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Kamakura Daibutsu (Kotoku-in)

🛕 Temple

Part of Kamakura

📍

Prefecture

Kanagawa

🛕

Type

Temple

⭐

N/A

1 review

🚃 Train Access

About This Destination

The Great Buddha of Kamakura. 13.35 meters tall, 121 tons, cast in 1252. The original temple hall washed away in a 1498 tsunami so it sits outdoors. You can go inside it.

Kotoku-in is a Jodo-shu Buddhist temple in Kamakura best known for its Great Buddha, a monumental outdoor bronze statue of Amida Buddha standing 13.35 meters tall and weighing approximately 121 tons. Cast in 1252, the statue originally sat inside a large temple hall that was destroyed by a tsunami in 1498, leaving the Buddha sitting serenely in the open air ever since. Visitors can enter the hollow interior of the statue for a small additional fee. The temple grounds also feature a beautiful garden and the giant straw sandals donated by children from Ibaraki Prefecture.

Location

Prefecture: Kanagawa

Address: 4-2-28 Hase, Kamakura, Kanagawa

Nearest Station: Hase

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Visitor Information

Credit Cards: Unknown

Food Options: No dining facilities within the temple. The nearby Hase-dera approach and Komachi-dori shopping street in Kamakura offer extensive dining options including shirasu (whitebait) bowls, soba noodles, and matcha sweets.

Official Website

Access

4-2-28 Hase, Kamakura, Kanagawa

Get Directions

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get to the Great Buddha from Tokyo?

Take JR Yokosuka Line from Tokyo Station to Kamakura (about 1 hour), then transfer to Enoden Line to Hase Station (5 min). The temple is a 7-minute walk. Alternatively, take Odakyu Line to Fujisawa and transfer to Enoden.

Can you go inside the Great Buddha?

Yes! For an additional 50 yen, you can enter the hollow interior of the statue and see the casting marks from 1252. It's a unique experience—the Buddha was built to be entered.

Why is the Great Buddha outside?

The Buddha originally sat inside a large wooden hall, but a massive tsunami in 1498 washed the building away. Rather than rebuild, the statue was left in the open air where it has remained for over 500 years.