Completed in 1933, the Takaoka Great Buddha is considered one of Japan’s three Great Buddha statues – along with the enormous state housed in Todaiji Temple in Nara along with the Kamakura Daibutsu. Cast from bronze, the statue speaks to Takaoka’s metal-working expertise, something for which the town’s craftsmen are known throughout Japan.

Accessible on-foot from Takaoka Station – only a 10-minute walk – the Takaoka Great Buddha is located nearby Takaoka Castle Park and the Takaoka Art Museum. The statue is located outdoors therefore always accessible.

The Buddha is around 20-minutes walk from Takaoka’s famous Zuiryuji Temple.