Japan/Honshu: Nara – Kofuku-ji Temple

A short train ride south from Kyoto takes you to the city of Nara and a whole smorgasbord of temples and sites to see. Kofuku-ji Temple is a UNESCO World Heritage site, dating back to the 669 AD. The two sites here are the iconic five-story pagoda and the Eastern Golden Hall. The latter holds a statue of the Golden Buddha, a national treasure in Japan.