The Daibutsu Hall, the world's largest wooden building, houses one of its most awe-inspiring sights: a 15-meter bronze Buddha weighing 437 tonnes, first cast in 746 to protect Japan from smallpox. You'll feel the scale before you see it — the enormous South Gate with its fierce 13th-century wooden guardians carved by Unkei sets the tone. Inside, the Great Buddha sits in contemplative stillness, its head slightly different in color from its body, evidence of centuries of earthquakes and repairs. At the back, a wooden column with a hole the size of Buddha's nostril attracts a line of children trying to squeeze through for guaranteed enlightenment.
Plan your walk around Tōdai-ji
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