Nara 2019: Nigatsudo Hall

Just a couple minutes east of Todaiji Temple’s Daibutsuden (Big Buddha Hall) are the stairs leading up to Nigatsudo Hall. This part of Todaiji was founded in 752 and the current buildings are from a reconstruction that was completed in 1669. From the balcony at Nigatsudo Hall you can see the top of Todaiji’s Daibutsuden peeking over the trees. Every year in March the Otaimatsu ceremony is held here, in which large torches are held over the balcony of Nigatsudo and the falling embers from the torches are said to bring safety to whomever they land on.