Database: Todai-ji

In 743, the Emperor Shomu decided to build the "great temple of the east" near the capital of Nara. A grandiose inauguration ceremony was held in 752—honoring of the "eye-opening" of the Great Buddha (a monumental bronze statue) at Todai-ji—attended by all the high dignitaries of the regime, as well as Buddhist monks from all over the continent. Todai-ji grew into one of the most prosperous Buddhist institutions of the Heian period, heading many estates (shōen), serving as a cultural center for the training of monks from all schools. But in 1180, during the Genpei War, the Taira burned Todai-ji to the ground, much to the regret of the deposed emperor Go Shirakawa, who is reported to have said, "Destroying the warrior monks? So be it. However, was it necessary to destroy the monastery?" (The Tale of the Heike). The temple was rebuilt (and even flourished again) but was burned in 1567 by Matsunaga Hisahide while fighting against the lords of Miyoshi. It was not until the end of the 17th century that the monastery and the Great Buddha were fully restored.

Despite being destroyed twice, the Todai-ji has maintained its prestige over the centuries. The structure in which Great Buddha lies is said to be the largest wooden building in the world. It used to be flanked by two seven-story pagodas, each nearly a hundred meters high. Today, the temple serves as the headquarters of the Kegon School of Buddhism. Somehow, luckily, a large part of its archives has been preserved.