Todai-ji
東大寺34°41′ N 135°50′ ETempleNara period (8th century)
Todai-ji suits a morning in Nara with the Great Buddha before the tour groups arrive, and its trade-off is a separate cash fee at each hall.
Photo Chainwit · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 and others, credited in the gallery
Visiting with care · Open to visitors
- Pay entry in cash at each hall.
- Todai-ji is a working temple with daily services. Keep your voice low inside the halls and give way to anyone praying.
- Follow the signs inside each hall on photographs and on where you may walk.
Related places
Todai-ji dates from the Nara period, and its Great Buddha Hall opens earlier than most sights in the city, at 7:30 from April to October. In winter the doors open at 8:00 and close at 17:00. An adult pays ¥800 at the hall in cash.
Hokke-do, also called Sangatsu-do, and the Kaidan-in ordination hall keep shorter hours, 8:30 to 16:00. The Todai-ji Museum sells a set ticket with the Great Buddha Hall, which you can buy at either.
Worth knowing
- Carry cash; every hall at Todai-ji takes cash only.
- An audio guide is available just past the Great Buddha Hall's ticket gate.
Quick answers about Todai-jiよくある質問
What time does Todai-ji open?
Todai-ji's Great Buddha Hall opens at 7:30 from April to October and at 8:00 from November to March. It closes at 17:30 in summer and 17:00 in winter.
How much does it cost to enter Todai-ji?
Entry to Todai-ji's Great Buddha Hall costs ¥800 for adults and ¥400 for primary school children, cash only. Other halls charge separately.
Can you visit Todai-ji?
Open to visitors. Pay entry in cash at each hall.
How should you behave at Todai-ji?
At Todai-ji: Todai-ji is a working temple with daily services. Keep your voice low inside the halls and give way to anyone praying. Follow the signs inside each hall on photographs and on where you may walk.
Within 12 km