Todai-ji Great Buddha Hall in Nara

Part of the Nara travel guide — see every topic in All Nara Guides.

Todai-ji is the most famous building in Nara. Its main hall, the Daibutsuden or Great Buddha Hall, is one of the largest wooden buildings in the world. Inside is a bronze Buddha statue about 15 metres tall. This guide looks at Todai-ji as architecture: the size of the hall, how it was built and rebuilt, the great wooden gate, and how to visit when it is less crowded.

A giant wooden hall

The Great Buddha Hall is about 57 metres long, 50 metres wide and 49 metres high. It is made mostly of wood, with huge round pillars that hold up a heavy tiled roof. Until 1998 it was described as the largest wooden building in the world. The roof line has two golden ornaments at the ends of the ridge. Inside, the space is dark and very tall. Standing at the door, you feel how small people are next to the structure. The hall is part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998.

Built, burned and rebuilt

The first hall was built in the 8th century. It burned down twice, in the 12th and 16th centuries, and each time it was rebuilt. The present hall was finished in 1709. It is about 30 percent narrower than the first hall, with 7 bays across instead of 11, because there was not enough money to build at the old size. Large trees for the pillars were hard to find, so some pillars were made by joining smaller pieces of wood with iron bands. In a big repair from 1974 to 1980, steel was added inside the roof to help carry its weight.

The statue and its scale

The bronze statue inside is about 15 metres tall and weighs about 500 tonnes. It was first cast in the 8th century, and parts were remade after the fires, including the head. The size of the hall was planned around the statue. Around it stand large wooden figures, and there are models of the old temple layout near the back. One wooden pillar has a hole at its base about the size of the statue's nostril. Children often crawl through it, and there can be a short line. Photos inside the hall are usually allowed, but be quiet and polite.

Nandaimon gate

On the path to the hall you pass the Nandaimon, the Great South Gate. It is a tall wooden gate from the end of the 12th century, with two roofs and huge pillars. It shows a building style with simple, strong wooden brackets that stack up under the roof. Inside the gate stand two large carved wooden guardian figures, about 8 metres tall, made around the same time. They are seen as top works of wood carving in Japan. Deer often rest around the gate, and the gate is free to walk through. Look up to see how the beams lock together without large walls.

Visiting tips

Todai-ji is about 15 to 20 minutes on foot from Kintetsu Nara Station, through Nara Park. The hall opens early in the morning and closes in the late afternoon, with slightly shorter hours in winter. Come at opening time to avoid the school groups and tour buses, which arrive from mid morning. There is an entry fee for the hall. The grounds around the hall, including the Nandaimon gate, are free to walk. Behind the hall, a quiet stone path leads uphill to wooden halls with a wide view over Nara, especially nice at sunset.

Todai-ji Great Buddha Hall at a glance

More in Nara

All 5 Nara guides·Japan tourist maps

Featured Videos