Nara, Nara / 東大寺
Todai-ji Temple (Great Buddha)
A temple founded at the wish of Emperor Shomu in the Nara period, home of the Great Buddha (Rushana Buddha) whose eye-opening ceremony was held in 752; its many National Treasure buildings include the Great Buddha Hall and Nigatsu-do. Part of the World Heritage "Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara".
Last official check
26 Sept 2026
Traveler reports
0
Reports open in Phase 2
Next scheduled check
25 Dec 2026
Decide before you go
A short summary made from the official facts below. Check the rows for details.
- Getting there
- Train / Bus
- Admission
- Paid (see the price below)
Before you go
Only facts we confirmed on official sources are shown. Anything else is marked “Not checked yet”.
- Opening hours
Great Buddha Hall 7:30-17:30 (April-October), 8:00-17:00 (November-March); Hokke-do and Kaidan-do 8:30-16:00.
Checked 26 Sept 2026 on the official site- Closed
Not checked yet — we have not confirmed this on an official source yet. Check with the spot before you go.
- Admission
Each hall (Great Buddha Hall, Hokke-do, Kaidan-do) charges adults (junior high and up) 800 yen, elementary 400 yen; combined Great Buddha Hall and Todai-ji Museum ticket 1,200 / 600 yen.
Checked 26 Sept 2026 on the official site- Getting there
City loop bus from JR or Kintetsu Nara Station to Todaiji Daibutsuden/Kasuga Taisha-mae, then 5 minutes on foot.
Checked 26 Sept 2026 on the official site- Parking
No parking; use nearby car parks.
Checked 26 Sept 2026 on the official site- Payment
Tickets are cash only (no travel-agency coupons or credit cards).
Checked 26 Sept 2026 on the official site- Accessibility
Accessible toilets (e.g. west of the Great Buddha Hall entrance) and a wheelchair ramp inside the hall; wheelchairs lent without reservation.
Checked 26 Sept 2026 on the official site
Found wrong or outdated information? Let us know
Address: Nara, Nara (Japanese address: 奈良県奈良市雑司町406-1)
Official site: https://www.todaiji.or.jp/
Location
Smaller pins are other spots nearby.
Nearby spots
- No photo yetTodai-ji Nigatsu-do HallNaraLess than 1 km away (straight line)
Photo: 663highland / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.5 (resized)Isuien GardenNaraLess than 1 km away (straight line)
Photo: Martin Falbisoner / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized)Nara ParkNaraLess than 1 km away (straight line)- No photo yetNara National MuseumNaraLess than 1 km away (straight line)
- No photo yetKofuku-ji TempleNaraLess than 1 km away (straight line)
Distances are straight-line distances, not travel distances.
Crowds
- Crowd level
Not checked yet — no official source yet, and not enough traveler reports.
- Best time to visit
Not checked yet — no official source yet, and not enough traveler reports.
- Peak time
Not checked yet — no official source yet, and not enough traveler reports.
- Busiest days
Not checked yet — no official source yet, and not enough traveler reports.
- Busiest season
Not checked yet — no official source yet, and not enough traveler reports.
- Latest traveler report
- None yet
Roads and car parks get congested, especially on holidays in the spring and autumn seasons, so public transport is recommended.Checked 26 Sept 2026 on the official site
Traveler crowd data by time of day appears after 5 traveler reports (0 so far).
You can check typical busy hours in Google Maps ("Popular times" on the place's page). Open this spot in Google Maps
Visiting respectfully
- RulesPets are allowed only in the Great Buddha Hall, in a cage or held in your arms; not in other halls.Checked 26 Sept 2026 on the official site
- Local etiquetteNo smoking anywhere in the grounds; drones are prohibited throughout. No reservation is needed, even for groups.Checked 26 Sept 2026 on the official site
Verification log
- 26 Sept 2026First check · Tourism board · https://yamatoji.nara-kankou.or.jp/01shaji/02tera/01north_area/todaiji/Hours, accessibility and coordinates read from a tourism organization's site.
- 26 Sept 2026First check · Tourism board · https://yamatoji.nara-kankou.or.jp/01shaji/02tera/01north_area/todaiji/access/Access and parking read from a tourism organization's site.
- 26 Sept 2026First check · Official website · https://www.todaiji.or.jp/faq/Access, parking, payment, accessibility, cautions and rules and booking and crowds read from the official site.
