Fukui Daibutsu, Buddhist statue at Seidaiji Temple in Katsuyama, Japan
The Fukui Daibutsu is a bronze Buddha statue housed in a dedicated hall at Seidaiji Temple in Katsuyama that rises 17 meters high. Four standing Bodhisattva figures surround the main statue, completing the sacred arrangement within the space.
The temple construction began in the 1980s when a taxi company owner funded the project, modeling it after the Todaiji Temple in Nara. The planning and building process took several years to complete this ambitious undertaking.
The statue follows the design of the seated Buddha carving at the Longmen Grottoes in China, while over one thousand stone figures line the temple walls. This arrangement creates a visual sense of continuity and devotion that visitors notice immediately upon entering.
Visitors can reach the temple from Fukui Station by taking the Echizen Railway to Katsuyama Station, then boarding a community bus to the temple entrance. The route is fairly straightforward, and the journey offers views of the surrounding countryside.
The temple houses Japan's tallest five-story pagoda at 75 meters, equipped with an elevator for easy access. The lift allows visitors to reach viewing platforms that overlook the surrounding landscape.
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