An Obaku Zen temple located in Daibutsu-cho, Gifu City, known for enshrining the Gifu Great Buddha, one of the Three Great Buddhas of Japan. The Buddha statue housed in the Daibutsuden hall has a rare structure built from bamboo and plaster and stands approximately 13.7 meters tall. Construction began in 1799 (Kansei 11) and took 38 years to complete. According to tradition, the spiral curls on th…

Shohoji Temple belongs to the Obaku school, a Zen sect introduced from China in the 17th century, and was established in Gifu city. The Gifu Great Buddha (Gifu Daibutsu) was commissioned in 1799 (Kansei 11) and completed 38 years later in 1836 (Tenpo 7). It was crafted using a unique method in which…