Tōdaiji Temple (Tōdaiji Temple, Nara Prefecture, Japan) Details

Todaiji Temple (hiragana とうだいじ) is the main temple of the Hwa-yen Sect of Japan, also known as Daihwa-yen Temple and Golden Light Shitenno-gukokuji Temple. Tōdaiji Temple is located in Hirakujōkyō (present-day Nara) East, is one of the seven major temples in the southern capital, about one thousand two hundred years ago. Todaiji Temple, in 1998, was listed as a World Heritage Site as part of the historical sites of ancient Nara.

The establishment of Todaiji Temple originated from Wu Zetian's creation of a bronze statue of the Great Buddha, Tongtian Fudu, at Ziwei Castle in Luoyang, and the carving of a stone statue of the Great Buddha, Rushena, at Bongxian Temple in Ryumon, and in the twelfth year of the Tianping era (740 years old), Emperor Shengwu wished that "I will also build it".

Basic introduction Chinese name : Todaiji Foreign name : ? TODAIJI Location ：Temple in Nara Prefecture, Japan Established ：728 Best Season ：Spring is the best. Suggested playing time : half a day Open time : November to February : 8:00-16:30 Ticket price : 500 yuan for adults, 300 yuan for children English name : Todai-ji Before you go, you must read, scenic spots, key information, how to get to the attractions, beautiful pictures, introduction to the Buddhist temple, architectural style, the predecessor of the temple, the history of the development of the construction of the background of the Great Buddha to create a standing Buddha, the Great Buddha opened his eyes, Jianzhen awarded the precepts, the construction of the famous places National Treasures, Important Events, Important Festivals, Introduction to Buddhist Temples Buddhist Temples were established in 728 by Emperor Seibu, who was a believer in Buddhism. Todaiji Temple is the head temple of 68 national temples. It was called Todaiji Temple because it was built east of the capital, Heijo-kyo. It is also known as Daehwajeonji Temple and Golden Light Four Heavenly Kings Protectorate Temple. There is also the Western Daishi Temple. Todaiji Temple, Japan Todaiji Temple's Great Buddha Hall is the world's largest wooden building with a front width of 57 meters and a depth of 50 meters. Inside the hall, there is a large statue of Buddha, which is more than 15 meters tall? Rushena Buddha. Within the grounds of Todaiji Temple, there are also Namdaemun, Nigatsukudo, Marchudo, and Shokurain. There is a famous statue of Vajrapani, a double-bodied vajra warrior, at the south gate. The February Hall overlooks the Great Buddha Hall and Nara City. The Chinese monk Jianzhen of the Tang Dynasty once held an ordination ceremony here, and in the fall of 1997, representatives of the three countries attending the "China-Korea-Japan Friendship and Exchange Conference on Buddhism" held a puja for world peace here. Architectural style The style of the southeast coastal area during the Song Dynasty was made in Mingzhou, i.e., the Tianzhu style. (Gate and Hall of the Great Buddha) The predecessor of the temple The predecessor of the temple was established at the foot of Wakakusa Mountain, east of the Hall of the Great Buddha, in the first half of the 8th century. According to the "Tōdaiji Yoroki," the Kanjoji Temple founded at the foot of Wakakusa Mountain in 733 was the origin of Tōdaiji Temple. According to another theory, according to the main history "Nihon no Ki", in 728, the 45th emperor, Emperor Shomu, and Empress Komyo's son, Bodhi, died prematurely, and for this reason, they set up a temple at the foot of Mount Wakakusa, where nine monks lived permanently, which was the predecessor of Konjokuji Temple. It is said that in the middle of the 8th century, Geumsodo and Sensodo were established in Geumsuji Temple, and it is assumed that Geumsodo is the current Hwajodo (also known as Sankisodo, and the main deity is Bukeyokuso Kannon). Since the Fujiwara Hirotsugu Rebellion in 740, Nara's capital was abolished, and the political center was shifted between Kyoin-kyo (present-day Kamo-cho, Sagara-gun, Kyoto Prefecture), Shikaraku-gu Shrine in Konoha (Shiga), and Namba-gu Shrine (present-day Hohoku Higashi-ku, Hogenzaka-cho, Osaka), resulting in a state of great confusion in the society. In order to achieve national peace, Emperor Shomu issued an edict to each country to build a kokubunji temple and a kokubuninji temple. In the 13th year of the reign of Emperor Tenpyo (741), the edict was issued, and in the 14th year of the reign of Emperor Tenpyo (742), Konjōji Temple was designated as the Kokubun-ji Temple of the Republic of Yamato and was renamed Kinkōmyōji Temple. The casting of the Daibutsu began in the 19th year of the reign of Emperor Tenpyo (747), and the name of the temple, "Dōdaiji," is believed to have begun at this time. In addition, the first historical record of the construction of Todaiji Temple, "Zuodaiji Division", which supervised the construction of Todaiji Temple, is dated in 748, the 20th year of the Tenpyeong era. Although there is no organizational relationship between Todaiji and Kokubunji, there is a close relationship not only in terms of Buddhist beliefs, but also in terms of the form of subordination because Todaiji was built by the Emperor in the central government and Kokubunji was built and supervised by the Kokubunji of the local government in the local ***. In this sense, Todaiji Temple is also called Shokokubunji Temple, a name that first appeared in Kamakura period documents. History Background The establishment of Kokubunji and Kokubuni temples in various parts of Japan actually followed the practice of building national temples in various parts of China during the Sui and Tang dynasties, such as Daiyunji Temple, Ryukyuji Temple, and Kaiyonji Temple, etc., in order to pray for the well-being of the nation. Empress Guangming admired Wu Zetian so much that the Danyun Temple founded by Wu Zetian was considered to be an example to follow. The message of Wu Zetian's making a bronze statue of the Great Buddha, Tongtian Fudu, at Ziwei City in Luoyang, and carving a stone statue of the Great Buddha, Rushena Daibutsu, at Fengxian Temple in Longmen, was spread to Japan by the monks who entered the Tang Dynasty in search of the Dharma. In the 12th year of the Emperor's reign (740), after visiting the Great Buddha at the Temple of Knowledge in Ogun-gun, Kawachi Province (present-day Kashiwara City, Osaka Prefecture), Emperor Seibu wished that he would also have the Great Buddha constructed. The Great Buddha was built in 743, the 15th year of the Emperor's reign in Tenpyo. At that time, the capital city was Kyorenkyo (present-day Kyoto), and the casting of the Daibutsu was begun at Shikaraku Shrine (present-day Kaga City, Shiga Prefecture), which was located in the northeast part of Kyorenkyo, where the Emperor's palace was located. After that, Emperor Shomu moved the capital several times within a short period of time, and two years later, in 745, the casting of the Daibutsu began on the site of the present Todaiji Temple while the capital, Hirajo-kyo, was set in 745. This was a very difficult and huge project, and after the casting of the Great Buddha, Bodhicitta, a monk from Tenchu (India), presided over the Eye Opening Ceremony of the Great Buddha in 752, the 4th year of Tenpyeong Seungbo. After the casting of the Great Buddha, the construction of the Great Buddha Hall was begun and completed in 758, the 2nd year of Tenpyeonghoji. Todaiji Temple in Japan Opening of the Eye of the Great Buddha On April 9, 752, a grand opening of the eye of the Great Buddha was held, with the participation of Emperor Seibu, Empress Dowager Komyo, Emperor Hyojin, and civil and military officials, and more than 10,000 monks, and with the performance of the Kume Odori dance, Togokugaku, Goryeo, and Rinyupakugaku, "Since Buddhism was first introduced to the East in Japan, it has been a great pleasure to see you," he said. Not since the time of Buddhism's eastward journey has the ceremony been so grand." Because of the Emperor Shengwu is sick, so by the Buddha monk (Bodhichandra, also known as the Brahmin monk) on behalf of the eye-opening pen, this pen is now hidden in the main warehouse hospital, the tie "five-color strands", the length of the Great Buddha Hall outside, countless visitors to help to tie the Dharma. Ganjin's Precepts In 753 A.D., the monk Ganjin of the Tang Dynasty traveled eastward to Japan and precepted monks and laypeople, including Emperor Shobu, at a temporary precepts altar built in front of the Great Buddha Hall. West of the Great Buddha Hall, the precepts of the courtyard is the monk Jianzhen usually teach precepts of the place, within the precepts of the room (Golden Hall), the lecture hall, the monk room, the scale is small. Soon after the completion of Tang Zhouti Temple, monk Jianzhen moved to Tang Zhouti Temple, while the relevant personnel are still here to teach the precepts. Todaiji Temple was not only a dojo for praying for the peace of the world and the well-being of all people, but also a temple that actively promoted doctrinal research and had the important task of training scholars. In the Nara period, the six schools of Buddhism, Dharma, Sannon, Kusha, Sengoku, Hwa-yen, and Ritsu had already been introduced to Japan, and Tōdaiji studied all six schools, with a particular emphasis on Hwa-yen. On the south gate, there is a plaque of "Heng Shuo Hua Yan Yuan", and in front of Rushena Buddha, there is a lamp placed in the middle of a pair of mirrors, and the light is reflected in the mirrors on both sides, which indicates that the Dharma Realm has endless origins. There are six niches built into the main hall of the Buddha, called "Six Sect Closets", in which the fundamental classics of each sect are placed, and the statues of their respective masters and guardian deities are painted on the doors. During the Heian period, in addition to the six schools, the teaching and study of the Tendai and Shingon schools were also popular, and Todaiji Temple boasted that it had "eight schools to study at the same time". As the classics brought by the monk Ganjin were widely recited, the teaching of Huayan became closely related to that of Tendai. In terms of Shingon Tantra, the ancient Tantra has been prevalent since the time of Konjuksa, and with the foundation of Shonin Master Kukai and his disciples who propagated Tantra in the southern capital of Nara, monks and nuns specializing in Tantra lived in the temple, and more than 10 sub-institutes were established, such as Shingon Institution founded by Shonin Master Konjuksa (821), and Southeastern Institution for the study of the Three Treatises of Shingon and Shingon founded by Seiho Shonjō (Master Rigen, the founding father of Daigoji Temple) (875), and so on. The economic income of Todaiji Temple came mainly from the five thousand households granted by the Emperor and from the rents and taxes of several countries. With the drastic decrease in income, it began to operate estates in Yamato (Nara), Iga (Mie), Settsu (on the border of Hyogo and Osaka), Yamashiro (Kyoto), and Hokuriku-do in order to replenish its financial resources. Since there was a shortage of helpers to manage and administer the dagaras, estates and transportation of materials, many monks were added, and they were known as the "Sangyo" and "Daido" (later called "Monk Soldiers"), and they formed a group that was very powerful in the society. Toward the end of the Heian period, there was constant friction between Todaiji and the powerful Heike clan in the management of their estates. The rule of four years (1180), the source of Yorimasa was ordered to raise the army, Xingfu Temple, Tōdaiji Temple people and the people of the temple of Sanjing Temple to join hands to resist, and finally defeated, Tōdaiji Temple, most of the destruction of the military fire, Rushesana Buddha due to the burning of the Hall of the Great Buddha and the great loss. Japanese Tōdaiji monks Shungyōbō Shigenōsōnin took up the post of Daihakuin at the age of 61, and revived most of the Daikanyō during the 25 years from the first year of Ken-ei (1206), when he died at the age of 86. He practiced Nenbutsu in the private sector, was good at building bridges over water, and traveled to the Song Dynasty three times, which gave him a wealth of knowledge about the architecture of foreign temples. He was known as the "Sage of the Mekoku Procession" for his determination to make friends and for his decisiveness. His unfinished business of revitalizing the temple was carried on by Eisai (the founder of Keninsa) and Gyoyong. With the gradual revitalization of the kagura, the dull teaching activities became more and more lively. During the Kamakura period, the teaching of the Avatamsaka school was revitalized, and there were many famous monks, including Sōsei and Neran, who have more than 2,000 volumes of writings that have been handed down to the present day. In the 10th year of the Eiroku period (1567) of the Warring States period, during the Mikao and Matsunaga Rebellion, the Daibutsu-den was once again burned down, with Rushena Buddha's head and left hand burned off, and the upper half of his body and Lotus Throne severely damaged. Since the estates all over Todaiji had been returned to the samurai, and customs duties could not be collected at Sakai (near Osaka) and Hyogo Port, the economy was in crisis. Until the middle of the Edo period, Rushena Buddha remained *** out in the open for more than a hundred years and suffered from the erosion of the weather. In the fifth year of Genroku's reign (1692), the restoration of Rushena Buddha was completed, and a great puja was held to open the eyes of the Buddha and make offerings to the gods. The puja was grand in scale and was held in conjunction with the Ten Thousand Sangha Offering Puja, which lasted for one month. At that time, more than 200,000 monks participated in the ceremony, and the number of people who made a connection was countless. In the sixth year of Hoei (1709), the Great Buddha Hall was inaugurated. After that, the temple was overhauled in the Meiji and Showa eras, and its size was reduced, but it is still the largest wooden structure in the world. Architectural attractions The center of Tōdaiji Temple is the Great Buddha Hall (Kindō). Between the middle gate and the south gate, there are east and west seven-fold pagodas; in the north, there are lecture halls, three-sided monastic rooms and refectories; in the west, there is a preceptor's courtyard; in the northwest, there is the main storehouse courtyard and the door to turn harmful; in the east, there is the February Hall, the Sangsok Yard (Fahuatang), the Kaisendo, etc. The temple area is vast and the scale is magnificent. The temple area is vast and grand in scale. The main gate of Todaiji Temple, known as the World Heritage Site, Namdaemon, is about 50 meters wide and 25 meters high. It was built in 760 but was destroyed by fire, and was restored and rebuilt in the Kamakura period. At the south gate, there is a statue of Konjac Rikishi (moo statue), which is very tall and powerful. South Gate The Avatamsaka Sutra was widely revered in Japan during the Nara period. In addition to the Rushena Buddha in the Temple of Knowledge, there are several paintings based on the Avatamsaka Sutra in the Daianji Temple. In the twelfth year of Tianping (740), Daanji's Silla monk, Chingxiang, was invited to preach the 60-volume Avatamsaka Sutra at Jinjungsa Temple for three years. Admiralty Temple, the predecessor of Hwajeon Temple, was the first temple in Japan to preach the Avatamsaka Sutra. Chisho (?) was the first Japanese temple to preach the Avatamsaka Sutra. -742, the first ancestor of the Avatamsaka Sect in Japan) died, the Tōdaiji Temple founder Ryo discernment (689-773, the second ancestor of the Avatamsaka Sect in Japan) continued to preach, and the Nara era Tōdaiji Temple became the center for the propagation of Avatamsaka Sect in Japan. Todaiji Temple in Japan Konjōji Temple was built in the fifth year of the Kamakura era (728) in honor of Prince Ki, the crown prince, who had died before he reached his full age. At that time, there were only nine resident monks in this temple, and they conducted doctrinal studies such as lectures on the Avatamsaka Sutra, as well as ancient esoteric beliefs such as the eleven-faced Kannon and Thousand-armed Kannon. In the 17th year of Tianping (745), the construction of the Daibutsu was started, and Jinjungsa was incorporated into Dongdaesa Daigakuren. The east side of Dongdaesa Temple has a hall called Hahwadang (March Hall), which is also known as Kansodang (Hall of Kansodang) because the main deity is "Bukkyo Kanso Kannon". According to the historical records in the collection of the Shosoin Temple, the Komusodo was built before the main buildings of the central gajeon (such as the Great Buddha Hall and the Lecture Hall) in the preparatory stage of the construction of the Great Buddha, and teaching activities began in the Komusodo Sangha in the year when the construction of the Great Buddha was begun. The principal deity of Jwasodo is the same as the eleven-faced Kannon and the thousand-armed Kannon, which are the Kannon of change in the Tantric religion, and in this respect, it is evident that it has inherited the traditions from the era of the Gimjungsa Temple. The name of the hall and the temple is derived from the principal deity. Therefore, the people who conduct religious activities here are called "Komusodo congregation", and this unique name has been maintained for a long period of time. The Shujikai (Water Festival), held annually on the north side of Hohwadang, is a puja in which the eleven-faced Goddess of Mercy is used as the main deity to repent for sins and to pray for peace in the world and a good harvest. According to the latest research, it is not a puja explicitly ordered by the state, but a way of expressing faith by the congregation of Sasodo, headed by Monk Shichung. Since the "Dharma Ceremony" is held in Kusodo in the third month of the old calendar every year, it is also known as the March Ceremony. Todaiji Temple, Japan FEBRUARY DOWNTOWN is named after the Shuji-kai held in the second month of the old calendar. In the northeast of the hall, there is the Tien-Di Temple, which is said to have been founded by Gyoki Bodhisattva (668-749, a Nara-era monk who devoted himself to the propagation of religion and social welfare), and Kichijo-do, Kisai-do, and Senjodo are dotted around the hall. As the fundamental dojo of the Avatamsaka Sect, the Hawa-do is one of the most important halls in Todaiji Temple. To this day, Dondaiji Temple still conducts the "Shakuyoshu" (oral examination) ceremony for the selection of monks. Nigetsukudo is known as a Gwaneum Dojo, where incense is offered not only during the Nijikai period, but also throughout the year. All these traditions started in the era of Geumjong Temple. National Treasures of the Temple Tōdaiji Temple has a long history, and many of its buildings and statues and paintings of Buddha are highly valued as treasures in the history of architecture and art. It is particularly famous for its Buddhist statues from the Nara and Kamakura periods. The Vairochana Buddha, which was built by the nation and has become famous both at home and abroad, has been restored several times in the course of history due to natural disasters and wars, and the abdomen of the Buddha and a small part of the lotus seat are the only remaining original parts. The Lotus Hidden World Map engraved on the Lotus Seat, the silver pot with hunting text, the cicada-shaped resolution (ingot), the Jin Tsuk Chuang Dagger and the altar-suppressing device excavated from the base altar, the octagonal lantern in front of the Great Buddha Hall, and the statue of the birth of Sakyamuni Buddha, which is the principal deity of the Buddha-infusion meeting (Hanahai), etc., which were constructed during the same period of time as the Great Buddha, seem to have been from the hand of the Division of Zaito-Daishi. Rushena Buddha is y influenced by the Tang Dynasty works of art, craftsmanship, majestic, golden color. Rushena Buddha Bukkyo Kannon, the main statue of the Dharma Hall, was completed in two years in the 19th year of the reign of Emperor Tianping (747) as an off-the-peg lacquer statue, with three eyes (the third eye on the forehead) and eight arms to symbolize Kannon Bodhisattva's surreal ability to ferry all beings. The two hands in the center are joined together, and the elbows of the other six hands are close to the torso, designed in a seamless manner; the expression is dignified and infectious. This statue was built in the preparatory stage of the construction of the Buddha, when the harsh reality of life did not shake the will of the people to build the Buddha, from this statue of Guanyin seems to feel the mood of the people wishing to use the merit of building the Buddha to dissolve the suffering of the world. In front of the left side of the statue is the statue of Moonlight Bodhisattva. In contrast to the tall and solid form of this statue, Moonlight Bodhisattva is dressed in a Tang suit with folded hands, as tall as the human body, and has a comfortable and natural expression. The skin of the cheeks and hands make full use of the characteristics of clay sculpture, soft and elastic, exquisite, lifelike; clothes wide, but the waist tied double belt, young body and natural dress is not realistic, but purify every detail, so that it is integrated into the natural harmony of the whole. In contrast to the image of the savior of mankind, who is Bhukkhu Soso Kannon, who helps mankind to challenge the harsh realities of life, Tsukimitsu Bodhisattva purifies and sublimates the mind of the person who prays, and introduces one to the world of purity. Todaiji Temple also preserves many architectural tiles of various styles. One of them is the stirrup tile (a round tile with a diameter of 19 centimeters). It was made during the founding of Todaiji Temple in the Nara period (710-784), and has a double-petaled eight-leaf lotus flower pattern on the inside and a circle of large pearls on the outside. In the center is a lotus seed with an outer ring of six lotus seeds. This tile is Xingfu temple with tile imitation, simple shape, lotus pattern strong sense of strength, unique style, so it is also known as the East Temple style tile, in the big Buddha temple courtyard, the south gate and the west tower ruins, such as the East Temple territory unearthed a lot. Uwa (27.2 centimeters wide and 8 centimeters thick) was used in conjunction with the Stirrup Tile, which was also used during the period of the founding of Dongdaesa Temple. The inner side of the tile is characterized by a neat trailing vine pattern, while the outer side has a plain edge with large grains and a continuous bead. In the center, the vine pattern is made up of a pair of leaves in the form of a hosang pattern, which is a variation of the plain and simple pattern. This type of pattern started in 746, the 18th year of the Tenpyeong era, and is commonly seen on many artifacts from the late Nara period, including the statue of Hohokudo Honjin Bukkyo Kannon. Ghost Tile (H. 50.8 cm, W. 44.5 cm; Nara period) shows traces of having been burned by fire, with stirrup tiles embedded in the rounded arches on the lower side, and is characterized by rounded eyes in the rafters, a lion's nose, and flared nostrils, and the surrounding lengzhu and serrated pattern on the forehead inherited from the Tang tiles excavated at Fujiwara Shrine in the latter part of the Hakuho period (645-710), and is also characterized by a pattern on the upper side. Important rituals Important Events The Nigetsu-do Shujikai, famous for "water collection," is the most important event of the year in Todaiji Temple, and was officially called the Eleven-Face Repentance Puja by Minoru, a senior disciple of the founder of Todaiji Temple, Ryoji Monk Masayoshi, in the fourth year of the Tenpyo Katsubo era (752). It is officially called the Eleven-Face Repentance. "Eleven-Face Repentance" means to repent for daily mistakes in front of the eleven-faced Kannon. People have the three poisons of greed, anger and dementia, and are subject to all kinds of mistakes. As the impurities of the mind continue to accumulate, they become disoriented, fail to recognize things correctly, and even fall ill. Therefore, it is important to repent of sins and obstacles, to eliminate misfortunes and disasters brought about by the bad karma one has committed, and to purify one's mind and body. As far back as the ancient times when Shujikai began, it was originally a religious ceremony held for the state. Natural disasters, rebellions, and epidemics were regarded as great national calamities, and in order to eliminate them, prayers were held for the peace of the world, the abundance of grains, and the happiness of the people. Repentance for the nation and the people requires a specific group and a large-scale ceremony. For this reason, a puja is held by a group of monks*** to repent, and the Shujikai is one of these ceremonies. The monks are known as the "practicing congregation" and now consist of eleven persons with different roles. Four of them, including the preceptor, the head teacher, the mantra master who chants the dharani mantra with a seal and the dangshi who is in charge of the internal and external affairs of the Shujinkai, are known as the Shikigyo, while the remaining seven are known as the Hiryakusho, and there are also many others who support the Shikigyo, and as many as 30 of them participate in the puja directly. The Practicing Crowd performs the role of a mediator between the Goddess of Mercy and the people by confessing their sins and praying for blessings to the Goddess of Mercy on behalf of the people. There are two phases in Shuji Kai, the preliminaries and the present one, and the preliminaries period is from February 20 to 28, which is held in the Preceptor's House and is called the Farewell Fire. During this period, the practitioners say goodbye to their daily lives, purify their minds and bodies, and prepare for the main work by, for example, dyeing patterns on the paper clothes that are worn only during the second session, making paper camellias for the Shumi altar of the February Hall, and practicing the chanting of the "declaration" sutra (i.e., the hymn). In the afternoon of February 28th, when the fire was finished, the people who practiced were transferred to a dormitory in Nigiwondo, and late that night they began to hold the main puja. The main lineage lasted for two weeks, divided into the first seven days and the second seven days, and each day was divided into six periods of time such as the middle of the day, the end of the day, the beginning of the night, the middle of the night, the end of the night, and the beginning of the morning, which were called the "Six Times of the Lineage". The sutras recited at each time, i.e., "declarations", vary in length and urgency depending on the time of day, and are full of variations. This is also a kind of Buddhist music, the main part of which is translated by Tang Xuanzang, "Eleven Mantra Mantra Heart Sutra" of the essence of singing the name of Goddess of Mercy, praying for Goddess of Mercy to help the world. The first night reading "God's name account". According to legend, when Mitsutaka started the six-hour dharma practice, the gods of all the countries came to the February Hall to bless and guard the practice due to the reading of the "God's Name Tent," except Wakasa Enshiki Myojin, who liked to go fishing and was late, but fortunately arrived when the practice was about to end. Wakasa Enshiki Myojin was very excited, and in order to apologize, he said he would offer the water of the Xiongnu. As soon as he said this, two black and white cormorants flew out of the ground through the rocks, and a sweet spring gushed out, overflowing with perfume. The people of the time surrounded it with stones and named it Xiongha Well. Since then, every year, the second half of the night after the second month 12 of the old calendar, take this perfume for the Goddess of Mercy. This is the origin of "fetching water". In addition, the practitioners pull up their robes and clothes and "run" along the hall; in order to burn away the troubles of the world, they wave pine balls in the hall and perform the firewalking method called "Dada"; the women in green clothes also appear and read the "Past Account", which is very romantic. "This is a romantic and imaginative event. Through these fantastic events, Todaiji Temple brings people back to the world of 1,200 years ago. Important Festivals On March 1 every year, the famous Water Drawing Festival of Todaiji Temple in Nara begins. On this day, around 7:00 p.m. in the evening, monks run through the corridors of Nigatsukudo waving huge torches in their hands. It is said that if you can catch a spark of fire, you will be protected from disasters and be safe for the rest of the year. This is the most unmissable during the Kapsui Festival. This event lasts until the 14th. The "Water Drawing" takes place early in the morning on the 13th and is the *** of the whole event. The monks draw the water that only gushes out in front of the temple building on this day and offer it to the gods and Buddhas, as it is said to have the power to cure all diseases.