Kōtoku-in Temple

Address: Kōtoku-in (Hase), Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan

Website: http://www.kotoku-in.jp/

Hours: Temple grounds open daily (hours vary by season)

Admission: Small admission fee to enter the Daibutsu area (typically a few hundred yen)

Kōtoku-in is a Buddhist temple in Kamakura, Japan, best known for housing the large outdoor bronze statue of Amida Buddha, the Kamakura Daibutsu. The temple and statue are important cultural and historic attractions in the Kamakura area.

The principal sight is the seated bronze Buddha, which dates to the mid-13th century and has been exposed in the open air since the wooden hall that once covered it was destroyed. Short walks through the temple grounds and viewing areas allow close observation of the statue’s scale and craftsmanship.

The statue was cast in 1252 during the Kamakura period and the temple has since functioned as a place of worship and cultural interest. The site is managed as an active temple with visitor facilities and interpretive information.

Kōtoku-in sits in Kamakura, within easy reach of Tokyo by rail, and is one of the city’s most visited historic sites.

• Date and setting: The bronze statue was cast in 1252 and has stood outdoors since the temple hall that once sheltered it was lost to weather and disaster several times in later centuries.

What to See#

• Great Buddha (Daibutsu): The large outdoor bronze Buddha statue that dates from the mid-13th century and is set on the temple grounds where the original hall was destroyed by storm and tsunami damage over the centuries.

Take JR to Kamakura Station (JR Yokosuka Line) from Tokyo (about one hour), then transfer to the Enoshima Electric Railway (Enoden) or walk. The nearest stop is Hase Station on the Enoden line; from Hase Station Kōtoku-in (the Great Buddha) is an easy 3-5 minute walk. From Kamakura Station it is also walkable in about 15-20 minutes.

• Arrive early from Hase Station (about a 5-10 minute walk) to beat the mid-morning coach groups that flood the site later in the day.
• Combine a visit to Kōtoku‑in with nearby Hase‑dera and the seaside viewpoints in Hase - the area rewards a short walking circuit that few rush-day visitors take time for.
• Stand back from the main viewing spot to see the Great Buddha from different angles and quieter vantage points in the temple grounds; many visitors only photograph from the front and miss the surrounding temple atmosphere.