Hase Giant Buddha

Another short train ride from the Kamakura station took us to nearby Hase, home of the 'Great Buddha of Kamakura', also known as the Amida Buddha.  This Buddha statue is 13.35 meters (over 40') tall making it the second tallest in Japan.  It was originally built in the 13 century and placed indoors in a temple.  Since 1495 it has been outside, because this temple was hit multiple times by typhoons and tidal waves in the 14th and 15th centuries.

Our tickets to enter the grounds.

These washing basins were in temples and shrines everywhere.
I'm not totally sure what they are for (some cleaning I conjecture), but
I decided to try it.

A look at Amida Buddha from far away - you can get a sense of its imposing size.

Big man... big feet.

A picture of us in front of the Buddha.

A small dedication area at his pedestal.

Incense burning offering at the base.

Lexie kept saying he looked sad.

The inside is hollow; for the equivalent of roughly a quarter you can go inside.

Mike and I reading about the construction while exploring the inside.

A memorial of an influential Buddhist associated with Hase Buddha.

Erika, Lexie and Elise.

The Grimstead family.