Hokke-dō

The Hokke-dō is Todai-ji's oldest building, thought to have been built between 740-747. Named after the statue of Fukūkensaku Kannon, the hall was originally known as the Kensaku-dō. It was later renamed Hokke-dō after the Lotus Sutra ceremony held there annually in the third month. The hall has two sections: the image hall (shōdō) and the worship hall (raidō), which were originally separate structures but later attached by Chōgen in 1199. The Hokke-dō was a key part of Kinshō-ji, Todai-ji's predecessor, and is said to have hosted the first Avatamsaka Sutra lecture in Japan. The statues inside the Hokke-dō recall the grandeur of the Nara period.