The Todai-Ji Temple complex is considered to be the top tourism attraction in Nara. There is much to see here, and the complex is large, including some uphill walks to fascinating shrines and temples. You begin at the Nandai-mon gate, which leads to the main temple area. Encased in huge chicken-wire boxes are two wooden […]
Read the rest of this entry »Archive for the 'Buddhism' Category
WoWasis’ visits Kyoto’s amazing Sanjusangen-Do temple
We here at WoWasis have seen a lot of Buddhist structures, but we weren’t prepared for what we saw at Kyoto’s amazing Sanjusangen-Do temple. Here is a hall, rebuilt in 1266, replete with 1001 statues of the 100-armed Buddhist goddess of mercy, Kannon. The statues are laid out in a grid consisting of 500 statues […]
Read the rest of this entry »See Kyoto’s eastern temples in a half-day walk in the southern Higashiyama district
Kyoto’s Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines are spread all over this fairly large city, and using the bus system is something visitors get used to doing quite quickly, unless they want to run up considerable taxi bills. For us here at WoWasis, therefore, a half-day north to south walk along Kyoto’s eastern perimeter in the […]
Read the rest of this entry »WoWasis book review: ‘Myanmar Buddha: The Image and Its History’ by Somkiart Lopetcharat
This very fine and comprehensive book on Burmese Buddha images is generally available only in Southeast Asia, so we here at WoWasis would advise putting it on your shopping list for your next trip. Somkiart Lopetcharat’s Myanmar Buddha: The Image and Its History (2007, ISBN 978-974-09-6065-2) carries a suggested retail price of $85 USD, and […]
Read the rest of this entry »WoWasis Book review: Susan Conway’s ‘Thai Textiles’
Here at WoWasis, we consider it a tribute to author Susan Conway that her book Thai Textiles (1992, ISBN 974-8225-798) continues to be a primary source on the subject some 20 years after its initial publishing date. This 192 page paperback retails for $140 USD on the internet, although used copies may be found for […]
Read the rest of this entry »The tuk-tuk driver took me on a wild goose chase in Bangkok
The Good Manner: Advice on Thailand from WoWasis’ Pa Farang This week’s dilemma: The tuk-tuk driver took me on a wild goose chase Dear Pa Farang, I agreed to pay a tuk-tuk driver 50 baht to go to a temple. Instead, he drove us around to two different gem shops.you to gem shops, and finally […]
Read the rest of this entry »WoWasis book review: ‘The Cultural Triangle of Sri Lanka’ by UNESCO
Sri Lanka’s Cultural Triangle embraces an area encompassing the ancient sites of Anuradhapura, Dambulla, Polonnaruwa, and Segiriya, and the city of Kandy. This area is perhaps the area most visited on the island, and is well worth the trip. Each of the ancient sites have book kiosks in the museums, and there are a number […]
Read the rest of this entry »WoWasis visits Buduruwagala, home of Sri Lanka’s massive carved Buddha statues
Buduruwagala is easy to miss, sitting 4 km off the main road, roughly 5 km south of the town of Wellawaya, on the A2 road, off the turn-off to Tissa. But you shouldn’t miss it. There are several massive statues carved into the rock, some of which have fine detail, including a Buddha statue that, […]
Read the rest of this entry »WoWasis visits Sri Lanka’s magnificent Aluvihara rock monastery
In the ancient cities area of Sri Lanka, on the road from Dambulla to Kandy, 3 km north of Matale, is Aluvihara, an undervisted and non-commercial shrine that we here at WoWasis feel is well worth a stop, We loved the Dambulla cave temples nearby, but the overt commercialism there we found to be disconcerting. […]
Read the rest of this entry »WoWasis visits Dambulla, home of Sri Lanka’s Buddha cave temples
Sri Lanka’s cave temples of Dambulla lie approximately 2 hours north of the city of Kandy, and one hour south of the ancient city of Sigiriya. The site, at first, certainly doesn’t appear to be very holy, with a garish, kitschy front entrance, hoards of hawkers, and an aura of commercialism that you won’t find […]
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