Nigatsu-dō

Nigatsu-dō is located to the east of the Great Buddha Hall, on the hillside of Mount Wakakusa.

It includes several other buildings in addition to the specific hall named Nigatsu-dō, thus comprising its own sub-complex within Tōdai-ji.

While the first Shuni-e service is said to have been held by Jichu in another temple in 752, the original construction of Nigatsu-dō hall is estimated to have completed only somewhere between 756 and 772.

[3] The front part of the fall projects out over a sloping area and is supported by columns assembled under the floor using the kakezukuri [ja] technique[5].

The hall holds two Kannons, a large one and a small one, although both of them are classified as Hibutsu (秘仏) – "secret Buddhas" – and therefore are not publicly shown.