Great Buddha Statue of Kamakura, Tokokuin Temple

The Great Buddha Statue of Kamakura was not the main draw for our trip to Kamakura. We wanted to visit Kamakura because of it’s political significance in Japanese history. It was the political center of Japan in the early 12th century. It was not until the 14th century when the government was moved to Kyoto. 

When we returned home and started reviewing our photos from the trip, we noticed how many pictures were taken at Tokoku-in Temple where the giant statue is. You will probably find many more images of this statue on the web but I was most fascinated by what the back of the statue looked like. For a mere 20 yen, you get to look inside the hollow bronze statue.  

Kamakura is a beautiful coastal town and it's worth a visit if you are in Tokyo and want to take a day trip to get away from the bustling city. It’s only an hour train ride to get there. You can walk to most of the sites easily.