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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: Kamakura, Kanagawa, Japan

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

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get to the Great Buddha from Tokyo?

Take JR Yokosuka Line from Tokyo Station to Kamakura (56 min, ¥920), then transfer to the Enoden Line to Hase Station (5 min, ¥200). The temple is a 7-minute walk north along the Hase-dera approach. Alternatively from Shinjuku: Odakyu Line to Fujisawa (60 min, ¥620) then Enoden to Hase (28 min, ¥310). The Enoden 'Noriori-kun' day pass (¥800) pays off if you visit Hase-dera, Kamakura Daibutsu, and Enoshima the same day.

Can you go inside the Great Buddha?

Yes — for an additional ¥50 on top of the ¥300 temple admission you can enter the hollow interior. Open 8:00–16:30 (interior closes 16:20). The cramped space (about 30 people max) shows the 1252 casting joints and Edo-period repair patches. Inside, look up to see daylight through the head — the Buddha's face was repaired multiple times after earthquakes. Be aware: the entry stairway has 36 steep steps and the interior gets warm in summer (35°C+). Closed during temple ceremonies and on rare maintenance days. A unique experience — the Buddha was literally built to be entered.

Why is the Great Buddha outside?

The Buddha originally sat inside a wooden Daibutsu-den hall as grand as Todai-ji's in Nara. The hall was damaged by typhoons in 1334 and 1369, then completely destroyed by the 1498 Meio Nankaido tsunami — historical records show seawater reached the temple's elevation 35m above sea level. Rather than rebuild, the temple chose to leave the Buddha exposed; it has weathered earthquakes including 1923's Great Kanto Earthquake (which shifted the statue's base 50cm) and remained for over 500 years. Foundation pillars from the original hall are still visible around the statue's plinth.

What's the entry fee, hours, and what else can I see?

Adult ¥300, child ¥150; Buddha interior +¥50. Open 8:00–17:30 (April–September), 8:00–17:00 (October–March); last entry 15 min before close. Beyond the Buddha itself: the giant straw sandals (waraji) at the rear, donated by Ibaraki Prefecture children since 1951, weighing 45kg each — symbolizing the Buddha's compassion walking the world. The Kangetsudo Hall (left of statue) houses Korean Joseon-era artifacts. Yosano Akiko stone monument with her famous 1904 poem about the Buddha. Combine with Hase-dera (5 min walk south, ¥400) for a complete Hase-area visit; allow 60 min for Kotoku-in alone.