Tōdai-ji 東大寺
Nara, Japan UNESCO World Heritage Site
Tōdai-ji is a Buddhist temple and a National Treasure of Japan located in Nara. As a part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara, this site is dedicated to Birushana Buddha and Tōdai-ji Daibutsu. It is the 14th most looked-up sight in Japan on English Wikipedia.
Planning a visit
The climate in Nara changes throughout the year. July and August are the warmest months, with daily highs of about 29 °C and 31 °C. The lowest temperatures occur in January and February, when daily lows reach -1 °C. June is the rainiest month, with about 16 rainy days and 205 mm of rain, while March and April also see over 110 mm of rain.
The site is 367 km from Tokyo, and the nearest airport is Osaka Itami International Airport, located 38 km away. Nearby attractions include the Nara National Museum (0.7 km), Kōfuku-ji (1.0 km), the Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara (1.5 km), Heijō Palace (4.0 km), and Yakushi-ji (5.6 km). The temple is open daily from 08:00 to 17:00 between November and March, and from 07:30 to 17:30 between April and October. Entry costs ¥600, or ¥1000 to include the museum, and wheelchair access is limited.
Weather by month
The warmest month is August, with an average high of 31 °C. The wettest is June, with about 205 mm of rain.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average high, °C | 7 | 8 | 12 | 18 | 22 | 26 | 29 | 31 | 27 | 21 | 15 | 10 |
| Average low, °C | -1 | -1 | 2 | 7 | 12 | 17 | 22 | 23 | 19 | 12 | 6 | 1 |
| Rainfall, mm | 52 | 69 | 115 | 113 | 158 | 205 | 184 | 118 | 179 | 125 | 80 | 49 |
| Rainy days | 7 | 7 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 16 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 12 | 8 | 7 |
Temperatures and rainfall: 1981–2010 averages for this spot (4 km grid), from CHELSA. Rainy days: 2015–2024, NASA POWER.
