Toshodaiji, A tranquil sanctuary of Tang Dynasty grandeur

13-46 Gojo-cho, Nara-shi, Nara 630-8032, Japan

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Introduction

Todai-ji Temple is located in Gojō-chō, Nara City. Although it seems remote now, 1200 years ago it was in the center of Heijō-kyō, the capital of Nara. In 759 AD, the renowned Tang Dynasty monk Jianzhen was granted this land and established Todai-ji Temple, meaning a place for practicing Buddhism near the Buddha. The temple's name implies that it was founded for the practice of Monk Jianzhen. Todai-ji Temple is also known as the "First Monastery of the Tang Dynasty" because Japanese Buddhism centered around the precepts of the Chinese Nanshan School, and it was the first temple following those precepts. Today, Todai-ji Temple is still honored as the head temple of the Japanese Ritsu School. The temple retains the architectural style of the prosperous Tang Dynasty, with a simple and majestic roof of the Main Hall and corridors with large pillars. The Main Hall is a central structure within Todai-ji Temple and is also featured in the novel by Takeo and In Illustrated Japan. After ten years of large-scale renovation, the Main Hall was officially reopened in 2010, marking the most significant restoration of the temple since the Middle Ages.