The Ushiku Daibutsu, literally the Great Buddha of Ushiku, is considered the highest bronze statue in the world. Located in Ibarraki in Japan, this statue was completed in 1995.
The sculpture represents Buddha in its Amitabha (Infinite Light) and the measurements are truly monumental: with a lotus-shaped pedestal of 10 meters (three times bigger than the Statue of Liberty ), another 10 feet wide and a height of 100, the statue reaches a height of 120 in total.
It was erected to commemorate the birth of Shinrran, founder of the Buddhist Jodo Shinshu. Its construction took 5 years— between 1989 and 1993. But it was opened to the public only two years later.
This colossus is made up of more than 6,000 bronze plaques of 6 mm thick. The statue weighs 4-ton. The builders used cranes to lift heavy plates (over 150 kilos each) and then reassembled them.
The inside of the statue is hollow. The first floor houses an exhibition showing the construction step by step. In the second floor, there is a room to practice writing sutras. The third floor is a temple. There are two balconies that can be accessed by an elevator. This is where you can observe the amazing environment.
The particularity of the edifice is its upright position, since most Buddhas are in a sitting position. His right foot is slightly forward, indicating Buddha’s gesture to go and help people in need. Also, the position of his hands have an important meaning. The open palm of his left hand refers to the mind of the prophets—showing them the way to Heaven. The right hand forms a circle between the thumb and the index, that expresses the omnipresence of the Buddha.
