Todai-ji Temple

Where it is & how to get there

• From Kyoto: About 45 minutes by Kintetsu or JR train to Nara, then 20 minutes' walk or bus.
• Gate: Pass through the giant Nandaimon Gate with its guardian statues.
• Pillar: Children try to squeeze through a hole in a wooden pillar for good luck.

The story of Todai-ji

Todai-ji was founded in 752 AD as the head temple of all provincial Buddhist temples in Japan. Its Great Buddha Hall (Daibutsuden) was for centuries the largest wooden building in the world; the current hall from 1709 is about two-thirds the original size.

Inside sits a bronze statue of the Buddha Vairocana about 15 metres tall. Todai-ji is part of the UNESCO-listed Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara.

Best time to visit

Tips before you go

• Arrive at opening time to beat the tour groups.
• Arrive at opening to see the hall quietly.
• Look up at the guardian statues in the Nandaimon Gate.

What's around Todai-ji

• Nara ParkAround the temple.
• Nigatsu-doHall with views over Nara.
• Kasuga Taisha20 minutes' walk.
• Isuien GardenTraditional garden.

Questions travellers ask