Controversy Over Installation of 'Power Switch' on Nara's Great Buddha

A giant 'power switch' illuminating the Great Buddha of Nara has been unveiled for tourists. With one touch, the lighting can be turned ON/OFF, sparking debate about whether faith should be subject to energy-saving measures.

2025-07-01

Translations: JA

Culture Kaleidoscope

A giant ‘power switch’ illuminating the Great Buddha of Nara has been unveiled for tourists. With one touch, the lighting can be turned ON/OFF, sparking debate about whether faith should be subject to energy-saving measures.

Todai-ji Temple in Nara announced on the 8th that it has installed a 2-meter-tall “power switch” that tourists can freely operate to control the lighting system illuminating the Vairocana Buddha (commonly known as the “Great Big Buddha of Nara”) made of gold, silver, copper, and pearl. The device, combining high-tech with high-reverence, features 4,000 LED lights that illuminate upon pressing, followed by a “blessing mode” Buddhist soundtrack echoing throughout the temple grounds. While the temple proudly claims “both light and merit are energy-efficient,” sarcastic posts questioning “Is even faith now subject to sleep mode?” have electrified both inside and outside the main hall.

According to Todai-ji’s PR department, the installation was prompted by last summer’s power supply crisis. “The Buddha shines bright even on summer nights, but the electricity bills are far from enlightenment.” Young monks at the temple proposed “participatory energy-saving with worshippers.” Working with industrial designers and finished by metalworkers from Horyu-ji Temple, the lever contains cutting-edge torque sensors beneath gold leaf. Each press displays CO₂ emission reductions and merit points on a screen, making visitors exclaim not “How blessed!” but “Points accumulating!”

On opening day, school trip students shouted “Let’s turn the Buddha ON!” while pressing repeatedly in formation. Meanwhile, elderly Buddha statue enthusiasts advocated for “the sublime darkness visible only when OFF,” creating a battle of pressing and unpressing. To the day-night reversal of the sacred visage, monks coolly respond “the rhythm of impermanence,” but the lighting control room suffers constant malfunctions from switch abuse. Kansai Electric Power grimaces that “merit doesn’t stabilize power consumption” while preparing to introduce a “worship time-shift” to their late-night rate plans.

The business world is sharpening its senses. In the temple town, “Mini Switch Charms” (¥1,800 tax included) are flying off shelves, briefly flashing LED lights when pressed. Meanwhile, the Agency for Cultural Affairs cannot hide its surprise at “the first ON/OFF of a National Treasure in history,” lamenting that “the concept of ‘suspended state’ doesn’t exist in cultural property preservation law.” But when officials tried the lever themselves, exclaiming “Oh, surprisingly light,” the Buddha’s face faded out for the third time. The hashtag #FacialBlackout instantly dominated X (formerly Twitter) trending topics.

Religious scholars point out that “by one-touch enlightenment, our desire buttons have been exposed.” A monk VTuber from Kyoto, popular for “prayer bead gacha” videos, says “gamification of faith has existed since ancient times.” He proposes new services like “rare blessings limited to nighttime,” prompting a flood of corporate tie-up requests before Todai-ji can tilt its head in confusion.

Environmental groups shine a different light, saying “protect deer stomachs over electricity,” while the Deer Protection Association welcomes it, noting “if tourists focus on the lever, deer cracker calorie intake will decrease.” Thus the switch has simultaneously entangled lighting, merit, calories, and debate. In the temple town, voices already urge updates asking “Next, a purification mode dimmer?”

When this reporter revisited at midnight, a notice posted below the lever caught the eye: “ON: Lighting, Merit, Wi-Fi / OFF: Silence, Starry Sky, No Selfies.” The temple grounds echo with the electrical conjugation of Click, Buzz, Glow, and distant deer calling “Mo~u.” The ancient capital’s darkness sways more interactively than ever before.

Stakeholder Comments

Young monk: “My arms get more exercise from the switch’s back-and-forth motion than from training”
Tourist (Osaka, age 14): “The moment I turned it ON, I glowed brighter than the Buddha!”
Power Switch (itself): “Each press brings you closer to enlightenment… that is, all of you”
Kansai Electric PR: “Supply is stable, but please stop writing ‘Namu’ in business emails”
LED Manufacturer: “Buddha Light LEDs, guaranteed to last into the next life”
Deer Representative: “While humans are obsessed with the lever, we deer can savor the grass leisurely”
Agency for Cultural Affairs Official: “Who knew the day would come when a National Treasure would be treated like a circuit breaker”
Spirit of 8th-century Buddhist sculptor: “In my day, we used torches for lighting!”
Smartphone Influencer: “#GreatBuddhaONChallenge gets lots of likes”
Eco Activist: “Let’s aim for Karma-Neutral!”