Daibutsu in Kamakura, a bronze Buddha under open sky

Daibutsu in Kamakura is a vast thirteenth?century bronze Buddha seated under the open sky at Kotoku?in temple, its calm figure rising above the temple court.

Daibutsu in Kamakura is a colossal bronze statue of Amida Buddha dating from the thirteenth century, seated outdoors within the grounds of Kotoku?in temple in Japan. Its metal surfaces and open?air setting turn a single figure into a whole landscape of Buddha, sky and encircling hills.

A thirteenth?century Buddha facing the hills

The Great Buddha of Kamakura, known in Japanese as Kamakura Daibutsu, stands in the coastal city of Kamakura in Kanagawa Prefecture south of Tokyo. It is the principal image of Kotoku?in, a temple of the Jodo, or Pure Land, school of Buddhism in the Hase district of the city.Principal image of Kotoku?in The statue depicts Amida Buddha, also called Amida Nyorai or Amitabha, a figure associated with infinite light and the Western Paradise in Pure Land belief.Depiction of Amida Buddha

Daibutsu is a thirteenth?century work of cast bronze, created in the Kamakura period when the city served as a seat of samurai government. Measurements given by temple and government sources describe a statue that rises a little over 11 m (about 37 ft) from base to head, with a total height including its stone base of around 13.35 m (43.8 ft) and a weight in the region of 121 tonnes (133 tons).Height and weight of the Great BuddhaMeasurements of Kamakura Daibutsu The figure is designated a National Treasure by the Japanese government, a status that marks it as one of the country’s most important Buddhist images.National Treasure designation

Bronze, lotus and open sky

Seen from the temple approach, Daibutsu appears seated on a broad stone and bronze base, legs folded in meditation and hands resting in a mudra associated with contemplation. The statue is composed of multiple cast sections of copper alloy joined together, with a surface that has weathered into shades of green and brown under the coastal climate.Colossal copper image The Buddha sits cross?legged on a lotus pedestal, with draped robes flowing down over the knees and the base, giving the impression of both weight and calm.

The head carries the tight curls and topknot familiar from East Asian Buddha imagery, framing a face whose half?closed eyes and slight smile are visible from across the courtyard. Around the statue, the temple grounds open into a wide forecourt, with low buildings and trees leaving the Buddha in full view against the sky.Daibutsu under the open sky The absence of enclosing walls immediately around the figure lets its scale register from different angles as visitors move through the precinct.

Kamakura Daibutsu in its coastal setting

Kamakura lies on the Pacific coast of central Honshu, backed by low wooded hills and reached inland from the larger urban region around Yokohama and Tokyo. Kotoku?in stands in Hase, a district on the western side of the city, not far from the shoreline and other historic temples such as Hase?dera.Location in Hase, Kamakura Within this landscape of ridges and coastal streets, Daibutsu forms a single strong vertical accent rising from the temple forecourt.

The statue’s status as a National Treasure makes it a key object within the wider group of Kamakura’s Buddhist sites. Official descriptions refer to it as the “National Treasure Copper Seated Statue of Amida Buddha at Kotoku?in”, linking the figure directly to the surrounding temple architecture and the Jodo?sh? tradition.Formal name of the statueGreat Buddha as principal icon The combination of coastal air, surrounding hills and the broad temple court underlines the statue’s presence as a freestanding figure rather than an element within an interior hall.

Visiting Daibutsu: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• Daibutsu stands within Kotoku?in in the Hase district of Kamakura, south of Tokyo, reached by regional rail services to Kamakura Station and the local Enoshima Electric Railway to Hase.
• The temple grounds around the statue are on gently sloping terrain, with paved approaches and a series of broad steps leading from the entrance area into the main forecourt in front of the Buddha.
• Kamakura lies on the Pacific coast of central Honshu, and Daibutsu shares the area with other historic sites including Hase?dera temple and Yuigahama beach, all within the same coastal basin.
• The official language is Japanese and the currency is the yen.

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Frequently asked questions about Daibutsu

Where is Daibutsu located within Kamakura?

Daibutsu stands at Kotoku?in temple in the Hase district of Kamakura, a coastal city in Kanagawa Prefecture south of Tokyo on Japan’s main island of Honshu.

What should visitors expect when they reach the statue?

Visitors enter Kotoku?in and step into a wide temple forecourt where the large bronze Buddha sits on its stone base in the open air, surrounded by low buildings and trees.

What makes Daibutsu distinctive among Buddha statues in Japan?

Daibutsu is a thirteenth?century bronze Amida Buddha over 13 m tall including its base, designated a National Treasure and seated outdoors at Kotoku?in rather than inside a temple hall.