Final answer:
The Todaiji Temple's Great Buddha in Nara, Japan exemplifies the accommodation between Shinto and Buddhism and symbolizes the impressive cultural and political power of the rulers who supported its construction.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Nara, Japan, the accommodation between Shinto and Buddhism is well exemplified by the Great Buddha housed in the Todaiji Temple. The Great Buddha, also known as Daibutsu, symbolizes the fusion of local Japanese traditions with Buddhism, which had its roots in the mainland of Asia. Constructed in 728 CE, Todaiji Temple is an architectural representation of this synthesis and the state support of Buddhism during the period. The statue itself is an immense bronze figure, standing fifteen meters tall in a sitting position, with shoulders spanning twenty-eight meters and a five-meter-wide face. The head of the Buddha is adorned with nine hundred and sixty curls, demonstrating the incredible artistry and resources devoted to its construction.
The colossal size and the intricate work of gilding the statue in gold conveyed not only religious significance but also the immense power of the rulers who commissioned it. Todaiji's Daibutsu also integrated Shinto heritage by including a shrine to a local Shinto deity, highlighting the political and cultural unity of the region under the imperial rule.