Both the Great Buddha and the Great Buddha Hall are majestic and awe-inspiring
Todaiji Temple, famous for the Great Buddha of Nara, is a representative temple founded during the Nara period. Built in the capital city of Heijokyo as the head of all provincial temples in Japan, its Great Buddha Hall is one of the largest wooden structures in the world.
In 743 (Tempyo 15), Emperor Shomu issued an imperial edict for the creation of the Great Buddha (Rushana Daibutsu) in the hope that all living beings would prosper. The eyes of the Buddha statue were ceremonially opened in 752 (Tempyo Shoho 4).
Over the next four decades, the temple complex (garan) was gradually completed with the construction of various halls and pagodas. Even after the capital moved, Todaiji continued to attract deep faith and devotion from both the imperial court and the public as the Temple of the Great Buddha.
In 1180 (Jisho 4), most of the temple, including the Great Buddha Hall, was destroyed during a military attack led by Taira no Shigehira. The temple was later restored by the monk Chogen. However, much of it was lost again in 1567 (Eiroku 10) during the Miyoshi-Matsunaga Rebellion.
Many of the current buildings were reconstructed in the Edo period by monk Kokei and others. Today, Todaiji is home to numerous cultural treasures, including National Treasures such as the Hokke-do (Lotus Sutra Hall), the Tegaimon Gate, and the Nandaimon (Great South Gate), each representing different historical periods.
