The Great Buddha of Kamakura is a bronze statue of Amida Buddha that is located on the grounds of the Kotokuin Temple. With a height of 13.35 meters, it is the second largest Buddha statue in Japan (the largest is located in the Todaiji Temple in Nara).
The statue was cast in 1252 and originally located inside a large temple hall. However, the temple buildings were washed away by a tsunami tidal wave in the end of the 15th century, and since then the Buddha stands in the open air. I think part of the temple structure was also destroyed by an earthquake -- at least that's what one of the signs said.
Maybe if you click on this picture it will enlarge and you can actually read it. The story of the Buddha is quite interesting. I got the impression that Buddha wanted to be outside!!
Here I am, approaching the Great Buddha!! I tried to smile and look happy this time, even though I was taking a picture of myself. hehe.
You can't really tell from these pictures just how big it is, but the Buddha is really big!
And these are his slippers, just in case he gets the urge to get up and walk away!! Its difficult to tell from the picture, but each one of these slippers is longer than I am tall!!
While I was there, the sun set, and I got a couple last pictures of the Buddha. This one is a little dark but I'm sure if Aaron touches it up it will be beautiful! It was really cool to see the Buddha as the sun was setting -- they light up his face.
2 comments:
Wow, the Buddha is realy big. maybe you should bring home a money buddha so we can rub his belly every day. I especially liked his gianormous shoes! I wonder if he strolls around the gardens when everyone is asleep?
apparently he used to be housed inside a structure -- but it kept getting destroyed. I think once by a tsunami maybe? and then another time by an earthquake. Eventually the decided that it was probably better to just leave him outside. I heard that you can also climb up inside of the buddha -- that its hollow -- but i didn't know that at the time i was there.
Post a Comment