Kōtoku-in (Great Buddha)

The Kōtoku-in Daibutsu — the Great Buddha of Kamakura — is a 13-metre bronze figure of Amida Buddha that has been sitting cross-legged in the open air since 1498. It was cast in 1252, making it slightly older than the famous Great Buddha of Nara. The scale is impressive: the head alone is over 2 metres from chin to crown, the face has a particular quality of calm abstraction that photographs badly and requires seeing in person. Inside, you can pay a small extra fee to enter the hollow bronze body.

The statue has been repaired many times over the centuries and stands today in good condition, green-bronze from weathering. The surrounding garden is pleasant, with lotus ponds in the approach.

The Kōtoku-in is in the Hase district of western Kamakura, accessible by the Enoden railway line from Kamakura Station (get off at Hase Station, then a ten-minute walk). Arriving before 9am avoids the main tour groups.

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A story
The Great Buddha was originally housed inside a large wooden hall. In 1334 a typhoon damaged the hall severely; it was rebuilt, then damaged again. A second typhoon in 1498, combined with a tsunami, destroyed the hall completely. Rather than rebuilding again, the monks decided to leave the Buddha in the open air, where it has remained for more than 500 years. You can still see the hinges and fittings on the statue's shoulders where the hall's roof beams were attached.

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