The Great Buddha in Nara, Japan

Kyoko and I traveled to Nara and visited some temples. Here are some pictures from the Todaiji Temple that houses a huge statue of Buddha. I was amazed at how massive it was! The other photo is from a section of the temple picturing children crawling through a hole in a pillar. The hole in the pillar is the same size of the massive Buddha's nostril. The children are encouraged to pass through it to give them a blessing of good health. This Great Buddha Hall, Daibutsuden was twice destroyed by fire, the original was built in the 8th century and this present one was built in the 18th century. The bronze Buddha statue has been repaired over the centuries, the hands were made in the 16th century and the head in the 17th.