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Tōdai-ji

Tōdai-ji is a Buddhist temple in Nara that houses the largest bronze Great Buddha in the world, a statue 14.98 metres high. The complex includes the Daibutsuden (Great Buddha Hall), the Nandaimon gate with two 8.5-metre Nio guardians, and the Shōsō-in, a storehouse of imperial treasures. Visitors can squeeze through a hole in a pillar that is the size of the Buddha's nostrils, and watch the sika deer that roam freely. The temple is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the seat of the Kegon school of Buddhism.

Things to do at Tōdai-ji: 6 missions

• Try to squeeze through the holeTry to pass through the hole whose dimensions match those of the Buddha's nostrils.
• Explore the Tōdai-ji Culture CenterWalk through this centre, opened in 2011, which includes a museum with sculptures and treasures of the temple.
• Explore the Great Buddha HallVisit the Great Buddha Hall, which houses the bronze statue of the Vairocana Buddha known as Daibutsu.
• Admire NandaimonLook at the Great South Gate, built in the late 12th century in the Daibutsuyō style.
• See the DaibutsudenAdmire the main building of Tōdai-ji, located opposite Nandaimon, which houses the daibutsu.
• Shuni-e ceremonyAnnual Tōdai-ji ceremony established by the monk Jitchū, held at the temple and attracting many visitors.

Near Tōdai-ji

Source: todaiji.or.jp