Nara｜The majestic 5-story Buddha, visit Todaiji Temple built by Emperor Shomu and experience a thousand years of history

The Nara period was a prosperous era in Japanese history, but also a time of disasters, wars, famines, and plagues. In the 13th year of the Tenpyo era, the 45th Emperor Shomu of Japan established Kokubunji temples throughout the country, hoping to bring spiritual comfort to the people through religious beliefs. The predecessor of Todaiji Temple, Kinzhongji Temple, also became Kokubunji Temple in Yamato Province at this time and was named "Konkomyoji Temple" because the capital was in Kyonin-kyo in Kyoto at that time and Nara was in the east. It was not until the 19th year of Tenpyo that it was named Todaiji Temple. By the way, there are 68 Kokubunji temples in Japan, and Todaiji Temple is the highest-ranking "headquarters". When the 15-meter-high Buddha was cast, it was actually a period of frequent capital relocations, and it took nearly ten years to complete. The eye-opening ceremony was presided over by Bodhisana, a monk from India. More than 1,200 years have passed, and the Great Buddha of Nara still stands here, protecting the safety of the people and listening to the troubles of all living beings. On the left hand side facing the Buddha is the Akasagarbha Bodhisattva, and the Great Buddha Hall is listed as a cultural property. In fact, Todaiji Temple experienced two war fires, and the ancient temple we see now is actually the third version that took 25 years to rebuild. There were eleven intervals between the trusses in the Tenpyo era, but later due to insufficient financial funds, the number was changed to seven. There are also three scaled-down models of the Great Buddha Hall behind the Buddha. There is a hole on a pillar on the right side of the main hall. It is said that the hole is the same size as the Buddha's nostril. As long as you go through the hole, you can gain great wisdom and get rid of disasters. There is a museum in front of Todaiji Temple. You are not allowed to take photos inside, but you can fully experience the history of the construction of Todaiji Temple and see precious cultural relics up close. It would be more cost-effective to buy a combined ticket. 📍Address: 〒630-8587 406-1, Sojicho, Nara City, Nara Prefecture 🚗15 minutes walk from Kintetsu Nara Station #AprilGoodDestinations2025