Quick Visit to Ushiku Daibutsu: Japan’s Tallest Buddha Statue
The Ushiku Daibutsu, also known as the Great Buddha of Ushiku, is a Buddha statue located in Ushiku, Japan. Standing at 120 meters tall, Ushiku Daibutsu is the tallest statue in Japan and one of the worlds tallest Buddha statues. If you wish to visit Ushiku Daibutsu, it’s an easy day trip from Tokyo. Visitors can relax in the beautiful park surrounding the statue and can even venture inside Ushiku Daibutsu. This post is all about Japan’s tallest Buddha statue. Find out how to get here and what to expect when visiting Ushiku Daibutsu.
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- Ushiku Daibutsu was completed in 1993.
- Ushiku Daibutsu stands 120 meters (390 ft) tall.
- This statue is considered to be the 5th tallest statue in the world.
- Ushiku Daibutsu is the tallest statue in Japan.
- Visitors can access the inside of Ushiku Daibutsu. In fact, there is an elevator that goes to the observation deck 85m (279 ft) high.
- The total weight of Ushiku Daibutsu is 4,003 tons (8,825,000 lbs.).
- The statue is made of bronze.
- Inside Ushiku Daibutsu there is an impressive room with 3,400 smaller statues of Buddha.
Visiting Ushiku Daibutsu
Admission and Hours
Admission
Adults
¥800 for Garden and Ushiku Daibutsu
¥500 for Garden Only
Children
¥400 for Garden and Ushiku Daibutsu
¥300 for Garden Only
Hours
9:30 – 17:00 Weekdays (March to September) 9:30 – 16:30 (October to February)
9:30 – 17:30 Saturday, Sunday, and Holidays (March to September) 9:30 – 16:30 (October to February)
Admission and Hours are based on the Ushiku Daibutsu website.
Surrounding Park and Garden
The park and garden leading up to and surrounding Ushiku Daibutsu is a must. Various flowers and plants bloom throughout the year.
The hillside surrounding the pond, depending on when you go is covered in beautiful purple flowers. This is also a prime cherry blossom spot.
My favorite place in the park was the pond filled with carp. You can feed the carp, they come right up to the shore.
Interior of Ushiku Daibutsu
It is possible and highly recommended to visit the inside of Ushiku Daibutsu. For a ¥800 entrance fee, visitors can explore the beautiful grounds and access the inside of Ushiku Daibutsu.
five floors within Ushiku Daibutsu can be explored by visitors. The first couple floors provide information about the size of Ushiku Daibutsu and the construction. Of course there are gift shops inside as well.
After passing by the exhibits, you can access an elevator that takes you to the 5th floor at 85 meters high. On the 5th floor, there are thin slits of windows to look out of. You can truly see how tall this statue really is as the people below are barely recognizable.
One of my favorite floors was the 3rd floor. Here is where you can find about 3,400 golden Buddha statues placed in the wall.
Remember, this is still a religious site where people come to pray. Please be quiet and respectful hen visiting Ushiku Daibutsu.
Getting to Ushiku Daibutsu
Ushiku Daibutsu is kind of off the beaten path. It does take planning and effort to get here, but it’s well worth the trip.
For visitors that don’t have the freedom of a car, the nearest train station to Ushiku Daibutsu is Ushiku Station. From the train station it is probably worth it just to take a taxi.
There are direct trains from Ueno Station to Ushiku Station via the JR Joban Line. The journey takes about an hour.
If taking a car, there is a huge parking area with free parking.
Conclusion
Visiting Japan’s tallest Buddha statue, Ushiku Daibutsu is a site to marvel at. The sheer size of Ushiku Daibutsu is difficult to comprehend, I’ve never seen anything quite as large. You can see Ushiku Daibutsu from a far distance. Up close it is truly a masterpiece. The gardens and surrounding park are impressive as well and offer amazing views. If you get a chance to explore the inside of Ushiku Daibutsu, there are panoramic views from the observation deck, giving visitors a different perspective of the height and greatness of this statue.
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Activities and Tours 🏖️🚁
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Train Travel 🚂🚊
For the JR Pass, tickets can be purchased on the JR Pass site.
2 Comments
Karin Zimmerman
Best travel logs.
zimminaround
This was one of the highlights of our trip. Amazing seeing the Buddha statue in person.