Nara's Todai-ji Temple Vajra Warriors @ Nara

🔸The Vajra Warriors, also known as Nio or the "Two Guardians," are affectionately referred to as "Mr. Nio of Todai-ji Temple." The Nio statues at the South Gate of Todai-ji Temple were reportedly completed in just sixty-nine days during the early Kamakura period, in the third year of the Jōryaku era (1203), by Buddhist sculptors Unkei and Kaikei. 🌿🌟 Standing at nearly 8.4 meters tall, these wooden statues are the largest and most renowned Nio statues in Japan. 🔸The Kamakura period is characterized by its highly detailed realism in sculpture. The Vajra Warriors have wide-open, fierce eyes and a powerful presence. Their muscular upper bodies and prominently veined hands and feet exude strength in every detail. 🌿🌟 These statues were constructed using the yosegi-zukuri technique, which involves assembling approximately 3,000 individual components. The upper body of the statues is proportionally larger than the lower body to account for the perspective when viewed from below. 🔸Additionally, compared to wooden statues housed indoors, those placed outdoors are more susceptible to damage from exposure to the elements. 🌿🌟 However, it is said that these two statues at Todai-ji Temple remained standing and unrepaired for nearly 800 years until their major restoration between 1988 and 1993. #Nara #TodaijiTemple #NioStatues #WoodenStatues 🌿🌟