A column at Todai-ji  temple in Nara that has a hole in the base that is reputed to be the same size as the nostril of the Great Buddha. It is said that if you are able to squeeze through it, you are guaranteed a place in Heaven or Paradise. I found it interesting that the children in line in front of me were scurrying on through easily, while I had to unload everything that I was carrying (bag, wallet, watch, camera, etc) to make sure nothing would get caught and make me get stuck. It was a simple physical precaution, but perhaps also a reminder that when one does make that final journey, you’re forced to pack lightly whether you like it or not.

No one really knows how the gap at the base ended up there, but it could have been as simple as a mistaken measurement that caused the builders to flip the pole upside down to get a second chance to mount brackets to the top. Sometimes it’s the unintended irregularities that take a place from being simply interesting to being truly memorable.

(P.S. I made it through)