※This article was published at
February 2015.※
The Great Buddha of Kamakura, better known as the Kamakura Daibutsu, is bronze statue of the Amida Buddha which is located in the grounds of Kotokuin Temple.
This statue is the second tallest bronze Buddha in Japan, only to be surpassed by the statue in Todaiji Temple in Nara.
The exterior of the Buddha is nothing short of impressive.
Standing at 13.35 meters tall, one can’t help but stop and wonder how was a majestic statue such as this was built.
For those who are adventurous, you can satiate your curiosity by taking a trip into the giant buddha’s belly.
At the back side of the statue, you will find a well hidden counter in front of a metal door.
Pay the small fee of 20 yen, and into the Buddha you go!
When I was inside, I gained a newfound appreciation of this Buddha.
According to the explanation, the Kamakura Daibutsu was built nearly 750 years ago, when there were no cranes or heavy machinery to help lift the heavy pieces!
This engineering marvel was built whereby a large number of molds were placed on top of each other in layers.
Then, Ikarakuri, an interlocking panel building technique, was utilized to securely connect the all the pieces from the base to the top of the statue.
It was also said that the statue was cast nearly 30 times due to its immense size.
I left the inside of the Buddha in awe and amazed at man’s ingenuity.
If you want to see it for yourself, head to Hase Station, the third station from Kamakura on the Enoden Line.
From there, the Buddha is a short 5-10 minute walk.
Map:
Comments