Is Takaoka Daibutsu One of Japan’s Three Great Buddhas?, here’s our second stop on the “Three Great Buddhas of Japan” tour.
This time, we headed to Nofuku-ji Temple in Hyogo Ward, Kobe City, to see the magnificent Hyogo Daibutsu.
Let the Tour Begin
After a long drive to Hyogo—complete with 2 or 3 traffic jams—we finally made it.
Since Nofuku-ji doesn’t have its own parking lot, we left the car at a nearby coin parking and made our way on foot.
There it is—the top of the Buddha’s head in view!
With a high-rise apartment building nearby, the view oddly reminded me of Ultraman or Godzilla…
Then we saw the sign that reads “Hyogo Daibutsu.”
I’d seen this sign in other blogs and thought it looked kind of photoshopped—and even in person, the texture of the lettering feels strange and surreal.
Meeting the Hyogo Daibutsu
There it is, the Hyogo Daibutsu in full view.
Same pose as earlier! Compared to the Takaoka or Nara Daibutsu, this place doesn’t feel touristy at all. We didn’t see many other visitors either.
This is the Hyogo Daibutsu
In 1891 (Meiji 24), wealthy merchant Shohei Nanjo funded the original statue, which was once considered one of Japan’s Three Great Buddhas. However, it was dismantled in 1944 during WWII due to a metal collection order.
The current statue was reconstructed in 1991. This seated image of Vairocana Buddha (Birushana) stands 11 meters tall, with a total height of 18 meters including the base and lotus pedestal. It weighs about 60 tons. A grand eye-opening ceremony was held in May 1991, attended by the heads of Todai-ji and Kotoku-in temples.
So yes, the statue you see here was rebuilt in 1991.
Recently, a friend gave me a hair clipper, and I impulsively shaved my head… which, naturally, led to this:
Yeah… what am I doing?
I doubt the Buddha had this kind of expression, but hey—travel makes you act a little goofy sometimes.
This Buddha grants “one wish fulfillment”—chant “On Abiraunken Sowaka” seven times, then make your prayer.
But if you’re just clowning around like I was… probably best not to expect any miracles.
For scale, here’s the Buddha compared to a small child. Huge, right?
Here’s the frontal view from the base.
Is this the grave of Taira no Kiyomori? I think so. Something like that.
Under the pedestal is an eternal memorial area. The gold lettering on the black sign that says “something Hall” (too dark to read) adds an unexpectedly luxurious vibe.
There’s also a list of donors. I had imagined brush calligraphy and kanji, but this one’s in Roman characters and reads “man yen.” An unexpected modern touch.
On the back side of the pedestal, there’s an old wall with “Monthly Parking Only” signage. Technically, it’s accessible by car… but how that works, I’m not really sure.
To the right of that wall—there’s a bathroom.
The sign ends with a stern “Do NOT dirty this toilet.” That really stuck with me.
And fun fact—it’s not an office, it’s a **temple office** (寺務所), of course.
Having explored the grounds thoroughly, we wrapped up our visit.
Thanks for having us, Hyogo Daibutsu!
That Was the Hyogo Daibutsu
In my previous Takaoka Daibutsu blog post, I wrote:
“Even though the Hyogo Daibutsu doesn’t have centuries of history, I think the fact that it was rebuilt doesn’t diminish its significance—it still deserves a spot among the Three Great Buddhas of Japan, and I’d love to go see it.”
Now that I’ve been, I’d say it feels surprisingly modern—so maybe it doesn’t quite have that “Great Buddha” aura after all (who am I to judge?).
Next up: Gifu Daibutsu, right in our home prefecture of Gifu. Can’t wait!
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