Todaiji Temple

Nara is a perfect day trip from Kyoto. It takes about an hour by train. This is Todaiji (東大寺, Tōdaiji, "Great Eastern Temple"). It is one of the most impressive temples in Japan, and plays a major role in Japanese history through the ages. The temple was constructed in 752 as the head temple of all provincial Buddhist temples of Japan and grew so powerful that the capital was moved away from Nara in 784 in order to lower the temple's influence on government affairs. Until recently, Todaiji's main hall, the Daibutsuden (Big Buddha Hall), held the record as the world's largest wooden building, despite the fact that the present reconstruction of 1692 is only two thirds of the original temple hall's size. The massive building houses one of Japan's largest bronze statues of Buddha (Daibutsu). The 15 meters tall, seated Buddha represents Vairocana and is flanked by two Bodhisattvas. Several smaller Buddhist statues and models of the former and current buildings are also on display in the Daibutsuden Hall. #kyototrip #japan #trip #tripmoments #temples