Great Buddha

I do remember being there and having my picture taken in front of the giant, bronze Buddha. Some people suggested that they did not know which one was the Buddha. I also did not know at that time, in 1954, that you could go around behind the statue and go inside to see how it was held together. Sheets of pounded-out bronze held in place by iron straps. While the two metals do not like being together like that, they have been using iron straps for many years.

Great Buddha at Kamakura

kamakura4, a photo by iamabraham on Flickr.

This bronze statue of the Great Buddha was cast in the year 1252 and is located in Kamakura, Japan. It is 44 feet high and weighs 100 tons. Originally this statue stood in the middle of a great hall. In 1945 there was a huge tsunami that destroyed the hall and swept the statue away. Since that time Amida Buddha has remained outside and remains facing the ocean. It is truly an imposing and an amazing sight.