Tōdai-ji Temple

Religious spot
★ 4.8 (18K+ reviews) • 91K+ booked
Discover the awe-inspiring Tōdai-ji Temple in Nara, Japan, a magnificent Buddhist complex that stands as a testament to ancient architectural brilliance and spiritual devotion. Home to the world's largest bronze statue of the Vairocana Buddha, this UNESCO World Heritage Site offers a unique blend of history, culture, and serene beauty, making it a must-visit destination for travelers. Just an hour's express train ride from Kyoto, this magnificent temple complex promises a journey through Japan's rich history and culture.
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406-1 Zōshichō, Nara, 630-8211, Japan

The best of Tōdai-ji Temple

Bucket-list experiences

Kyoto and Nara Day Tour

Kyoto and Nara Day Tour

Bestseller
English available
★ 4.4 (2,735) • 50K+ booked
From $ 73.09
Kiyomizu Temple, Fushimi Inari Taisha & Nara Park Day Tour
Klook's choice

Kiyomizu Temple, Fushimi Inari Taisha & Nara Park Day Tour

Bestseller
Hotel pick-up
English available
Free cancellation
Instant confirmation
Book now for tomorrow
★ 4.6 (1,016) • 10K+ booked
From $ 62.79
[Kyoto & Arashiyama & Nara] Nara Park & Fushimi Inari Shrine & Fushimi Chiikawa Honpo & Arashiyama & Bamboo Forest Path Day Tour (Depart from Osaka)
From $ 60.29
40 off
Sale
Kyoto Nara Uji day tour - Nara Deer Park, Fushimi Inari, Uji Matcha

Kyoto Nara Uji day tour - Nara Deer Park, Fushimi Inari, Uji Matcha

English available
Free cancellation
Instant confirmation
★ 5.0 (5) • New Activity
From $ 48.95
50 off
Sale
Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine & Arashiyama & Nara Park One Day Tour (Departing from Osaka/Kyoto)

Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine & Arashiyama & Nara Park One Day Tour (Departing from Osaka/Kyoto)

English available
Free cancellation
★ 4.9 (7) • 300+ booked
$ 73.09
$ 77.65
Nara, Todaiji Temple & Kuroshio Market One Day Tour from Osaka

Nara, Todaiji Temple & Kuroshio Market One Day Tour from Osaka

English available
Free cancellation
Instant confirmation
Book now for tomorrow
★ 4.2 (149) • 2K+ booked
$ 102.79
Kyoto & Nara Private One Day Tour from Kyoto/Osaka/Kobe
Klook's choice

Kyoto & Nara Private One Day Tour from Kyoto/Osaka/Kobe

Hotel pick-up
Private tour
English available
Private group
Free cancellation
Instant confirmation
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★ 4.5 (35) • 300+ booked
$ 822.09
[Nara & Uji] Nara Park & Todaiji Temple & Byodoin Temple & Uji Matcha Food & Hot Spring World Heritage Day Tour (Depart from Osaka)
$ 69.45
20 off
Sale
Nara Half Day Bus Tour from Kyoto

Nara Half Day Bus Tour from Kyoto

English available
★ 4.6 (10) • 200+ booked
$ 95.95
Nara Afternoon Tour (Round Trip from Kyoto)

Nara Afternoon Tour (Round Trip from Kyoto)

Bestseller
Afternoon departure
English available
Free cancellation
Instant confirmation
★ 4.3 (69) • 1K+ booked
$ 132.45
Kyoto and Nara Day Tour from Kyoto
Klook's choice

Kyoto and Nara Day Tour from Kyoto

English available
Free cancellation
Instant confirmation
★ 4.8 (30) • 600+ booked
From $ 242.09

Make it a getaway

Onyado Nono Nara Natural Hot Spring

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★ 4.6 (1,009)
From $ 119.13
IROHA GRAND HOTEL Kintetsu-Nara

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★ 4.5 (2)
From $ 72.92
$ 91.16
Smile Hotel Nara

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★ 4.1 (196)
From $ 29.14
HARUYA Naramachi - Hostel

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★ 4.3 (147)
From $ 45.39
$ 48.28
Daiwa Roynet Hotel Nara Natural Hot Springs

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★ 4.5 (478)
From $ 84.40
$ 87.43
Piazza Hotel Nara

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★ 4.5 (488)
From $ 69.89
Nara Ryokan

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★ 4.6 (54)
From $ 96.19
Nara Hotel

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★ 4.5 (998)
From $ 190.71
$ 202.63
Kamenoi Hotel Nara

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★ 4.3 (33)
From $ 122.32
Nara Park Hotel

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★ 3.7 (22)
From $ 55.68
Fufu Nara

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★ 4.8 (16)
From $ 1,003.76
Mikasa Ryokan

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★ 4.5 (181)
From $ 335.28

More to explore

Kyoto & Nara Private Car Charter

Kyoto & Nara Private Car Charter

Free cancellation
★ 4.4 (33) • 600+ booked
$ 508.89
$ 522.65
Nara Private Car Rental with Driver
Lunar New Year Sale

Nara Private Car Rental with Driver

Free cancellation
Instant confirmation
New Activity
From $ 414.35
10 off
Sale
One-Michelin Star Kaiseki - Musoan in Nara

One-Michelin Star Kaiseki - Musoan in Nara

Free cancellation
New Activity
From $ 120.39
Tsukumo Michelin Starred Kaiseki in Nara
$ 380.65
Kyoto and Nara Golden Route 1 Day Bus Tour from Kyoto

Kyoto and Nara Golden Route 1 Day Bus Tour from Kyoto

English available
★ 4.7 (36) • 800+ booked
$ 159.85
Special offer
Kyoto and Nara Guided Day Trip (Departure from Osaka/Kyoto)

Kyoto and Nara Guided Day Trip (Departure from Osaka/Kyoto)

Private tour
English available
Private group
Free cancellation
Instant confirmation
Book now for tomorrow
New Activity
$ 513.85
$ 639.40
Kiyomizu-dera & Fushimi Inari Taisha One Day Tour from Osaka/Kyoto

Kiyomizu-dera & Fushimi Inari Taisha One Day Tour from Osaka/Kyoto

English available
Free cancellation
Instant confirmation
New Activity
From $ 63.95
Nara & Kyoto Guided Bus Tour

Nara & Kyoto Guided Bus Tour

English available
Instant confirmation
Book now for tomorrow
New Activity
From $ 109.65
Nara Todaij-i Temple &  Naramachi Half Day Walking Tour

Nara Todaij-i Temple & Naramachi Half Day Walking Tour

English available
Free cancellation
Instant confirmation
★ 5.0 (6) • 50+ booked
$ 124.25
Nara City, Todaiji Temple & Naramachi Brewery Half Day Tour

Nara City, Todaiji Temple & Naramachi Brewery Half Day Tour

Afternoon departure
English available
Free cancellation
★ 5.0 (6) • 50+ booked
From $ 101.49
$ 114.19
Nara World Heritage PRIVATE TOUR(Autumn leaf season)

Nara World Heritage PRIVATE TOUR(Autumn leaf season)

Private tour
English available
Private group
Free cancellation
Book now for tomorrow
★ 5.0 (3) • 50+ booked
From $ 116.49
$ 126.05

Why people love Tōdai-ji Temple

4.8 /5
18K+ reviews
Read all reviews
Chan *****
3 days ago
We arrived at Exit 2 twenty minutes early, but many other one-day tours could not find us because they did not receive email notifications. Fortunately, we finally found the tour guide and driver An Weiwei and added him to WeChat. He was very nice and helpful. Careful and responsible. The whole day's itinerary is very rich, have fun!
Wu ****
3 days ago
I like the one-day tour very much. You don’t have to worry about transportation. The tour also includes a meal and there are many places to go. The tour guide gave you a lot of information about where to go. You can go to more places and buy food and souvenirs. Then Catch the next attraction and enjoy the whole trip
1+
GUIA ***********
4 days ago
Glad we were able to avail of the 10th Bday sale of Klook and way cheaper than the regular rate. This tour is very memorable and we have lots of pics to show it. Thank you, Klook!
GUIA ***********
4 days ago
Glad we booked at Klook. It was very convenient and our tour guide was very informative and funny. We had great pics at The Kiyomizu temple, still with Autumn leaves as backdrop. We had fun at Nara park too. This Klook package is a must for Kyoto and Nara.
2+
蔡 **
4 days ago
This trip to Nara Park, Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine and Arashiyama Bamboo Forest looks like it is full of beautiful things and memories! Being able to celebrate your deaf honeymoon with your partner is really meaningful. The bus group's itinerary and the tour guide's attentive service also add a lot of convenience and peace of mind to the journey, especially the use of Line to remind people of the pick-up, drop-off and meeting points, which makes people feel professional and considerate service. The sight of the Senbon Torii at Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine in the early morning light is indeed intoxicating. The sacred and quiet atmosphere is indescribable. The beautiful scenery of the bamboo forest path in Arashiyama makes people unable to help but take more photos. Coupled with the hard work of the driver, this trip makes people feel that it is worth the money. Whether it is to relax or experience Japanese culture, these places are worth visiting again and again! I hope every trip in the future will be as full of happiness!
2+
Klook User
4 days ago
I love this tour. Very relaxing and our tour is not in a hurry. When we arrived the golden pavilion it was snowing. We saw a different kind of view. Mersmerizing. Will get this tour agaib when I go back to Osaka.
2+
Xiaoqian **
5 days ago
I checked in 3 cities in one day, and I give this trip a full score! From beginning to end, the itinerary was well arranged, the tour guide was very knowledgeable, and the people were warm and friendly, and they knew the local history and culture like the back of their hands. The deer in Nara Park are so cute, and we also bought deer biscuits to feed the deer, and our hearts were melted. There is a Buddha statue in Todaiji Temple that is super shocking, and people who like historical buildings and religion should be very interested. Uji gives me a very comfortable feeling. The flow of people here is relatively small. You can walk leisurely on the road and enjoy the beautiful scenery by the river. It is an ancient city that combines modernity and tradition very well. Hehe, I also brought a 10-yuan coin to check in with Byodoin. The last Fushimi Inari and Thousand Torii are so shocking, the endless red, especially beautiful under the sunlight.
2+
fu *********
5 days ago
We had a blast visiting so many attractions. Nara Park was better than expected and the deer there were friendly, gentle and fascinating. Our tour guide was the icing on the cake. She was patient and detail-oriented, and her knowledgeable and enthusiastic recommendations of great local restaurants and hidden treasures enriched our trip. Overall, the tour was a perfect blend of natural beauty and cultural insights, and is a highly recommended trip.
1+

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FAQs about Tōdai-ji Temple

When is the best time to visit Tōdai-ji Temple in Nara?

How can I get to Tōdai-ji Temple from Nara Station?

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Is there a special time of year to experience unique events at Tōdai-ji Temple?

What are the transportation options to Tōdai-ji Temple from major cities like Osaka and Kyoto?

Are there any local dishes I should try while visiting Nara?

What to know before visiting Tōdai-ji Temple

Remarkable Landmarks and Must-Visit Sights

Great Buddha Hall (Daibutsuden)

Step into the Great Buddha Hall, home to the world’s largest bronze Buddha statue. This hall, once the largest wooden building in the world, is a testament to ancient Japanese architectural prowess.

Nandaimon Gate

Marvel at Japan’s largest temple entrance gate, the Nandaimon, with its towering wooden pillars that set the stage for the grandeur that awaits inside Tōdai-ji.

Todaiji Museum

Opened in 2011, this museum showcases rotating exhibitions of religious art and cultural treasures from the temple's vast collection.

Cultural and Historical Significance

Tōdai-ji Temple, established in 752, is a symbol of Nara's historical importance as Japan’s first fixed capital. The temple complex is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, reflecting its profound cultural and historical value.

Architectural Marvels

Tōdai-ji's architecture reflects the influence of Chinese Tang dynasty temples. The complex originally included two towering pagodas, a library, lecture hall, and monks' quarters. Today, visitors can still marvel at the intricate designs and historical structures that have been preserved.

Local Cuisine

Savor the local delicacy, gyumabushi, a regional variant of gyudon (beef and rice bowls), at nearby restaurants like Mimaya. For a unique twist, try deer curry, a specialty in some parts of Japan.