In the old capital of Nara, among lawns where tame deer wander freely, stands one of the most important temples in Japan. Tōdai-ji — the "Great Eastern Temple" — is home to the Daibutsu, a colossal bronze figure of the Buddha that has drawn pilgrims for nearly thirteen centuries, sheltered inside one of the largest wooden buildings on earth.
Tōdai-ji is not only a masterpiece of Buddhist art and engineering; it was, at its founding, an instrument of the state, meant to unify a young nation under the protection of the Buddha.
