Kotoku-in is a Buddhist temple of the Jodo-shu, or "Pure Land" sect, located in the city of Kamakura, and is best known for the sedentary statue of Great Buddha.

The outdoor bronze statue is an iconic landmark of Kamakura city, and represents Amida Buddha as he sits in deep meditation. With a height of about 11.3 meters (13.35 meters including the pedestal), it is the second tallest bronze Buddha statue in Japan, next to the one in Nara prefecture. The weight of the statue and its stone base combined is about 121 tonnes.

The statue we see today was built by leading metal casters in the 13th century, after the original wooden statue was wrecked by a violent storm. It was designated as a National Treasure in 1897 and as a National Historic Site in 2004.

Visitors can enter the hollow statue and see the interior with telltale traces of the casting process. In the precinct of Kotoku-in Temple, you will find a famous tanka classical Japanese verse by poetess Akiko Yosano inscribed on a stone marker.