Tōdai-ji Nandai-mon

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Nara, Japan - April, 5th, 2026: Crowd of people at the Nandaimon gate of the Todai-ji temple in the Nara-Koen park, Nara, Japan, License Type: media, Download Time: 2026-05-29T19:42:40.000Z, User: LP_NZhan, Editorial: true, purchase_order: 65050 - Digital Destinations and Articles, job: App Content, client: Lonely Planet App, other: Nadine

The great south gate of Tōdai-ji contains two fierce-looking Niō (guardians). These recently restored wooden images, carved in the 13th century by famed sculptor Unkei, are among the finest examples of guardian statues in the country – dynamic and full of character, with dramatic musculature.

The gate is about 200m south of the Tōdai-ji temple enclosure.

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