This building was built in the Edo period. It has statues of Senju Kannon and Amida Nyorai. It also has statues of Fugen Bosatsu of the Fujiwara period. Hokke Sanmaie (a special prayer) is held in every April, and that is why it is called April Hall.
Kaizando (Founder's Hall) (National Treasure)
Kaizando stands north of Sanmaido. It was built by Chogen, and it is an example of Kamakura architecture. In the Zushi of this hall, the colored wooden sitting statue of bishop Roben is enshrined. It was carved in 1019, and it is a National Treasure. The building is open to the public on December 16.
Todaiji Shoro (Belfry) (National Treasure)
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The belfry is located east of Daibutsu Building. It is a single room Irimoya-style structure. It is Kamakura-yo, that is, a mixture of Tejiku-yo (Indian style) and Kara-yo (T'ang style) architecture. It was built in 752 but blown down by a typhoon in 980. It was rebuilt in 1200. It is said to have been built by Eisai. Its bonsho (bell) was first stuck in 752 when the consecration ceremony of Daibutsu was held. The bell is 3.9 meters tall and 2.7 meters across at the bottom, and it weighs 26.3 tons. It is the second largest bell in Japan, next to the one at Chiyoin in Kyoto. You can strike this bell to ring the old year out and the new year in on New Year's Eve.
Todaiji Shunjodo
Todaiji Shunjodo stands northwest of the Belfry, facing south. It enshrines a sitting statue of Priest Shunjo. It is an example of Edo Period architecture. Priest Shunjoo Chogen contributed greatly to getting power again for Todaiji. This statue represents him late in life. It is 81 centimeters tall and was made in the Kamakura Period. This hall has Amida Nyorai, which was made in the Kamakura Period, too.
Todaiji Gyokido
Todaiji Gyokido stands on the east side of Shunjodo. It has a wooden statue of Gyoki, one of four saints of Todaiji.
Todaiji Nenbutsudo (Important Cultural Property)
It stands on the east side of the Belfry. It is painted red and is an example of Kamakura architecture. It is a Yosemune-style building. It has a sitting statue of Jizo Bosatsu of Kamakura Period.
Todaiji Oyuya ( Great Bath House) (Important Cultural Property)
It stands behind Gyokido. It was built in the Kamakura Period, but it was repaired extensively in the Muromachi Period. It is an example of Irimoya-style architecture on the west side and Kiritsuma-style architecture on the back. It has three rooms, and there is an iron bathtub in the middle room.
Nigatsudo (February Hall) (Important Cultural Property)
This building stands east of the Belfry on an overhanging cliff, north of Sangatsudo. The name came from Omizu-tori (Water Drawing Ceremony) which is held in February in the lunar calendar at this hall. It is built in the Yosemune style.
This hall was built by Priest Jitchu in 752. It was burned down in 1667, but it was rebuilt in 1669. It enshrines the bronze statue of the Eleven-faced Kannon (Ekadasamukha) which is kept in a zushi (miniature shrine), which is unfortunately closed to the public.
Because the Eleven-faced Kannon is believed to be very responsive to prayers, many people come for worship. Some of them practice Ohyakudo-mairi, which is walking round the hall from left to right one hundred times offering a prayer each time they pass in front of the zushi. Many mothers pray here for their children to pass entrance exams for various schools and colleges.
This hall is open to the public and the admission is free. You can see a nice view of Nara from its platform. During Omizu-tori, priests with a large torch run up the stairway passage and hold the torch out over the edge of the platform. The open area in front of the platform is completely covered with the crowd of people who come to see Omizu-tori. The main part of the event involves drawing water and carrying torches as the only light for walking. However, torches are more important for tourists now.
Akaiya (Important Cultural Property)
Down the hill from Nigatsudo, there is a very tiny building. It is called Akaiya, and it has Wakasai (Wakasa Well) in it. Omizutori, a special worship ceremony, is held from March 1 to 14 at Nigatsudo. The best known part of the ceremony is the priests running up the staircase with large torches. However, the main event is held at two in the morning here that water is drawn from this well and offered to the eleven-faced kanon, the main Buddha of Nigatsudo.
Hokkedo (Sangatsudo [March Hall]) (National Treasure)
Hokkedo stands south of Nigatsudo, and it is the oldest building in the Todaiji Temple complex. Another name for it is Kensakudo, but now it is called Sangatsudo by most people, since the annual service for the Hokke Sutra is held in March.
This hall consists of two halls, the Hondo (main hall) in Yosemune style from the Tempyo Period, and the Raido (chapel) in Irimoya style from the Kamakura Period. The main hall was built in 733, and the chapel was rebuilt in 1199. They are connected by a roof. These two buildings from different ages are well harmonized, and Sangatsudo is well known for its beautiful architecture and as a treasure hall of Tempyo carvings.
Todaiji Tengaimon (Tengai Gate) (National Treasure)
This gate is the original gate It was repaired in Kamakura period, but still represents the great Tempyo power of Todaiji. It is located at the end of Sahoji, ichijo minami oji, (that is the first street in Heijokyo), and it is sometimes called Sahoji mon.
Kaidanin (Todaiji Temple) 戒壇院
A distinguished priest from China, Ganjin came to Japan in February 754 after five attempts to cross the sea. He was welcomed warmly by the people in the capital. At that time, Buddhism was spreading rapidly all over Japan. There were unfortunately many priests and nuns who did not do their duties properly. The government decided to invite a high priest from China to ordain them. The kaidan is the place where the priests declare their commitment to Buddha, and that ceremony was very important and the place, the kaidan, was a very holy place.
Ganjin built temporary kaidan in front of Daibutsuden and ordained more than 400 priests and nuns including, Emperor Shomu, Empress Koken, Empress Komyuo, and high-ranking people.
Construction was then started on the permanent kaidan, which had an Ordination Hall, a Lecture Hall, monks' quarters, and other structures. The other two kaidan complexes were built in the present Tochigi Prefecture and in Fukuoka Prefecture. Among these three, the one at Todaiji was the most important.
Unfortunately, buildings were burned down three times, in 1180, 1446 and 1567. The present kaidan complex consists of only the Senju-do (1603), the Jukai-do (reconstructed in 1732) and the Kuri (priests' living quarters). On the top of three level kaidan there is a wooden Taho Pagoda that contains copies of images of Shaka Yorai and Taho Butsu. (The original ones, which are said to have been brought from China by Ganjin, are kept in the storage building). There are four clay images of Shitenno of the Tempyo period, which are national treasures, at the four corners. The clothing of these statures show the influence of the central Asia.
Reference
Shimazu, M. (Ed.). (1990). Nara. Tokyo. JTB. (in Japanese)
Kitamura S. (1986). Full-day's Excursion to Nara, The Repository of Old Cultural Assets. Nara: Nara YMCA.
copyright (2002) S. Kathleen Kitao and Kenji Kitao
Note: This work was partially funded by the Doshisha University Computer Research Fund, 2002.
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