Many craftsmen were engaged, almost like an assembly line, in the production of Buddha statues at government workshops under the administration of the Office of Todai-ji Temple Construction, which controlled the Todai-ji Temple project.
東大寺の造営を管轄する役所である造東大寺司のもとで官営の造仏所が整備され、多数の工人によって仏像製作が分業的に行われていた。