19. Nara (2 of 3)
Front gate
The temple proper
Tōdai-ji (東大寺) -- the "Great Eastern Temple" -- is the largest wooden building in the world, even though its present incarnation is only two-thirds of the original size.
The version you see before you was built in 1692 and is famous for housing the Daibutsu (大仏) -- or "Great Buddha" -- statue.
When this temple was first built in 752, it was meant to be the General head-temple of all provincial temples in Japan. Today it is a World Heritage Site.
Pictured below are some of the statues inside. In the centre is an image of one of the supporting posts. The post has a hole in it the size of Buddha's nostril. The idea is that, if you can pass through Buddha's nostril, you are enlightened. Not surprisingly, young schoolchildren have no trouble getting through. Big, clumsy gaijin find it a little more difficult.
