Daibutsu

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title: "Daibutsu" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["colossal-buddha-statues-in-japan", "buddhist-sculpture", "japanese-sculpture", "sculptures-in-japan"] description: "Statues of Buddha in Japan" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daibutsu" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Statues of Buddha in Japan ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b4/Hokoji(rushanabutsu).jpg" caption="Great Buddha of Kyoto"] ::

Daibutsu or 'giant Buddha' is the Japanese term, often used informally, for large statues of Buddha. The oldest is that at Asuka-dera (609) and the best-known is that at Tōdai-ji in Nara (752). The Tōdai-ji Daibutsu is a part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site as one of the seven Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara and a National Treasure.

Examples

::data[format=table]

Image	Name	Buddha	Size	Date	Municipality	Prefecture	Comments
	Shōwa Daibutsu		21.35 m	1984	Aomori	Aomori Prefecture
	Ganmen Daibutsu		16.5 m		Hiraizumi	Iwate Prefecture	Low relief carving at Takkoku no Iwaya
[[File:Ushiku Daibutsu - Great Buddha in Japan.jpg	frameless]]	Ushiku Daibutsu	Amida Nyorai	120 m including base and lotus (20 m)	1993	Ushiku	Ibaraki Prefecture
[[File:Postcard Buddha.jpg	150px]]	Nihon-ji Daibutsu	Yakushi Nyorai	31.05 m	1790	Kyonan	Chiba Prefecture
[[File:Kamagaya-daibutsu.jpg	150px]]	Kamagaya Daibutsu	Shaka Nyorai	2.3 m, including base (0.5 m)	1776	Kamagaya	Chiba Prefecture
[[File:Ueno Daibutsu.JPG	150px]]	Former Ueno Daibutsu	Shaka Nyorai		1631	Taitō	Tokyo
	Tokyo Daibutsu		13 m including base	1977	Itabashi	Tokyo	Weighs thirty tons; at Jōren-ji; erected in expiation of the Great Kantō earthquake and the war
[[File:Kamakura Budda Daibutsu front 1885.jpg	150px]]	Kamakura Daibutsu	Amida Nyorai	13.35 m	1252	Kamakura	Kanagawa Prefecture
[[File:Takaoka Daibutsu 2011-07-15 01.jpg	150px]]	Takaoka Daibutsu	Amida Nyorai	15.85 m	1981	Takaoka	Toyama Prefecture
	Echizen Daibutsu		17 m		Katsuyama	Fukui Prefecture
[[File:Gifugreatbuddha.jpg	150px]]	Gifu Daibutsu	Shaka Nyorai	13.63 m	1828	Gifu	Gifu Prefecture
[[File:Hōkōji Daibutsu Kaempfer.png	150px]]	Former Hōkō-ji Daibutsu			1660s	Kyoto	Kyoto Prefecture
[[File:NaraTodaijiDaibutsu0212.jpg	150px]]	Nara Daibutsu	Vairocana	14.98 m	752	Nara	Nara Prefecture
[[File:Asuka dera daibutsu.jpg	150px]]	Asuka Daibutsu	Shaka Nyorai	2.75 m	609	Asuka	Nara Prefecture
[[File:Hyogo Daibutsu.jpg	150px]]	Former Hyōgo Daibutsu			1891	Kobe	Hyōgo Prefecture
	(Nehanzo	Gautama Buddha	41 m (length)	1899	Sasaguri	Fukuoka Prefecture	At Nanzoin (南蔵院); contains ashes of The Buddha and two of his disciples.
::

There are also several in Aichi Prefecture. https://www.aichi-now.jp/en/features/detail/4/

References

References

1. Bamforth, Chris. (26 May 2006). "The capital delights of Nara". [[The Japan Times]].
2. "Shōwa Daibutsu". [[Seiryū-ji]].
3. "Ushiku Daibutsu". [[Ushiku Daibutsu]].
4. "Nihonji Daibutsu". Nihon-ji.
5. (30 March 2010). "Ueno Daibutsu". [[Daily Yomiuri]].
6. "Tokyo Daibutsu". [[Itabashi, Tokyo.
7. "Database of National Cultural Properties". [[Agency for Cultural Affairs]].
8. "Katsuyama Profile". [[Katsuyama, Fukui.
9. "Gifu Shouhouji Daibutsu (Great Buddha)". [[Shōhō-ji (Gifu).
10. "Database of National Cultural Properties". [[Agency for Cultural Affairs]].
11. "Sandaibutsu". [[Japanese Architecture and Art Net Users System]].
12. "Database of National Cultural Properties". [[Agency for Cultural Affairs]].
13. "Daibutsu Hyogo". Nagasaki University Library.
14. "Karmic Cleansing".

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