Tōdai-ji Museum Opened

On October 10, the Tōdai-ji Museum (Director: KIJITANI Ryōji) opened. This is the first facility to comprehensively display the treasures of Tōdaiji temple (Nara City). Located within the Tōdaiji Culture Center, completed in 2010 on the temple grounds, it comprises five exhibition rooms equipped with a seismic base isolation. A special opening commemorative exhibition titled ‘Nara jidai no Tōdaiji (Tōdaiji Temple in the Nara Period)’ was held until January 14, 2013. Following the dismantling and restoration of the Hokke-dō’s Shumidan (Buddhist altar), the principal image of the hall, the Standing Statue of Fuku Kensaku Kannon (National Treasure), had been enshrined in the museum. (Japanese)