Tōdai-ji

Tōdai-ji 東大寺
Great Buddha Hall (daibutsuden), a National Treasure
Basic information
Location	1 Zōshi-chō, Nara, Nara Prefecture
Affiliation	Kegon
Deity	Birushana-butsu (Vairocana Buddha)
Country	Japan
Website	http://www.todaiji.or.jp/
Architectural description
Founder	Emperor Shōmu
Completed	Early 8th century

Tōdai-ji (東大寺^?, Eastern Great Temple) is a Buddhist temple complex, that was once one of the powerful Seven Great Temples, located in the city of Nara, Japan. Its Great Buddha Hall (大仏殿, Daibutsuden^?), houses the world's largest bronze statue of the BuddhaVairocana, known in Japanese as Daibutsu (大仏^?). The temple also serves as the Japanese headquarters of the Kegon school of Buddhism. The temple is a listed UNESCO World Heritage Site as one of the "Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara", together with seven other sites including temples, shrines and places in the city of Nara. Deer, regarded as messengers of the gods in the Shinto religion, roam the grounds freely.

The beginning of building a temple where the Tōdai-ji complex sits today can be dated to 728, when Emperor Shōmu established Kinshōsen-ji (金鐘山寺) as an appeasement for Prince Motoi (), his first son with his Fujiwara clan consort Kōmyōshi. Prince Motoi died a year after his birth.