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Todai ji Temple

Monuments & memorials ·Nara-shi ·Closed
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#1Monuments & memorials in Nara-shi#2Monuments & memorials in JapanTravelers' Choice Best of the Best 2026
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About

Tōdai-ji Temple in Nara, Japan: Kegon school headquarters east of the former capital Heijō-kyō, home to the giant bronze Daibutsu.

More photos 11

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Todai ji Temple — Close view of the Great Buddha beneath the timber ceiling

Todai ji Temple — Close view of the Great Buddha beneath the timber ceilingTodai ji Temple — The Great Buddha and altar framed by the hall's painted pillarsTodai ji Temple — Upward view of the Buddha and timber structure inside the hallTodai ji Temple — View through a red temple gate toward the Great Buddha HallTodai ji Temple — Guardian statue standing beneath the hall's dark wooden beamsTodai ji Temple — Great Buddha Hall interior seen beside a tall red pillarTodai ji Temple — Close view of the Buddha's face beneath the patterned ceilingTodai ji Temple — Carved wooden roof ornament above the hall's entranceTodai ji Temple — Layered timber eaves projecting from the temple roofTodai ji Temple — Weathered carved ornament set into the hall's wooden beamsTodai ji Temple — Decorative circular roof tiles lining the hall's eaves

Why go

  • The Daibutsu, a bronze Vairocana statue 14.98 m tall, inside the Daibutsu-den hall
  • The Daibutsu-den hall, where 48 lacquered cinnabar pillars hold up a blue tiled roof
  • The Nandaimon gate, built in 1199, with two Nio guardian figures by Unkei and Kaikei, about 8.5 m tall
  • The Hokke-dō hall, known for its collection of 8th-century sculptures
  • The Shōsō-in, a former granary now storing art and personal items that travelled the Silk Road

Opening hours

Today08:00 – 17:00Show all
Monday08:00 – 17:00
Tuesday08:00 – 17:00
Wednesday08:00 – 17:00
Thursday08:00 – 17:00
Friday08:00 – 17:00
Saturday08:00 – 17:00
Sunday08:00 – 17:00

About the work

artist
Kuninaka Kimimaro, a smith, cast the figure in separate pieces Emperor Shōmu commissioned it. The statue took eight castings over three years.
year
Eye-opening ceremony 752; completed 757 The current hands date from the Momoyama period and the head from the Edo period.
material
Bronze, gilded with gold A gold find in 749 was seen as a good omen. A gold mine in Mutsu province provided the ore to gild the statue.
size
14.98 m tall, weighs 500 tonnes About 18 m with its base.

Interesting facts8

1/8

  1. The temple once ranked among the powerful Seven Great Temples.

    Tōdai-ji - Wikipedia

  2. X-rays of the statue's knee revealed a tooth, pearls, mirrors, swords and jewels inside.

    Tōdai-ji - Wikipedia
  3. 370,000 smiths

    Specialists estimate that 370,000 smiths and 500,000 carpenters worked on the construction.

    Tōdai-ji - Wikipedia

  4. The Ritsu school at the temple held all official ordinations.

    Tōdai-ji - Wikipedia

  5. In the game Age of Empires II, the temple shows up as a Japanese wonder.

    Tōdai-ji - Wikipedia

  6. In The Barbarian and the Geisha, the Nandaimon gate stood in for a city gate.

    Tōdai-ji - Wikipedia

  7. Matsuo Bashō wrote one haiku that mentions the Great Buddha statue.

    Tōdai-ji - Wikipedia
  8. 2003

    A 2003 novella by László Krasznahorkai takes the temple as its subject.

    Tōdai-ji - Wikipedia

Shorts

Photo spots

  • Daibutsu-den hall frontStand at the front of the hall to take in the blue tiled roof in one frame.Tōdai-ji, in front of the Daibutsu-den hallTemple grounds open every day, 08:00 to 17:00 On the map
  • Nandaimon gatePhotograph the Great South Gate, the Nandaimon, with its two guardian figures in the frame.Great South Gate, at the south side of the temple groundsTemple grounds open every day, 08:00 to 17:00 On the map

Legends and hidden details

  • Touching a body part of the Daibutsu and then rubbing your own is said to heal illness.
  • Crawling through the hole in a famous pillar of the main hall is said to bring enlightenment in the next life.

Best time to visit

  • The yae-zakura, a double cherry blossom, bursts into bloom in April.

Sources: Tōdai-ji - Wikipedia · Tōdai-ji - Wikipedia · Tōdai-ji - Wikipedia · checked 19 Oct 2026

Where
630-8587 406-1 Zoushi-cho, Nara Nara Prefecture Kinki

Plan from here: A day out →

Questions and answers

What are the opening hours of Tōdai-ji Temple?

The temple grounds are open every day, from 08:00 to 17:00.

How big is the Great Buddha at Tōdai-ji Temple?

The bronze Buddha Vairocana, called the Daibutsu, is 14.98 m tall and weighs 500 tonnes. With its base it is about 18 m high.

How large is the Daibutsu-den hall at Tōdai-ji Temple?

The hall is 57 metres wide. It is the largest existing wooden building, and it is a third smaller than the original temple.

Is Tōdai-ji Temple a UNESCO World Heritage Site?

Yes. It is one of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

Who ordered the Great Buddha at Tōdai-ji Temple?

Emperor Shōmu ordered the Daibutsu in 743, in the Tenpyō era.

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