| If you're going to visit Japan, you have to read this | | | | There are many ancient temples and shrines, not only |
| article based on Miki's blog. Japan is full of history and | | | | in cities like Kyoto and Nara, but all over Japan. |
| there are many places to visit. Some are more | | | | Today, we will discuss the Yakushiji temple in Nara |
| steeped in history than others are. One place you've | | | | prefecture. Yakushiji is one of Japan's World Heritage |
| got to see is Yakushiji temple, but there's something | | | | sites. They completed the tower around the year |
| about it you need to know first! Built in 698 C.E., the | | | | 698 C.E. and moved it to its current location |
| Yakushiji temple in Nara prefecture holds quite a | | | | approximately 1,300 years ago. Because of natural |
| secret. Learn why one of the towers is taller than | | | | disaster, the only part of the temple remaining |
| the other one, and what's in store for the temple in | | | | untouched is the east tower. The restoration expert, |
| the future. You won't believe what the builder had in | | | | Tsunekazu Nishioka, rebuilt the west tower, which is |
| mind! | | | | next to the east tower, in 1981. Although the towers |
| Vocabulary: In this article, you'll learn the following | | | | are supposed to be a matching pair, the newer west |
| words and phrases:jinjya - "Shinto shrine"kanse(i) - 1: | | | | tower is taller and more colorful. The regular |
| "complete, completion" 2: "perfection, | | | | layperson might even assume that this was a |
| accomplishment"saigai - "calamity, disaster, | | | | mistake on the carpenter's part, but Mr. Nishioka |
| misfortune"saiken - "rebuilding, reconstruction, | | | | boldly decided to alter the height. The towers, which |
| rehabilitation"kenchiku - "construction, | | | | are made of wood, shrink with the passage of time. |
| architecture"aet(e) - "dare (to do), challenge (to | | | | According to Mr. Nishioka, after one thousand years, |
| do)"omom(i) - "importance, weight, dignity, | | | | the two towers should be the same height. The east |
| emphasis"shizumu - "to sink, to feel | | | | tower must have looked like the new west tower |
| depressed"tsukuru - "to make, to create, to | | | | when it was newly built. If you think only in the |
| manufacture, to draw up, to write"senmon - | | | | moment, it might have been better to build the new |
| "specialty, subject of study, expert"daiku - | | | | west tower with the same height and color as the |
| "carpenter"zan nen nagara - "I'm afraid to say, I'm | | | | old east tower. However, how about when you think |
| sorry to say"sedai - "generation, the world, the | | | | one thousand years down the road? People, such as |
| age"shison - "descendants, posterity, | | | | Mr. Nishioka who specialize in temple and shrine |
| offspring"hitoajichigau - "be just a little bit different, | | | | restoration, work with the next thousand years in |
| be something new to one"tateru - "to build, to | | | | mind. I am in awe of the living power of wood and |
| construct"mesaki - "near future, immediate, before | | | | of the work done by these talented carpenters. |
| one"sekaiisan - "World Heritage"idoo suru - "to move, | | | | Unfortunately, I won't be able to witness these two |
| to transfer"too - "tower"seimeiryoku - "vital energies, | | | | towers becoming the same height a thousand years |
| vitality"tameiki - "sigh"mirai - "the future" (usually | | | | down the road. However, it's exciting to wonder |
| distant) | | | | what future generations will think upon seeing these |
| Grammar: In this article, you'll learn the following | | | | towers. Traveling to Kyoto or Nara with this fact in |
| words and phrases: | | | | mind might make you appreciate your trip in a |
| "Question" "Why are the heights of the east tower | | | | different way. |
| and the west tower different?" | | | | What will the buildings that are being constructed all |
| "Answer" "The towers, which are made of wood, | | | | over Japan now look like a thousand years from |
| shrink with the passage of time. Therefore, the west | | | | now? It would be nice to leave for posterity buildings |
| tower is higher so that the two towers are going to | | | | not only beautiful to the eye, but also beautiful for |
| be the same height in one thousand years." | | | | the future. What sort of historical buildings do you |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | | | have in your country? |
| Japanese Temples | | | | |