Echizen Daibutsu, Bronze Buddha statue in Katsuyama, Japan
Echizen Daibutsu is a 17-meter-tall bronze seated Buddha statue and the largest indoor seated Buddha in Japan, housed within Daishizan Seidaiji Temple. The figure occupies a vast hall, and the temple grounds also feature a five-story pagoda standing 75 meters high that dominates the entire complex.
Tada Kiyoshi, a prosperous taxi company owner, funded the construction of this statue, which was completed in 1987 after several years of building work. The project represented a significant investment in developing the temple grounds during the late 20th century.
The statue is modeled on the seated Vairocana Buddha tradition from China's Longmen Grottoes, surrounded by four standing Bodhisattva figures and stone carvings arranged throughout the temple space. This arrangement creates an atmosphere of spiritual focus that visitors notice as they move through the hall.
The statue can be reached by taking the Echizen Railway to Katsuyama Station, followed by a local community bus to the temple grounds. Visitors should be prepared for stairs leading into the main hall, though ramp access is available for those with mobility needs.
What makes this site memorable is the chance to take an elevator to the top of the 75-meter pagoda and look out over the entire temple grounds and surrounding landscape below. This vantage point reveals how the complex sits within the broader terrain of Katsuyama.
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