NARA - Excavation work at the site of a long-lost lecture hall north of the Great Buddha Hall at Todaiji has revealed the scale of its foundation, confirming that the structure, when first built in the Nara period, was second only to the Great Buddha Hall in size.
According to historical records, the northern precinct of Todaiji once included a lecture hall where monks studied, as well as residential quarters, but the buildings were lost in a third major fire in 1508 and were never rebuilt.
The current excavation was conducted by the temple and related research teams as part of surrounding infrastructure improvement work, aiming to clarify the hall’s structure and scale. Researchers identified foundation stones that were not moved after the original construction, showing that when the lecture hall was rebuilt following two earlier fires, it was restored at the same scale as the original Nara-period plan. Based on multiple historical documents, the foundation is estimated to have measured approximately 61.4 meters east to west and about 36 meters north to south, and on its southern side, remains of an embankment for a staircase were confirmed.
The staircase is believed to have consisted of around 45 steps across a building width of about 54 meters, a scale that scholars say is also supported by surviving illustrations and drawings of the period. From these findings, the excavation team concluded that the lecture hall was indeed a structure of substantial size, second only to the Great Buddha Hall within the temple grounds.
Although much of the outer area surrounding the foundation has not survived, researchers said the excavation provided valuable clues that illuminate the true scale of the lost lecture hall. Todaiji plans to continue its investigation next year, and an on-site briefing session is scheduled to be held on November 22nd.
Source: 奈良テレビNEWS
