My Summer Trip to Nihon-ji Daibutsu
By Thawng Tunngo
Several years ago in one summer, I went on a short trip to Nihon-ji Daibutsu with some friends. Nihon-ji Daibutsu is the largest stone-cut effigy of Buddha in Japan1, located on the slopes of Mount Nokogiri in Chiba Prefecture2. It depicts Yakushi Nyorai, the Buddha of Healing1, and it is an impressive sight to behold.
We met at 5:30 a.m. outside Shibuya station, near the famous Hachiko statue. Hachiko was a loyal dog who waited for his owner every day at the station, even after his owner’s death. His statue is a symbol of devotion and a popular landmark in Tokyo3.
We took the Yamanote train to Shinagawa station, and then transferred to the Keikyu Kurihama line to Kurihama station. It took us almost two hours to get there. Kurihama is a beautiful city facing the Pacific Ocean, and it has historical significance as well. It was here that Matthew C. Perry landed for his first negotiations for the opening of Japan in 18534.
From Kurihama station, we took a ferry boat to Hamakanaya port, which was across the sea. We could see the Chiba Peninsula from the boat, and it looked beautiful. When we arrived at Hamakanaya, we asked the local people how to get to Nihon-ji Daibutsu. Nihon-ji 日本寺 is the name of the temple, and Daibutsu 大仏 means statue of Buddha in Japanese1.
We walked to a ropeway station and rode up to the top of Mount Nokogiri. It was my first time riding a ropeway, and I was thrilled by the experience. From the top of the mountain, we had a breathtaking view of the surrounding area. We could see the cities, the beach, the sea, and the boats far away. The scenery was so beautiful.
After enjoying the view for a while, we started walking into the forest. There were many stone statues of Buddhist deities along the way, such as the Hyaku-shaku Kannon, a 30-meter-tall rock sculpture of the goddess of mercy2. After walking for about half an hour, we saw a shelter and took a rest. The shelter had a roof but no walls. On its wooden posts, there were writings by people who had been here before. To my surprise, I saw a Burmese writing on one of them. It had a date and four Burmese names.
We continued our walk and soon caught sight of a huge Daibutsu in the jungle. It was sculpted as a sitting Buddha on huge stones, and it was 30 meters tall2. It was carved out of sandstone in 17832, but it was damaged by earthquakes and weather over the years. It was restored in 19692, but it was made smaller than the original one, which was 37.7 meters tall2. It represented Yakushi Nyorai, the Buddha of Healing2, and it had a serene expression on its face. I felt peace and happiness when I saw it, even though I am not a Buddhist.
I was very happy to visit this place, because I had always wanted to see it since I heard that it was similar to the road to Kyaiktiyo pagoda in Burma. Kyaiktiyo pagoda is a sacred site for Burmese Buddhists, where a golden rock balances on the edge of a cliff. I have never been there, but I hope to go someday.
Nihon-ji Daibutsu was a wonderful experience for me, and I recommend it to anyone who loves nature and culture. It is a hidden gem that not many people know about, but it is definitely worth visiting.
There was not much else to see in the area, except for some smaller statues and a shop selling omamori (lucky charms). We decided to head back home after a while. As soon as we got off the ropeway, we searched for a Japanese ramen noodle shop because we were starving. It was around 4 p.m. when we finished our meal.
We hurried to Kurihama station and took a train to Shinagawa. We were so tired that we fell asleep on the train. When I opened my eyes, I realized we had arrived at Shinagawa station. We went to a restaurant and had dinner together. Then we said goodbye to each other and thanked them for the wonderful day. It was one of the most memorable days of my life.