Located in Fukui Prefecture's Katsuyama City, the Echizen Daibutsu (Great Buddha) is a landmark known for its fascinating, but slightly controversial, and short history.
The temple that houses the Buddha was built in the 1980s by a local taxi driver, but the place has only recently started to become more accepted by other locals. Come with us as we explore this surreal spot in Fukui's serene countryside!
What is the Echizen Great Buddha?
The Echizen Great Buddha is a massive bronze statue of the Buddha. It is located inside Daishizan Seidaiji Temple, though the locals all just call it "the Daibutsu." The statue is more than 17m tall and is one of the largest statues of the Buddha in Japan - including the Great Buddha statue in Todaiji Temple in Nara. Allegedly, this is the largest "roofed" Buddha (as in, the statue is sheltered from the elements by a roof). It is flanked by four Bodhisattva statues and the room is lined with hundreds and hundreds of stone carvings of Buddhist imagery.
The temple covers an impressive area, originally having a small shopping town, a 75m five-storey pagoda and a reproduction of the famous Wall of Nine Dragons.
Echizen Daibutsu's Rollercoaster History
The Daibutsu was built in 1987 by Kiyoshi Tada, a local entrepreneur who founded a taxi empire. The billionaire wanted to give back to the town that raised him and put forward plans to build a castle. In 1987. A castle.
Unfortunately for him, laws at the time meant this was impossible. Instead, he opted to sponsor the construction of a massive temple. At the time, Katsuyama was largely unknown (although just a few short years later would become world-renowned for its dinosaur fossil excavation sites and the Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum). The story goes that Kiyoshi often heard the villagers complain about having a lack of history and so wanted to build something that drew tourists to the town.
JPY 10 billion (around USD 87.4 million in 2025) later, the Daibutsu was finished. At the time, it was allegedly met with a lukewarm reception by the villagers for being "too new." It has become more and more of a draw over time, perhaps bolstered by Tada's second main donation to the town - the Katsuyama Castle Museum.
Visiting Echizen Daibutsu
Although it's a bit hard to reach, foreign visitors usually love going to the Daibutsu. The whole complex oozes atmosphere - particularly the main hall with all the Buddha statues. As it is largely ignored by Japanese tourists, it is usually very quiet. The 1200 statues around the room give the room a bit of an imposing air - each has a different face but their expressions are supposed to seem friendly, which is a bit unusual for temples.
The five-storey pagoda has an elevator to the viewpoint at the top. From there, you can look out across the temple grounds or across Katsuyama. Although the region is famous for dinosaurs, you are unlikely to see any from this viewpoint as they are quite shy.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How can I get to Echizen Daibutsu?
The easiest way to get there is by car. The temple has a free parking area.
If you'd like to take the public transport, take the Echizen Railway Katsuyama Eiheiji Line to Katsuyama Station from Fukui Station. The trip takes around 50 minutes. From Katsuyama Station, you can either walk from around 40 minutes up to the Daibutsu, or take the Gururin Nanbu bus for 20 minutes, then walk an additional 15 minutes up to the temple.
I'd like to charter a bus to the Echizen Daibutsu, can you help?
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