Name in Japanese: 長浜びわこ大仏
Pronunciation: nagahama biwako daibutsu

A short distance south of Nagahama Castle stands a huge statue of Buddha with his back to Lake Biwa. He stands atop a two-storey plinth making the gyan mudra gesture, symbolising wisdom and knowledge. The plinth is actually a building that you can enter, and a staircase takes you to the balconies on two levels.

The Buddha stands in the grounds of Ryōchū-ji Temple. It’s the second big Buddha to stand here. The first was built in 1937 out of concrete. It stood 27 m high and was called Gokoku Amida Nyorai. Due to deterioration of the concrete, it was dismantled in 1992, and the remains were buried in the temple, with a memorial built above the grave.

The current bronze statue was completed in 1994, and a service was held to mark the occasion. It stands 28 m high, one metre higher than its predecessor.

In spring, the plum trees that blossom around the statue are very pretty.