The Dawn of Japan
The Dawn of Japan
A journey to the Origins of Japan
Chrononaut Nara is a digital journal where the author, visits and records thoughts about her favorite places.
“Chrononaut” means something like a “time traveler.” The site was named Chrononaut Nara to express the desire to connect with people around the world who live in the present day and enjoy traveling through Nara’s time. Seigow Matsuoka once said, “Compared to other cities in the Kansai region like Kyoto and Osaka, Nara offers far fewer immediate visual stimuli, so you have to draw out its charm from the depths of its accumulated time. In other words, without some knowledge and a certain level of ‘attachment’ to it, Nara might seem dull.”
Conversely, the more you learn, the more Nara’s charm increases.
Through this site, I hope to share with you the journey of exploring not only the Nara area but also the profound impact that the Nara period and the preceding eras have had on Japanese history as a whole, and the legacy left behind by many famous and unknown individuals who shaped the nation of Japan. I also hope that this site will help more people discover the charm of Nara.
Articles
-
The Three Graceful Seated Statues of Dainichi Nyorai, Part 1: Hanzomon Museum
I am an absolute amateur when it comes to Buddhist statues. I simply admire beauty when I see it, feel deeply moved by the presence imbued with the prayers of many people, and humbly join my hands in reverence. I don’t understand anything complicated. But I do wish to share their magnificence with as many […]
-
2024 Fall Special Admission 3 Houryu-ji Kuse Kannon
Although I have never seen it in person, the Kuse Kannon statue of Yumedono has been the most enigmatic, captivating, and slightly fearsome Buddhist statue in my mind since I was a junior high school student. But is it truly a Buddhist statue? In the late Heian period, Kyoto scholar Oe no Chikamichi described his […]
-
Kofukuji Hokuendo The majestic sculptural space created by Unkei and his school
Hokuendo Hall is often referred to as the most beautiful octagonal hall in Japan, yet it is located in a somewhat secluded spot within the Kofuku-ji Temple grounds, making it less noticeable. It sits at the western corner of the temple grounds, further behind the Chukondo Hall, so it is a bit distant whether you […]
