Todaiji Temple

Todaiji temple, "Great Eastern Temple", is one of Japan's most famous and historically significant temples and landmark of Nara. Its Great Buddha Hall, Daibutsuden, houses the world's largest bronze statue of the Buddha Vairocana, known as Daibutsu. The temple is listed as a UNESCO world heritage site as one of the Historic Monuments of Nara. I was truly overwhelmed to see this one of a kind structure. Given the chance to explore this historically enriched city again, I'll definitely go back!

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 from Nara to Nagaoka in 784 in order to lower the temple's influence on government affairs.

Todaiji's main hall, the Daibutsuden (Big Buddha Hall) is 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.

Daibutsu, the Great Buddha. It is the world's largest bronze buddha structure. 

Nio Guardian King

The Nandaimon Gate, the great southern gate. 

Deers are regarded as messengers of the gods in the Shinto religion. They roam the ground freely. You can feed them on your way to the gate. Don't worry they are very friendly. They even bow before you feed them. 

Gigantic gates of the temple.