Description

The legacy of the Great Buddha and the Todai-ji itself are reflections of Japan's admiration of the T'ang dynasty. During the Nara era, the state used Buddhism to make a power statement. The Great Buddha Hall (Daibutsu-den) is renowned as the world's biggest wooden building, and the Buddha is the world's biggest bronze statue of Buddha.

Emperor Shomu attended an opening ceremony in 752 (before gold was put on the Buddha), although another thirty years were spent to complete all the structures in the sprawling temple complex. Todai-ji was twice the victim of major fires and therefore the extant buildings date to 1692.

Admission: JPY400