The Tokyo Daibutsu was cast in 1977 by the sculptor Toshihiko Yamamoto.
The statue is officially registered as a local cultural property of Itabashi City.
It is often referred to as the 'Great Buddha of Itabashi' to distinguish it from the more famous Kamakura and Nara statues.
The temple moved from Nihonbashi to Itabashi to accommodate urban expansion and the need for more space.
The statue is surrounded by a collection of smaller Buddhist stone carvings that represent the disciples of Buddha.
Jōrenji Temple is best known for the Tokyo Daibutsu, a 12.5-meter-tall bronze statue of the Amitabha Buddha. Weighing 32 tons, this is the third-largest bronze Buddha statue in Japan. The temple belongs to the Jōdo-shū (Pure Land) sect of Buddhism. Originally established in the 14th century in the Nihonbashi area, it relocated to its current site in Itabashi in 1971. The Daibutsu was commissioned in 1977 to honor the victims of the Great Kanto Earthquake and the Tokyo air raids. The temple grounds feature a bell tower and stone statues of the Rakan, the disciples of Buddha. The current structures reflect a modern reconstruction of a traditional temple layout. The grounds are situated adjacent to the Akatsuka Botanical Garden.
The lower steps looking up at the Tokyo Daibutsu provide the best perspective for its scale.
Combine your visit with the neighboring Akatsuka Botanical Garden for a complete morning or afternoon experience.
Look for the smaller, weathered stone statues around the perimeter, which offer a different aesthetic than the central Daibutsu.
Keep your voice low, as this is an active place of worship for the local community.
Do not take photos of people praying inside the temple buildings; do not mistake the adjacent residential area for temple grounds.
Remove hats and sunglasses when approaching the main altar; maintain a quiet demeanor; do not touch the bronze statue.
