Tōdai-ji

Todai-ji Temple, with over 1,200 years of history, has survived fires and earthquakes numerous times and is known as the "world's largest wooden building." Todai-ji Temple is located alongside Nara Park, so you can interact with the deer while visiting the temple. You need a separate ticket to enter the temple, but you can still enjoy the exterior. It's worth noting that during the war, Liang Sicheng, as a scholar, protected Kyoto and Nara from the ravages of war. As he said, "It is not just Japan's ancient capital, but a cultural treasure for all mankind." This is a testament to the Chinese people's generosity.

Going to Nara, if you don't go to Dongdaeji, it's a pity. Because you will miss the hall of the world's largest wooden structure, you will also miss the great opportunity to feel the charm of Tang Feng, and it is even more difficult to experience the joy of Liang Sicheng and other Chinese architectural masters who found Wutaishan Foguang Temple!

The scale is not small. There is a fee to enter the temple. The price is as shown in the picture. I personally recommend not to go to the museum. It is not very meaningful. There are several free temples outside the temple. You can take a look. There are many deer inside and outside the temple. Be careful when feeding. Keep your children behind you. Some 🦌 will attack people. Deer biscuits are not expensive. You can buy a pack. Some 🦌 will bow.

Todaiji Temple is a must-visit when visiting Nara. The main hall costs 800 yen and the treasure house costs 400 yen. I personally think that it is enough to just visit the main hall. It is the main temple of the Japanese Buddhist Kegon sect and one of the seven major temples in Nanto. It was built to pray for the soul of Prince Ki, the crown prince of Emperor Shomu. It began with Kinzhongshan Temple established in 728. In 741, Kinzhong Temple was upgraded to Kinkomyoji Temple in Yamato Province, the predecessor of Todaiji Temple. • Reconstruction process: It was destroyed by war at the end of the 12th century and began to be rebuilt in 1182. Chongyuan adopted the "Big Buddha" architectural style of the Song Dynasty and hired Chen Heqing, a Song Dynasty man, to participate in the casting of Buddha statues and other work. • Overall layout: Located in the east of Nara, northwest of the Kasugayama primeval forest, it is symmetrically arranged with the north-south central axis. The central axis is the South Gate, the Middle Gate, and the Golden Hall, surrounded by corridors. The temple is centered on the Great Buddha Hall, which is the general layout of the Tang Dynasty pagoda. • Single building: The Great Buddha Hall is one of the largest existing wooden structures in the world. It adopts a hip-and-gable double-eaved roof with large cantilevered eaves and exposed wooden structure white infill walls; the South Gate is the largest mountain gate in Japan. There is no ceiling in the room. Short columns are used to support the beams, and the beam heads and ridges are all decorated with carvings. Main cultural relics • Vairocana Buddha Statue: One of the largest bronze Buddha statues in the world, the statue is 14.98 meters high. The lotus petals around the pedestal are carved with a "Lotus Treasury World" wool carving, expressing the "world of enlightenment" in the "Avatamsaka Sutra". • Avalokitesvara Statue: Located in the Fahua Hall, it was completed in the 19th year of Tenpyo. It has three eyes and eight arms, and a dignified expression, symbolizing the ability of Avalokitesvara to save all living beings. • Moonlight Bodhisattva Statue: In front of the left side of the Avalokitesvara Statue, with hands folded, wearing Tang clothes, the skin on the cheeks and hands is soft and elastic, and lifelike. Cultural significance • Religious status: Todaiji Temple is the temple of the Japanese Huayan Sect. It has the mission of studying Buddhist doctrines and cultivating monks, and has become a temple of learning for the eight sects. The Chinese Tang Dynasty monk Jianzhen once set up an altar here to give precepts. • Artistic value: The architecture, Buddha statues, paintings, calligraphy and other works of art of Todaiji Temple integrate the artistic styles of the Tang Dynasty in China and the native Japanese art styles. It is an outstanding representative of ancient Japanese art and has important value for studying the development of ancient Japanese art. • Historical value: Todaiji Temple has witnessed the historical changes since the Nara period in Japan. It is an important symbol of Japanese history and culture. In 1998, it was listed as a historical monument of ancient Nara by UNESCO. Note that there is a hole under a wooden pillar inside. Many people are waiting in line to drill it. You can try it.

Record of 2019.11 Kansai Late Autumn Trip~ When you come to Nara during the maple leaf season, Todaiji Temple is a must-visit place for maple viewing. Before coming here, I didn't know that Todaiji Temple was so large. With the Great Buddha Hall as the center, there are East and West Seven-story Pagodas, South Gate, Lecture Hall, Kaidan-in, Shoso-in, Nigatsu-do, Hokke-do, Kaisan-do, etc. It is really magnificent. It is said that the Great Buddha Hall is the largest wooden building in the world. It was only evening when I came all the way from Nara Park to Todaiji Temple. I didn't have enough time to visit them one by one, so I only visited Nigatsu-do. But just such a quick and hurried tour is enough to be shocked by the red maple landscape. If I have the chance, I must come again!

Nara Alley is nearby, you can eat first. There is also a small commercial street nearby. There is an internet celebrity uncle here, similar to knocking rice cakes. The snacks are good and very sticky. In front is Todaiji Temple. There are many people. You can burn incense and get stamps inside. You can feel the Japanese temple culture, which is very good! ! !

There are many deer. Be careful not to be hurt when feeding. If the deer approaches you and shows it with open hands, it will not be entangled. Dongda Temple is more magnificent as a whole. It is said that Jianzhen, a monk of the Tang Dynasty, set up altars here to teach precepts. If the cherry blossom season, it will be very beautiful here. There is a short street outside the temple, where souvenirs and snacks are sold. Be sure to try Cremia ice cream for 500 yen each, so you won't regret it.

To the north of Nara Park is Todaiji Temple. Before entering the Great Buddha Hall, you must wash yourself at the wash basin on the right side of the hall. I asked the Japanese female student next to me and learned that it is not just a casual wash. First wash left and then right, then pour the water in the spoon into your palm and drink it devoutly. The Great Buddha Hall is the largest wooden ancient building in the world. A 16-meter-high bronze Vairocana Buddha statue is enshrined in the hall. It is very magnificent and majestic.