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- Todai-ji Temple -
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Todai-ji Temple, known for its "Daibutsu-san," or Great Buddha,
is a representative temple in Nara, with an imposing appearance of the largest
wooden structure in the world. This is a famous temple of the Kegon sect and was
founded by Roben.
As the imperial ordinance was issued for the construction
of Great Buddha, the temple was erected under national sponsorship so that the
Great Buddha would be enshrined. The consecrating ceremony was held in the fourth
year of the Tempyo-Shoho era (752). It took almost 40 years to complete the whole
temple complex, because the temple site was gradually extended by adding more
halls and pagodas.
Even after the transfer of the capital to Nagaoka
in the third year of the Enryaku era (784), the temple enjoyed its prosperity
under the protection of successive emperors, along with the Kofuku-ji Temple.
However, the temple buildings were attacked with fire by Taira-no-Shigemori in
the 4th yera of the Jisho era (1180), and by the army controlled by Matsunaga
Hisahide in the 10th year of the Eiroku era (1567). Many of the buildings are
reconstructions of the Edo period (1603-1868). There remain a large number of
noted Buddhist statues sculptured in the Nara, Heian, Fujiwara and Kamakura periods
(710-1333).
A typical sightseeing course is as follows:
the
Nandai-mon Gate
the Daibutsu-den Hall
the Belfry
the Shunjo-do Hall
the Sammai-do Hall (Shigatsu-do)
the Hokke-do Hall (Sangatsu-do)
the Kaisan-do
Hall
the Nigatsu-do Hall
the Tegai-mon Gate
the Kaiden-in
It takes 4 to 5 hours even if you quickly go through the whole course. If you
don't have much time,it is better to focus on the Daibutsu-den Hall, the Sangatsu-do
Hall (Hall for the March Rite), and the Kaidan-in (Ordination Hall).
(15 minutes' walk from Kintetsu Nara Station)
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