Carrying a torch at Todaiji

Embracing World Heritage By Makoto Miyazaki Daily Yomiuri Photographer

Historic Munuments of Ancient Nara

Eight cultural and natural wonders, which were registered as World Heritage Sites in 1998, are located in or near the ancient capital of Nara.

They include Todaiji temple, the main temple of the Kegonshu sect of Buddhism that was built by Emperor Shomu (701-756) in the hopes of keeping the country peaceful so that he could devote himself to Buddhism. One of the major attractions at this temple is the Great Buddha of Nara, which dates from 752.

The other World Heritage Sites are Kofukuji temple, Kasuga Taisha shrine, the virgin Kasugayama forest, Gangoji temple, Yakushiji temple, Toshodaiji temple and the Heijokyu ruins.

Todaiji, Kofukuji and Kasuga Taisha are situated in 502-hectare Nara Park, about 13 times the size of Tokyo Disneyland.

Most of the temples are Buddhist structures whose designs evolved after the building techniques were brought into this country in the eighth century from China and the Korean Peninsula. The structures are testimony to the high level of Japan's carpentry skills at the time.

Since wooden structures of a similar age have not survived in China and Korea, those in Nara are all the more valuable from a cultural viewpoint.

Todaiji is so large it takes a full day to walk around the premises. The immense approach connecting the Great Buddha Hall and the Nan-Daimon (south gate), the main entrance, is always crowded with students on school trips and tourists from around the world.

For two weeks every year from March 1, people flock to the Nigatsudo hall inside the temple in the evening to watch the shunie ceremony.

At the sound of a bell at 7 p.m., priests carrying bright red torches appear one after another at intervals on Nigatsudo's balcony from the stairs on the left side of the hall and run across the balcony, thrusting the torches into the air and spinning them, sending sparks flying.

The crowd cheers whenever one of the torches does something unusual.

On March 12, 11 priests carry 11 torches for the ceremony. Since large torches (taimatsu) are required, it is known as otaimatsu.

On March 13, the priests, under torchlight, carry sacred water from a well below Nigatsudo and offer it to those in attendance. The water is believed to slow the aging process.

As the ceremony originally began on the first day of the second month of the lunar calendar, it is called shunie, which is made up of the characters for shu (carried out), ni (second month) and e (ceremony).

Nigatsudo (February Hall) is believed to have derived its name from the ceremony.