This temple with its huge Daibutsuden room and the huge bronze image of Buddha is the main attraction of Nara.
Todaiji is a Buddhist temple located in Nara. It houses a giant statue of Buddha Vairocana called Dainichi in Japanese, means “Buddha that shines throughout the world as the sun, known simply as the Daibutsu (Great Buddha), like other great figures of Buddha in Japan. The temple also serves as the headquarters Kegon Japanese school of Buddhism.
Todaiji is the largest wooden building in the world. Incredibly, the present structure, rebuilt in 1709, occupies only two thirds of original size. The Great Buddha which contains in its interior is one of the largest bronze figures in the world and originally cast in 746. the present statue, recast the Edo period, measured 16m in height and is composed of 437t 130k bronze and gold.
By surrounding the statue in the back, visitors will discover a wooden column with a hole in the base. Popular belief holds that they can slip through the hole, which measures exactly the same as one of the nostrils of the Great Buddha.
The deer, officially protected as national treasures and are considered messengers of the Shinto gods, roam the grounds freely. They are used as tourist attraction and can be fed, after buying a wafer sort sold in the venue, so show no fear of people.
Tags: Daibutsuden, Nara, Temple, Todaiji, Todaiji Temple