Tochoj has Japan’s mammoth wooden Giant Buddha! This “Daibutsu” is 10.8m tall, weighs 30 tons, took 4 years to carve and was completed in 1992. Tōchōji is in the Gion area of Fukuoka City and is the oldest Buddhist Shingon temple in Kyushu. And seeing the Great Buddha (大仏, Daibutsu) is just 50 yen!
The temple was founded by Kukai in 806 AD, making it Kyushu’s oldest Shingon Buddhist temple.
This Tochoji Great Buddha is also a must-see, although the Todaiji in Nara and Kotokuin in Kamakura are much more famous.
Even so, this temple is mostly unknown to the tourist guide books, self-proclaimed experts, and even many of the Japanese nearby. It is never crowded with tourists, and easily accessible from the Fukuoka City Gion subway stop (Exit #1). Aside from the Great Buddha, you can see an expansive prayer area, pagoda, and small historical graveyard that has Kuroda 3 lords who ruled the area.
Open 9 AM – 4:45 PM.
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AloJapan.com