii multumesc mult domnului Vocurek pentru videoclipul-colaj de mai jos, realizat cu ocazia Povestiri Din LumeaMare de sambata. 

 

Concursul si redactarea povestilor sunt in coacere intelectuala. De-abia astept sa vad daca va plac!

Vorba nu-i ca scrisul

Sambata aceasta am incercat sa spun povesti in Green Tea, la invitatia LumeaMare, careia ii multumesc foarte mult pentru toata aceasta initiativa fantastica si pentru ca mi-a dat ocazia sa o cunosc pe Alina, in ochii careia m-am uitat ca Narcis in apele curate ale lacului, vazandu-ma acolo cu multe dintre trairile din Japonia. Va recomand calduros sa cititi ce a scris ea despre anul petrecut in Hirosaki. De asemenea, mi-e greu sa explic ce bucurie a fost sa o cunosc pe doamna Carmen Okabe si sa-i ascult vorbele atat de impregnate de o experienta indelungata, 15 ani in Japonia, multumesc!

Am promis ca voi posta povestea povestita. Mi-ar fi greu, avand in vedere ce emotii am avut, cate balbe nu mi-au dat pace si cate lucruri am uitat sa spun, desi mi le notasem constiincios in minte, desi in ultimele zile am dormit si nu prea rememorand chipuri, sunete si sentimente. Au disparut -puf- in fata microfonului. In locul lor a iesit un suvoi-torent de intamplari care mi-au ramas in minte, fara vreo ordine anume si latindu-se cat o zi de post mult peste cat trebuia sa vorbesc pentru ca...asa mi se intampla cand vine vorba de Japonia, cu greu am masura.

Am invatat astfel multe lucruri despre vorbitul in public si sper din suflet sa mai am ocazia sa le si aplic. Pentru cei care au venit sa ne asculte azi, va multumesc din suflet, imi cer scuze pentru ezitari si pentru o dezordine in povestire care nu-mi e caracteristica in scris. Singura mea speranta este ca am reusit sa va transmit cat suflet am lasat eu in Japonia si un pic din caldura cu care am inlocuit acea parte din suflet. Am avut mult noroc ca doamna Okabe este un vorbitor atat de elocvent si ca a completat multe goluri create neintentionat, din entuziasmul meu de a spune cat mai multe, de a spune tot. 

Asteptam centralizarea tuturor pozelor si a materialelor filmate pentru a-mi face mea culpa expunand-o pe Misaki in toata "gloria" ei cea repezita plus...un concurs surpriza! Nu am mai daruit de mult ceva si blogul misakiesc se revolta ca-i tai din scopurile initiale ^_^