The Great Buddha

The Great Buddha of Kamakura is a monumental outdoor bronze statue of Amitābha Buddha located at the Kōtoku-in Temple in Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. The bronze statue probably dates from 1252, in the Kamakura period, according to temple records. It was preceded by a giant wooden Buddha, which was completed in 1243 "after five years of continuous labor", the funds having been raised by Lady Inadano-Tsubone and the Buddhist priest Joukou of Toutoumi. That wooden statue was damaged by a storm in 1248, and the hall containing it was destroyed, so Joukou suggested making another statue of bronze, and the huge amount of money necessary for this and for a new hall was raised for the project. The sculptors were Ono Goroemaon and Tanji Hisatomo. At one time, the statue was gilded. There are still traces of gold leaf near the statue's ears.

Details

* Weight; 93 tons
* Height; 13.35m
* Length of Face; 2.35m
* Length of Eye; 1.0m
* Length of Mouth; 0.82m
* Length of Ear; 1.90m
* Length from knee to knee; 9.10m
* Circumference of thumb; 0.85m