If you climb the stairs leading from the Great Buddha Hall to the Nigatsudo Hall, you will find the oldest bell still in use in the area known as Shorogaoka. This bell is rung every night at 8pm. If you ask the temple caretaker, you can stand directly underneath the bell and feel the sound with your whole body. However, please be careful not to use flash or other lights so as not to disturb the ringing of the bell.
A national treasure temple bell that has been in use for 1,300 years since the Nara period
If you climb the stairs leading from the Great Buddha Hall to the Nigatsudo Hall, you will find the oldest bell still in use in the area known as Shorogaoka. This bell is rung every night at 8pm. If you ask the temple caretaker, you can stand directly underneath the bell and feel the sound with your whole body. However, please be careful not to use flash or other lights so as not to disturb the ringing of the bell.
A national treasure temple bell that has been in use for 1,300 years since the Nara period
If you climb the stairs leading from the Great Buddha Hall to the Nigatsudo Hall, you will find the oldest bell still in use in the area known as Shorogaoka. This bell is rung every night at 8pm. If you ask the temple caretaker, you can stand directly underneath the bell and feel the sound with your whole body. However, please be careful not to use flash or other lights so as not to disturb the ringing of the bell.
A national treasure temple bell that has been in use for 1,300 years since the Nara period
If you climb the stairs leading from the Great Buddha Hall to the Nigatsudo Hall, you will find the oldest bell still in use in the area known as Shorogaoka. This bell is rung every night at 8pm. If you ask the temple caretaker, you can stand directly underneath the bell and feel the sound with your whole body. However, please be careful not to use flash or other lights so as not to disturb the ringing of the bell.
The story
A national treasure temple bell that has been in use for 1,300 years since the Nara period
If you climb the stairs leading from the Great Buddha Hall to the Nigatsudo Hall, you will find the oldest bell still in use in the area known as Shorogaoka. This bell is rung every night at 8pm. If you ask the temple caretaker, you can stand directly underneath the bell and feel the sound with your whole body. However, please be careful not to use flash or other lights so as not to disturb the ringing of the bell.
A national treasure temple bell that has been in use for 1,300 years since the Nara period
If you climb the stairs leading from the Great Buddha Hall to the Nigatsudo Hall, you will find the oldest bell still in use in the area known as Shorogaoka. This bell is rung every night at 8pm. If you ask the temple caretaker, you can stand directly underneath the bell and feel the sound with your whole body. However, please be careful not to use flash or other lights so as not to disturb the ringing of the bell.
Access
Todaiji Temple
#406-1 Zoji-cho, Nara-shi, Nara-ken, Japan
tell: +81000-00-0000
The grounds of Todaiji Temple are very spacious. It takes about 15 minutes just to walk from the entrance to the bell tower hill. If you walk from the nearest station, Kintetsu Nara Station, it takes about 30 minutes in total. It is very pleasant to stroll through Nara Park, where deer relax while you walk past Kofuku-ji Temple and the National Museum.
If you want to get there easily, take a bus from JR Nara Station or Kintetsu Nara Station, which takes about 10 minutes. Buses to Tōdai-ji Temple run frequently, and during the day, you can board one after waiting about 5 minutes. Both stations have bus stop information centers, so feel free to ask for directions.
