🗺️ Gifu Great Buddha (Shoboji)正法寺（岐阜大仏）

The Great Buddha, renowned alongside the Nara Great Buddha and the Kamakura Great Buddha, is one of Japan's "Three Great Buddhas." It was commissioned by the 11th Abbot of Shōbōji, I-chū, to save the people who had suffered from multiple disasters. After approximately 38 years of construction, it was finally completed in 1832. The statue is supported by a large ginkgo tree and constructed with a wooden frame, while the exterior is made of bamboo and clay, covered with paper, lacquer, and gold leaf. It is the largest Great Buddha created using this method. The seated statue stands 13.63 meters tall, with a hall height of 23.6 meters, ear length of 2.12 meters, and nose height of 0.36 meters. Its slightly downward gaze seems to watch over the worshippers, providing a sense of healing as one gazes into the gentle expression of the Great Buddha. The architecture of the Great Buddha Hall, which combines Chinese and Japanese styles, is also worth seeing. Additionally, there are architectural features not typically found in other Great Buddha halls, such as the corridor that allows visitors to walk around the Great Buddha (the corridor is usually not open to the public).

Alongside the Great Buddha of Nara and the Great Buddha of Kamakura, it is recognized as one of the "Three Great Buddha Statues of Japan." The seated statue of the Buddha stands at 13.63 meters tall, while the Buddha Hall reaches a height of 23.6 meters, showcasing impressive scale. The architecture of the Buddha Hall, which combines Chinese and Japanese styles, is worth seeing.