Todai-ji Temple Complex

Todai-ji Temple Complex Review

The temple complex was conceived by Emperor Shomu in the 8th century as the seat of authority for Buddhist Japan. Construction was completed in 752, and even though the Imperial Household later left Nara, Todai-ji and its Great Buddha remained. An earthquake damaged it in 855, and in 1180 the temple was burned to the ground. Its reconstruction met a similar fate during the 16th-century civil wars. A century later only the central buildings were rebuilt; these are what remain today. Among the structures, the Daibutsu-den is the grandest, with huge beams that seemingly converge upward toward infinity.

To get to Todai-ji, board Bus 2 from the front of either the JR Station or Kintetsu Nara Station and exit at Daibutsu-den. Cross the street to the path that leads to the Todai-ji complex. You can walk from Kintetsu Nara Station in about 15 minutes by heading east on Noborioji-dori, the avenue running parallel to the station. In Nara Koen turn left onto the pedestrians-only street, lined with souvenir stalls and restaurants, that leads to Todai-ji. A taxi from JR or Kintetsu Nara station costs about ¥1,000.

The important temples and structures are close together; allow about three hours to see everything, allowing for time to feed the deer.

The Daibutsu-den (Hall of the Great Buddha) is a rare example of monumentality in the land of the diminutive bonsai. Unfortunately the kutsu-gata (shoe-shape) gilt ornaments that decorate the roof ridge of the Daibutsu-den did a lamentable job in their supposed ability to ward off fire. The current Daibutsu-den was restored in 1709 at two-thirds its original scale. At 157-feet tall and 187-feet wide, it's still considered the largest wooden structure in the world. If you want to ward off illness, follow the lead of those lighting incense at the huge bronze urn and waving it all over their bodies.

Inside the Daibutsu-den is the Daibutsu, a 53-foot bronze statue of the Buddha. His hand alone is the size of six tatami mats. The Daibutsu was originally commissioned by Emperor Shomu in 743. After numerous unsuccessful castings, this figure was finally made in 749. A statue of this scale had never been cast before in Japan, and it was meant to serve as a symbol to unite the country. The Daibutsu was dedicated in 752 in a grand ceremony attended by the then-retired Emperor Shomu, the Imperial Court, and 10,000 priests and nuns. The current Daibutsu is an amalgamation of work done in three eras: the 8th, 12th, and 17th centuries.

Patience may be a virtue, but here there is a fast track to enlightenment. Apparently, if you can squeeze through the hole in the pillar behind the Daibutsu you've achieved it. In a cruel irony, wisdom is thus bestowed upon children with ease while their elders struggle on.

A peaceful pebble garden in the courtyard of Kaidan-in belies the ferocious expressions of the Four Heavenly Guardian clay statues inside. Depicted in full armor and wielding weapons, they are an arresting sight. Kaidan is a Buddhist word for the terrace on which monks are ordained; the Chinese Buddhist Ganjin (688-763) administered many induction ceremonies of Japanese Buddhists here. The current structure dates from 1731. Kaidan-in is in northwestern Nara Koen, west of the Daibutsu-den.

The soaring Nandai-mon (Great Southern Gate), the entrance to the temple complex, is supported by 18 large wooden pillars, each 62 feet high and nearly 3 1/3 feet in diameter. The original gate was destroyed in a typhoon in 962 and rebuilt in 1199. Two outer niches on either side of the gate contain fearsome wooden figures of Deva kings, who guard the great Buddha within. They are the work of master sculptor Unkei, of the Kamakura period (1185-1335). In the inner niches are a pair of stone koma-inu (Korean dogs), mythical guardians that ward off evil.

Named for a ritual that begins in February and culminates in the spectacular sparks and flames of the Omizu-tori festival in March, the Ni-gatsu-do (Second Month Temple)> was founded in 752. It houses important images of the Buddha that are, alas, not on display to the public. Still, its hilltop location and veranda afford a commanding view of Nara Koen.

Behind the Ni-gatsu-do is a lovely rest area, where free water and cold tea are available daily from 9 to 4. Although no food is sold, it's a quiet spot to picnic, unhindered by the antlered messengers.

The San-gatsu-do (Third Month Temple), founded in 733, is the oldest original building in the Todai-ji complex. It takes its name from the sutra (Buddhist scripture) reading ceremonies held here in the third month of the ancient lunar calendar (present-day February to April). You can sit on benches covered with tatami mats and appreciate the 8th-century National Treasures that crowd the small room. The principal display is the lacquer statue of Fukukensaku Kannon, the goddess of mercy, whose diadem is encrusted with thousands of pearls and gemstones. The two clay bosatsu (bodhisattva) statues on either side of her, the Gakko (Moonlight) and the Nikko (Sunlight), are fine examples of the Tenpyo period (Nara period), the height of classical Japanese sculpture. The English pamphlet included with admission details all the statues in the San-gatsu-do.