Todaiji Temple: Hours, Tickets and How to Visit

JGO! editorial team — WEBMARKS Inc. (Fujisawa, Kanagawa)

Todaiji Temple in Nara is best known for the Great Buddha Hall and the large Buddha statue inside it. The temple grounds include other halls and a museum, but these facilities do not all share one admission ticket or the same opening hours. Planning around the Great Buddha Hall’s seasonal schedule, the museum’s earlier last-entry time and the temple’s cash-only admission policy can help you choose what to see and how much time to allow.

The information below was checked against Todaiji’s official pages on 4 November 2026. Hours and access can be affected by special events or emergencies, so check the temple’s latest notice before travelling.

1. Todaiji Temple hours and tickets

The Great Buddha Hall, Hokke-do, Kaidan-do and museum each have their own opening hours and admission fees. A combination ticket covers the Great Buddha Hall and museum only; it does not include Hokke-do or Kaidan-do. Todaiji says admission is payable in cash, so bring cash for the facilities you plan to visit. Check Todaiji’s official hours and admission information before setting out.

The temple normally opens every day, except when a special event or emergency affects visits. This does not mean every facility is open for the same number of hours: Hokke-do and Kaidan-do close at 16:00, while the Great Buddha Hall follows a seasonal schedule. The museum has an earlier last-entry time than its closing time, so plan to arrive before that deadline if you want to include it. The official fee and schedule page is the place to confirm current details.

The combination ticket is useful if you intend to visit both the Great Buddha Hall and museum, but it is not a general Todaiji pass. For example, one adult and one elementary-school child would pay ¥1,800 for two combination tickets. That amount covers the Great Buddha Hall and museum for both visitors; it does not cover transport or admission to Hokke-do or Kaidan-do. If the same two visitors went only to the Great Buddha Hall, their two separate tickets would total ¥1,200.

Admission is cash only, according to the temple’s official guidance. Keep the admission budget separate from your transport costs, and decide in advance which facilities are priorities rather than assuming that one ticket includes all of them. For groups, Todaiji explicitly states that it does not accept advance applications or reservations for group visits. This stated rule concerns group visits; it does not establish the conditions for every kind of special individual visit.

The temple’s hours and fees were checked on 4 November 2026. A ceremony, special event or emergency may affect access, so check the official page and any current temple notice close to your visit. If you are visiting late in the day, use each facility’s own closing or last-entry time rather than relying on the Great Buddha Hall’s schedule for the whole site.

2. How to get to Todaiji Temple

Todaiji’s official access information gives an approximate 20-minute walk from Kintetsu Nara Station. Alternatively, take the city loop bus to the stop named Todaiji Daibutsuden / Kasuga Taisha-mae; the temple gives an approximately five-minute walk from that stop. These are approach estimates, not the time needed to visit the temple. Check the official access page alongside a map when planning your journey.

For a walking approach, identify Kintetsu Nara Station on the map and allow time for the walk to the temple grounds. The temple’s guidance gives the approximate duration but not a timetable for your particular day, so allow extra time for your own pace and for any places you plan to visit on the way. If you are using the bus, confirm the stop name before boarding and check your current route information separately.

Once near the temple, follow the approach towards Nandaimon, Todaiji’s main gate, and continue towards the Great Buddha Hall. The order gives you a clear way to connect two of the principal sights: first the gate, then the main hall. Walking estimates apply to the approach from the station or bus stop, not to time inside the grounds, so leave room for the facilities you choose to see.

The temple office address is 406-1 Zoshicho, Nara. There is no dedicated car parking or large-bus parking within the temple grounds, so do not plan on parking inside the grounds. If you are considering a vehicle, check parking arrangements outside the temple separately; the official access information does not provide a parking location or price.

Bicycle and motorbike users should use the parking area southwest of Nandaimon. Light vehicles cannot enter the approach connecting Nandaimon and the Great Buddha Hall. If you need to cross that approach with a bicycle, dismount and push it rather than riding across. These restrictions are practical to know before reaching the gate, particularly if you are combining a cycle journey with a visit on foot.

Before setting out, check the Great Buddha Hall’s seasonal closing time and the museum’s last-entry time. A visit that begins with a walk from the station still needs to allow for the opening hours of each facility you want to enter. If your plan includes the museum, do not treat its closing time as the last possible entry; its final admission is earlier.

3. What to see at Todaiji Temple

A useful first stop is Nandaimon, Todaiji’s main gate. The present gate was raised in 1199 and completed together with its guardian figures in 1203. It is a national treasure from the Kamakura period; the temple’s official Nandaimon page provides its description.

From Nandaimon, continue towards the Great Buddha Hall, known as Daibutsuden. The Great Buddha Hall is Todaiji’s main hall and a national treasure, and the current building was rebuilt during the Edo period. Todaiji gives the building’s height as 48.742 metres and the Buddha statue’s height as 14.98 metres. These measurements refer to different things: the height of the hall and the height of the statue inside it. See the temple’s official Great Buddha Hall information for its description.

The scale of the hall and statue makes the distinction between those measurements especially useful when reading about the site. The Great Buddha Hall is the main admission priority for many visitors because it is Todaiji’s central hall and contains the Buddha statue. If you have limited time, plan around the hall’s opening hours first, then add other facilities only if their separate schedules fit your visit.

Nigatsu-do is another national treasure and can be visited 24 hours a day, according to Todaiji. Its name comes from Shuni-e, a ceremony associated with the second month of the old calendar. Access to Nigatsu-do at any hour does not mean that the Great Buddha Hall, museum, Hokke-do or Kaidan-do are open at those times; each has its own schedule. Consult the official Nigatsu-do page and the separate hours table when planning.

A practical sequence is to see Nandaimon, continue to the Great Buddha Hall, and then consider whether to add the museum, Hokke-do, Kaidan-do or Nigatsu-do. This is a planning order, not a claim that every visitor must follow the same route. The best choice depends on the time available, the seasonal closing times and which buildings matter most to you.

If you want to visit both the Great Buddha Hall and museum, compare their schedules before buying the combination ticket. If you are also interested in Hokke-do or Kaidan-do, remember that each requires separate admission and closes at 16:00. Nigatsu-do’s 24-hour access is a separate condition and should not be used to infer the opening hours of other facilities.

4. Todaiji Temple photography and practical choices

Todaiji permits commemorative photographs along the visiting route inside the Great Buddha Hall, but asks visitors not to use tripods. At Nigatsu-do, photography inside the hall is prohibited. Tripods are also not permitted around its main building, including the platform. Follow signs at the site as well as the temple’s official guidance, since restrictions differ between these two halls.

If the Great Buddha Hall is your main priority, visit it during its published admission hours and check the seasonal closing time before you travel. For a longer visit, consider adding the museum or Nigatsu-do, while keeping their different conditions in mind: the museum has a last-entry deadline, and Nigatsu-do is listed as accessible 24 hours. Hokke-do and Kaidan-do are separate paid facilities and close at 16:00.

Choosing between the combination ticket and separate admissions is straightforward if you decide what you intend to see. The combination ticket covers the Great Buddha Hall and museum, while each of those facilities can also be entered individually; it does not include other halls. At the listed rates, one adult would pay ¥1,200 for the combination rather than ¥1,600 for separate Great Buddha Hall and museum admissions. For one elementary-school child, the combination costs ¥600 rather than ¥800 for those two separate admissions.

For a group, note the temple’s explicit statement that it does not accept advance applications or reservations for group visits. Do not treat this as confirmation of the rules for special individual visits or particular events, which are not specified here. If a special arrangement is essential to your trip, contact the temple directly before building your itinerary around it.

Allow time for both the approach and the visit itself. The official walking estimates from Kintetsu Nara Station and the bus stop do not include time inside the grounds, and the temple does not give a single visit duration for all visitors. Your own schedule will depend on whether you visit only the Great Buddha Hall or add other facilities, and on the hours applicable on your date.

Several travel videos associated with this guide show Todaiji as part of a wider Nara visit. A short video by @omgjapantrip includes the Great Buddha among several Nara destinations, while Japan’s 15-Minute Walker shares a walking video through Todaiji. Wind Walk Travel Videos features the Great Buddha Hall, and Japanese guide 奈良観光コンシェルジュ JUN introduces the hall with English subtitles. Waka Days includes Todaiji in a rainy-day Nara trip, and Califoreigners’ video includes both Nara Park and Todaiji.

5. Todaiji Temple frequently asked questions

How much does admission cost?

For individual admission, Todaiji lists ¥800 for visitors of junior-high-school age and older and ¥400 for elementary-school children. Those prices apply to the Great Buddha Hall, Hokke-do, Kaidan-do and the museum individually. The Great Buddha Hall and museum combination costs ¥1,200 for junior-high-school age and older and ¥600 for elementary-school children. Admission is cash only; see the temple’s official fee information.

What does the combination ticket include?

The combination ticket covers the Great Buddha Hall and museum. It does not include Hokke-do or Kaidan-do, which have separate admission fees. Check both facilities’ schedules before choosing the combination, because the museum has its own last-entry time.

Do I need to book a group visit in advance?

Todaiji states that advance applications and reservations for group visits are not accepted. This is the temple’s stated rule for group visits, not a complete guide to every possible special visit or event. The conditions for 2027 event restrictions and individual special-visit arrangements are not specified here, so do not assume that a particular arrangement is available.

How do I get to Todaiji from Kintetsu Nara Station?

Todaiji gives an approximate 20-minute walk from Kintetsu Nara Station. The alternative stated on the temple’s access page is the city loop bus to Todaiji Daibutsuden / Kasuga Taisha-mae, followed by an approximately five-minute walk. These are approximate approach times; allow additional time for your pace and for visiting the grounds.

Is Nigatsu-do open at night?

Todaiji lists Nigatsu-do as accessible 24 hours a day. That information applies to Nigatsu-do and should not be taken to mean that the Great Buddha Hall, museum or other halls are also open around the clock. Check the separate schedule for each facility you intend to visit.

Can I take photographs inside Todaiji?

Commemorative photography is permitted along the Great Buddha Hall visiting route, but tripods should not be used there. Photography inside Nigatsu-do is prohibited, and tripods are not allowed around its main building, including the platform. Follow the current signs at each location as well as the temple’s guidance.

Can I park at Todaiji?

Todaiji has no dedicated car or large-bus parking within its grounds. Bicycle and motorbike users should use the parking area southwest of Nandaimon. Light vehicles cannot enter the approach between Nandaimon and the Great Buddha Hall, and cyclists must dismount and push when crossing it.

Which facilities should I prioritise if I have limited time?

The Great Buddha Hall is a practical priority if you want to see Todaiji’s main hall and its Buddha statue. Add the museum only if you can arrive before its seasonal last-entry time, and remember that Hokke-do and Kaidan-do close at 16:00 and have separate fees. Nigatsu-do is listed as accessible 24 hours, but its hours do not change the schedules of the other facilities.