Daibutsu – Large Statutes of Buddha in Japan

As you probably know, Japan has Shintoism as its indigenous religion and at one point in its history it was influenced by Buddhism that came from China around the 6th century. Currently you can find many temples in Japan where Buddhism and Shintoism coexist together and these are a tourist attraction that creates a lot of impact on visitors by learning about this religion and way of life through the exploration of figures or statues such as the Great Buddhas , known in Japan as ” Daibutsu ” Here we present the most important and most influential in the history of Japan and that without a doubt you should visit on your next trip to Japan!

The largest and must-see Daibutsu is the Nara Daibutsu which, as its name suggests, is located in the city of Nara , northeast of Osaka . It represents Vairocana – the Celestial or Primordial Buddha who is said to be the Buddhist concept of emptiness . The statue measures 15 meters not counting the pedestal, weighs 250 tons and was built in bronze around the year 752. It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara and also a National Treasure . The Daibutsuden that houses this huge Buddha is considered the largest wooden building in the world. Throughout its history this Daibutsu has undergone a number of reconstructions in 1180, 1185, 1567 and 1692.

The Ushiku Daibutsu was listed as the tallest statue in the world by the Guinness Book of World Records until 2002 . It is located in Ushiku , northeast of Tokyo and represents Amida Nyorai, the main Buddha in Jōdo Shinshū also known as ” Shinbuddhism” He is the Buddha representative of the supreme mind of all Buddhas. It measures 100 meters, weighs 4400 tons and is made of bronze and was completed in 1993. The curious thing about this statue is that you can enter it! It’s four floors and it has an elevator that takes you to the observation deck on the third floor.

The Kamakura Daibutsu is a giant bronze statue weighing 125 tons. It is located in Kamakura , in Kanagawa Prefecture. It is 13.35 meters tall and was erected in 1252. Sitting in a meditative pose, this statue is hollow, allowing visitors to venture inside. The Kamakura Daibutsu is considered a historical monument and also represents Amida Nyorai – the main Buddha in Jōdo Shinshū or ” Shinbuddhism”

The Takaoka Daibutsu fascinates all its visitors with its beautiful appearance. It is located at Daibutsu-ji Temple about a 10-minute walk from JR Takaoka Station in Toyama Prefecture. Along with the Nara Daibutsu and the Kamakura Daibutsu , it is considered one of the three largest Buddha statues in Japan. The story goes back some 800 years, when the original was built by Minamotono Yoshikatsu . It has been rebuilt several times due to heavy fire damage from battles over the centuries. The current construction began in 1907 and it took 26 years to finally complete the statue. Something curious about this statue is that inside you can see impressive Buddhist paintings and the head of the previous statue preserved in very good condition!

And last but not least is the Atama Daibutsu , which translates to “Head of the Great Buddha.” Located in the city of Sapporo, Hokkaido is a popular tourist attraction in the city that opened in 2015 and was designed by Tadao Ando , ​​a world-famous Japanese architect. The Atama Daibutsu is located in the Makomanai Takino part of the cemetery and what is particular about this statue is that, from a distance, only the head is visible, crowned with beautiful slopes full of plants and flowers that are in season throughout the year. Summer is the perfect season to glimpse this unique landscape! Although you can see the complete statue by passing through a sacred door that leads to the lower part of the statue.

Which Daibutsu would you like to visit first? Have you already visited one or several of these? Tell us in the comments!