Todaiji Temple

In the Nara period (710-794), Emperor Shomu had the Rushana Daibutsu (Great Buddha) built at his request, and a memorial service was held in 752. This temple is one of the representative temples of Nara. It took nearly 40 years to build the temple complex. After the capital was moved from Heijo-kyo to Nara, the temple was well protected and prospered. In 1180 in the Kamakura period and again in 1567 in the Edo period, most of the temple buildings including the Daibutsuden were destroyed by fire, but they were restored with the cooperation of many people.

The Daibutsuden, one of the world's largest wooden structures, houses the seated statue of Rushana Butsu, popularly known as the "Great Buddha of Nara'', the oldest building in Todaiji's architecture, Hokkedo (Sangetsudo), and Nandaimon, the largest gate in Japan. The west side of the Shosoin Temple, which has survived two wars and still retains the original architecture of the temple, is also a must-see.

In 1998, the temple was registered as a World Heritage Site along with Kasuga Taisha Shrine and Kofukuji Temple as "Cultural Properties of the Ancient Capital Nara”.