Wooden Wonders

Sydney Morning Herald

Monday September 15, 2008

Caroline Gladstone

These unesco world heritage buildings underline the Japanese love affair with wood, writes Caroline Gladstone.

Wood has a special place in Japanese culture. There's a deep connection between people and forests. The ancient Shinto religion worshipped the natural world, including giant trees, and many people believe their spirits return to the mountains when they die to dwell among the gods of the forest.

So it is understandable that wooden buildings take pride of place in Japan and while the Western world was constructing huge monuments from stone, the Japanese were working with wood.

Japan has the world's oldest and largest wooden structures, prized for their beauty but also the craftsmanship that has seen them outlast earthquakes and typhoons for more than 1000 years.

The design used in a late-7th-century pagoda, which was flexible enough to sway in the wind, has been revived today in constructions aimed at withstanding earthquakes.

Tokyo's stylish Maison Hermes building, designed by renowned architect Renzo Piano, is one building that has taken its lead from ancient artisans.

Five of Japan's UNESCO World Heritage wooden buildings are in Kansai, the cultural heart of the country and location of the two former capitals of Nara and Kyoto. They include a magnificent shogun castle and complexes of Buddhist temples, pagodas and Shinto shrines set in hilltop locations or on the edge of virgin forests.

Horyu-ji A vast Buddhist complex on the outskirts of Nara, it boasts the two oldest wooden structures in the world - the Kondo (main hall) and the five-storey pagoda. Both were constructed in the late 7th century to replace another temple built 80 years earlier by Prince Shotoku (considered the father of Japanese Buddhism), which was destroyed by fire. The Kondo has three ancient statues of Buddha called the Shaka triad, while the awesome pagoda, standing 32 metres high, contains Buddhist scenes made from clay figures. The complex attracts many amateur artists who sit in its courtyard sketching the elegant pagoda, the curved roofs of its many buildings and the giant warrior statues that act as guards. The entire Horyu-ji area, containing 48 wooden Buddhist masterpieces, was registered as Japan's first UNESCO World Heritage site in 1993.

Todai-ji Temple Size does matter when it comes to Buddhism and big Buddhas need big protective buildings.

The Daibutsu-den, or Great Buddha Hall, is the third building to stand on the same site at the Todai-ji temple complex in central Nara. Fire and civil war destroyed the two former halls in 1180 and 1547. The current edifice, measuring a massive 49 metres high by 50 metres long and 57 metres wide, was finally dedicated in 1709 and is the largest wooden building in the world. Amazingly, it is only two-thirds the size of the original masterpieces.

Pilgrims flock to see its internal treasure, the enormous bronze Buddha - or Daibutsu - which sits almost 15 metres tall.

Like the great hall, the statue has seen its share of disasters, including losing its massive head (which is about five metres tall) during an earthquake in 855. The temple sits amid Nara Park, where hundreds of sacred deer, considered to be messengers of the gods, freely roam. Visitors might like to think twice before buying the deer "biscuits" on offer; it's quite a challenge running the gauntlet of these friendly creatures from great hall to great exit gate.

Kasuga-Taisha shrine The vermilion pillars and corridors, hung with an astounding 3000 brass lanterns, make this one of the loveliest buildings in Nara.

Founded in the mid-8th century and considered one of the best Shinto shrines in the country, it was pulled down and rebuilt exactly to plan every 20 years until 1868 when Shinto was officially separated from Buddhism and became the state religion.

The complex borders the Kasuga-yama Primeval Forest, which was declared a sacred site in 841 when hunting and tree cutting were forbidden.

Kiyomizu-dera temple The most visited site in Kyoto, this Buddhist temple draws big crowds, including young women who like to dress as geishas. Its name means "pure water temple" and thousands flock to a spring to drink the sacred drop. Another attraction is an elevated wooden platform from which people jumped, literally in a "leap of faith". It was believed that anyone who survived the 13-metre jump (and about 85 per cent did have a soft landing of sorts on the foliage below) would be granted his or her heart's desire. The practice is banned today but the platform is always crammed with sightseers.

Himeji castle This formidable fortress, built high on a hill and surrounded by one of three original moats, is Japan's most spectacular castle. Its sturdy foundations are stone but its five-storied main keep (called a donjon) and three minor donjons are fashioned in wood and covered in white plaster. Its colour and graceful shape have earned it the nickname "White Heron" castle and it dominates the view in the city of Himeji for miles.

While its ramparts and turrets are dotted with holes of varying shapes and sizes for sniping at invaders, it has never been destroyed by enemy fire.

Built over eight years and completed in 1609, it has housed generations of warriors and its fair share of ghosts. Not surprisingly, it was the setting for the 2003 movie The Last Samurai starring Tom Cruise.

How to get there

The wooden buildings are located within an hour or two from Osaka and about half a day's travel from Tokyo.

Flights

Jetstar flies daily from Sydney to Osaka (Kansai International Airport). See www.jetstar.com.au. Qantas flies daily from Sydney to Tokyo (Narita International Airport). See www.qantas.com.au.

Trains

The shinkansen (bullet train) travels from Tokyo to Kyoto, Osaka and Himeji. The journey to Himeji (about 600 kilometres) takes about 3 1/2 hours; the trip from Osaka to Himeji takes about 50 minutes.

To travel to Nara: Take the Japan Railways train from either Kyoto or Osaka. Buses also operate between these cities.

JR rail passes

A Japan Rail Pass is good value, offering standard and superior (green car) travel on standard and most bullet trains.Passes are for seven, 14 and 21 days.

Travel Japan HIS has discounted deals from $295 for seven days (standard) and $394 (superior).

Visit www.traveljapan.com.au.

Tourism information

Japan National Tourist Organisation, www.jnto.org.au.

Information on Kansai's World Heritage sites

www.kansai.gr.jp/culture_e/archives/asuka/index.html

© 2008 Sydney Morning Herald

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