Visiting the Ushiku Daibutsu, the World's Largest Bronze Buddha Certified by Guinness - Memories of Golden Week
Good evening, everyone!
Quite a bit of time has passed since Golden Week ended.
Since I have a daughter who is a student preparing for entrance exams, we haven't been able to go out much, but on our way back from visiting my parents' home in Mito, we went to Ushiku Daibutsu.
My daughter likes visiting power spots like shrines, so she came along with me.
Now then, are you all familiar with this Ushiku Daibutsu?
I don't think I even knew it existed when I lived in Kyoto.
Let me briefly introduce the Ushiku Daibutsu to you.
The official name of the Ushiku Daibutsu is Ushiku Amida Daibutsu.
It is located in Ushiku City, Ibaraki Prefecture.
I thought it was the largest Buddha statue in the world, but it seems it is the largest bronze standing Buddha statue in the world.
The total height is 120 meters, with a pedestal of 20 meters (totaling 140 meters), and as a standing statue, it is the
6th tallest in the world.Construction began in 1986 and was completed in
1993.It took seven or eight years to build, didn't it?
By the way, what is the largest Buddha statue in the world?
You're curious, aren't you?
I looked it up.
The number one is the "Statue of Unity" in India, and its height is a staggering 240 meters (including the pedestal).
It's 100 meters taller than the Ushiku Daibutsu.
That's a height I can't even imagine.
The second place was the "Spring Temple Buddha" in China, which is 208 meters (including the pedestal)!
Well then, let's get started.
First, the sweets corner.
She said, "This is a Baumkuchen made with special eggs."
It was a soft and very delicious Baumkuchen.
I'd even want to order it for myself.
My daughter ate most of it, so I didn't get to eat much of it 😅
I was curious, so I looked up "Tenteri-ran".
It seems that when you Google things lately, AI answers them for you.
→ Tenteri-ran is a brand of eggs sold at Michi-no-Eki Joso in Ibaraki Prefecture.
Its characteristics are a deep vermilion yolk, a firm egg white, and a rich flavor.
It uses eggs laid by free-range chickens, and its rich umami is concentrated.
That's what it said.
It's definitely something to look out for when you go to Michi-no-Eki Joso.
Now, next up is~
...
My daughter said she wanted to eat them, so I bought them.
I got one.
This was delicious.
My daughter seemed very satisfied.
The souvenir shop was quite well-stocked.
Well then, let's go sightseeing at the Ushiku Daibutsu together!
Oh, I can see it now!
I can see the back of it now.
It's bigger than I imagined.
The spring limited edition Goshuin (temple seal) was sold out.
That's a shame.
I even thought to myself that if it were to fall over, there would be no way to escape.
The view from below is also quite impressive.
We had to wait a little bit to buy our admission tickets.
Furthermore, I was told there was a 1-hour wait to climb inside the Buddha statue after entering, and I hesitated for a moment, but since we had come all this way, I decided to wait in line.
It is Golden Week, after all.
There are a lot of people.
There were also many people from abroad.
is located at the back of the Great Buddha.
get on the elevator.
This is where we got off the first elevator.
A mystical space spread out before us.
to head toward the second elevator.
I was at the back of the line in no time.
I took a photo while walking fast.
It was blurry, as expected.
and you can look at the exhibits while waiting
to board the second elevator.
The Ushiku Daibutsu was actually a Buddha statue built byHigashi Honganji!
It was built because Ibaraki Prefecture is a placeassociated with Shinran Shonin.
Can you tell how big it is?
By the way, what my daughter is holding is a shoe bag.
Before getting on the first elevator,
you take off your shoes and put them in a bag to go up.
This would be impossible for someone with a fear of heights 😅
introduced in detail.
there is a long line.
While I was looking at the exhibits,
it went by in a flash.
Probably...
were on display.
I couldn't take pictures of all of them,
but I'll post a few here ^ ^
for being able to build such a large structure!
These are photos of the photos.
Apparently, this is what the scenery looks like in spring.
A collaboration of cherry blossoms and moss phlox.
It's a spectacular view during the cherry blossom season ✨
It looks like a foreign country 😆
After finishing looking at the photos, we took the second elevator to the floor above.
My daughter is just peeking through.
The place where we were walking earlier looks small.
It really speaks to the height of the Great Buddha.
"Eitaikyo"
Eitaikyo is a place where you can enshrine a posthumous Buddhist name (kaimyo) or similar in a memorial Buddha statue placed inside, and have it memorialized forever.
A separate application is required to inter remains (partial remains).
There are no management fees or annual usage fees.
You can also apply for the memorial Buddha statue or the interment of remains separately.
Nowadays, there are various ways to hold memorial services without building a grave, so this is one of them.
It might be good for those who live nearby.
One-shaku type (approx. 30 cm) 300,000 yen
Three-shaku type (approx. 90 cm)
It seems only the one-shaku type can be applied for now.
After this, we went down one floor by stairs.
pictures of the Great Buddha and flowers like this
continue.
I had heard them before.
my family stopped me.
Saying there's no end to it.
Indeed.
All the way around, there are so many.
If you look at them slowly, it might take
a lot of time.
I actually took many more photos, but
since there are so many, I posted some of them 😆
When it's there, you just end up
stepping on it, don't you? 😆
Everyone was ringing the bell quite often.
They are cute.
I took many other photos, but since they were
mostly the same, I have carefully selected these.
The limited-edition goshuin from inside the Buddha.
Both pre-written and written-on-the-spot versions were available.
Admission including the interior tour is 800 yen, but
the garden-only entry without entering the interior is 500 yen.
Having safely finished sightseeing at Ushiku Daibutsu, it was time for lunch.
I went to the Marugame Seimen in Ushiku for the first time in a while.
I've wanted to eat these for a long time.
Kinako flavor! It was delicious!
What did you think of the Ushiku Daibutsu?
That concludes this sightseeing report.
It is a highly recommended tourist spot with a very impressive Great Buddha and garden.
I hope you find this helpful.
Now, for our regularwater calligraphysegment.
Here is today's cursive script!
What kanji is this?
The answer is here!
First, in semi-cursive script.
You know what it is now, right?
Next, in regular script.
Maki
It was!
Today's Roa-kun🐈
he sleeps right next to me.
Ah, I want to fluff him up.
Thank you for reading until the end today as well.
This time it is also over 3,000 characters.
It is a surprisingly high character count, isn't it?
Thank you for sticking with me😊
Have a wonderful day every day~✨✨✨