Editing Emperor Shōmu (section)

===Legacy===
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, Nara|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 metal]]s.<ref name="v141"/>  In 752, the Shōmu held the Eye-opening Ceremony of the Great Buddha.

Earlier in 741, he established the system of [[provincial temple]]s, 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]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Middle Way & Higan Service, Nichiren Shu Beikoku Betsuin|url=http://la.nichirenshu.org/teachings/talks/3min/middle_way_higan.htm|access-date=April 10, 2009|archive-date=August 7, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080807155947/http://la.nichirenshu.org/teachings/talks/3min/middle_way_higan.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Emperor Shōmu died at age 56.<ref name="v143"/>

[[Image:Burialmound EmperorShomu Nara.jpg|thumb|Memorial Shinto shrine and mausoleum honoring Emperor Shōmu]]
The actual site of Shōmu's [[grave (burial)|grave]] is known.<ref name="kunaicho"/>  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''.<ref>Ponsonby-Fane, p. 420.</ref>  The tomb site can be visited today in Horenji-cho, Tenri City near [[Nara City]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://narashikanko.jp/english/aria_map/map_pdf/103.pdf |title=Shōmu's ''misasagi'' – map |access-date=January 7, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080228090105/http://narashikanko.jp/english/aria_map/map_pdf/103.pdf |archive-date=February 28, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The Imperial tomb of Shōmu's consort, [[Empress Kōmyō]], is located nearby.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://narashikanko.jp/english/aria_map/map_pdf/103.pdf |title=Komyo's ''misasagi'' – map |access-date=January 7, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080228090105/http://narashikanko.jp/english/aria_map/map_pdf/103.pdf |archive-date=February 28, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref>