Japan is famous for its daibutsu – towering giant stone Buddha – which are scattered throughout the country. As with many things in Japan though, almost all visitors only see the ones at Kamakura south of Tokyo and Todai-ji temple in Nara Park south of Kyoto. These are undoubtedly impressive, but the inevitable crowds take rather a lot away from the mysteriousness of the moment.
If the question is ‘how do I get the experience of ancient Buddhist Japan without the crowds’, then my answer would be Nokogiriyama. It’s a ferry ride away across the bay from central Tokyo but don’t worry, JapanMan provides all local transport info in a detailed itinerary after every consultation.
The western shoreline of bustling Tsukiji market area, the man-made island of Odaiba and the monorail recede into the distance and one emerges on the east side of the bay into peace and quiet. Take the cable car or – as I did – walk up the ancient stone steps past a living temple where monks still meditate in tiny huts as they did a millennia ago.
The views alone along the shore and back over the bay are worth the climb alone. The steps then lead out into a plateau where the magnificent Daibutsu is carved out of the rock face, towering over the plain – but it can be captured amongst the plum blossom in spring from the right angle.
JapanMan has plenty of other serene spots to recommend for a break from the Tokyo bustle, but the Nokogiriyama Daibutsu has an undeniable majesty about it that has an indelible place in my mindscape of Japan. Let me know if you’d like to include it on your itinerary!
JapanMan 