In Japan it was the first time that Emperor Shomu built a Daibutsu of Todai-ji Temple in order for the power of the Imperial Court in the ritsuryo system to become widely known through Buddhism.
日本では、聖武天皇が律令制における朝廷の威力を遍く知らしめるために仏教を利用し、東大寺の大仏を造立したのを嚆矢とする。