Shōmu, a devout Buddhist, is best remembered for commissioning, in 743, the sixteen-meter high statue of the Vairocana Buddha (the Daibutsu) in Tōdai-ji of Nara.
At the time, this was such a massive undertaking that later chroniclers accuse him of having completely exhausted the country's reserves of bronze and precious metals.
 In 752, the Shōmu held the Eye-opening Ceremony of the Great Buddha.

Earlier in 741, he established the system of provincial temples, making this the closest anyone ever came to declaring Japan a Buddhist nation.
 In addition he commissioned the observance of the ohigan holiday for both spring and autumnal equinox.

Emperor Shōmu died at age 56.

The actual site of Shōmu's grave is known.
 This emperor is traditionally venerated at a memorial Shinto shrine (misasagi) at Nara.

The Imperial Household Agency designates this location as Shōmu's mausoleum.
 It is formally named Sahoyama no minami no misasagi.
 The tomb site can be visited today in Horenji-cho, Tenri City near Nara City.
The Imperial tomb of Shōmu's consort, Empress Kōmyō, is located nearby.
Shōmu, a devout Buddhist, is best remembered for commissioning, in 743, the sixteen-meter high statue of the Vairocana Buddha (the Daibutsu) in Tōdai-ji of Nara. At the time, this was such a massive undertaking that later chroniclers accuse him of having completely exhausted the country's reserves of bronze and precious metals.  In 752, the Shōmu held the Eye-opening Ceremony of the Great Buddha.
Earlier in 741, he established the system of provincial temples, making this the closest anyone ever came to declaring Japan a Buddhist nation.  In addition he commissioned the observance of the ohigan holiday for both spring and autumnal equinox.
Emperor Shōmu died at age 56.
The actual site of Shōmu's grave is known.  This emperor is traditionally venerated at a memorial Shinto shrine (misasagi) at Nara.
The Imperial Household Agency designates this location as Shōmu's mausoleum.  It is formally named Sahoyama no minami no misasagi.  The tomb site can be visited today in Horenji-cho, Tenri City near Nara City. The Imperial tomb of Shōmu's consort, Empress Kōmyō, is located nearby.
Emperor Shōmu