This region of Japan helped contribute a couple of awesome buddha statues to my ‘top 10 alternative big Buddha statues in Japan‘ compilation post in 2020 but little did I know there was another huge one not too far away.

All three of these unique and impressive Buddha statues are located within 40 kilometres and are well connected by trains in Aichi Prefecture. Two of them are in Nagoya itself whilst the third one is just north of the city which is Japan’s fourth largest city in terms of population. The first statue featured here is one I only found out about a year or two ago. I visited it for the first time in June so that will form the majority of this post. The other two were visited on separate occasions back in 2018 and are basically just bonus extras well worthy of mentioning again.

1. Great Buddha of Shuurakuen @ Nishihazama-2-1 Ara-machi, Tokai, Aichi-ken – Located in Shurakuen Park, this is Japan’s first reinforced concrete Great Buddha. It was completed in 1927 and was the largest in the country at that time. As I climbed the steps it could gradually be seen in all its glory and what a sight it was!

It is the work of local businessman Saikichi Yamada who began the project in 1916 with construction starting eight years later. It cost 150,000 yen which would be about double that at today’s rate.

It is actually modelled on the Great Buddha of Kamakura.

As it’s located on a hill facing Ise Bay, it was highly praised for its scenic view and was thus designated as a cultural property by the city in 1983.

The park is open from 9:00 am till 5:00 pm, and is just a few minutes walk from Shurakuen station on the Meitetsu Tokoname Line which can be reached in less than 20 minutes from Nagoya station. The Great Buddha can be seen from the platform not that I noticed this until I was departing the area!

2. Togan-ji Temple @ 2-16 Yotsuyatori, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi-ken – This particular unique-coloured buddha statue was moved to its current location in 1714 and was originally a different shade of green but the whole body supposedly became more vivid during renovation work in 1987. It’s not just the tint of green which characterises this buddha but also the lips, eye line and ears which are an almost-comical gold colour! More details here.

3. The Great Buddha at Hotei @ Daimon-135 Kigacho, Konan, Aichi-ken – Not part of a temple but actually a privately owned statue with a home of sorts latched on to the back of it. The friendly owner’s father built it over five years in the 1950’s. Later research tells me that the great buddha once appeared in one of his dad’s dreams at the age of 43 and from then he set out to build it! The statue’s height is 18 metres which is taller than the Great Buddha’s of Nara (15m) and Kamakura (13.4m). More details here.

Click here to read ‘TF Top 10……Alternative Big Buddha Statues In Japan’

Click here to read ‘A Huge Vivid Green Buddha With Gold Facial Features!’

Click here to read ‘The Sunglasses-Wearing Buddha Statue’

Click here to read ‘Another Giant Buddha But This One Is Made Of A Very Unique Material!’