Nihon-ji Temple in Kyonan Town, Awa District, Chiba Prefecture, is one of the historic Buddhist temples of the Kanto region. Located on the slopes of Mount Nokogiri, the temple is surrounded by rugged natural scenery and a peaceful mountain atmosphere.
The most famous feature of the temple is the enormous stone Buddha known as the Nihon-ji Temple Great Buddha. Carved directly into the natural rock of Mount Nokogiri, the statue is remarkable not only for its immense scale but also for the history and craftsmanship behind it.
Along with the Great Buddha, the temple grounds contain more than 1,500 stone statues of Buddhist disciples, historic temple sites, dramatic rock formations, and other cultural treasures. A visit to Nihon-ji offers an opportunity to experience Buddhist culture in close harmony with the natural landscape.
The Nihon-ji Temple Great Buddha is formally known as a seated image of Yakushi Ruriko Nyorai, the Buddha associated with healing and medicine. The statue is approximately 31.05 meters high, with a seated height of about 21.3 meters, making it one of the largest rock-carved Buddha statues in Japan.
Unlike a freestanding bronze or stone statue, the Great Buddha was carved directly into the natural rock of Mount Nokogiri. Its enormous scale and the skill required to create such a monumental image from a mountainside make it an extraordinary sight.
The Great Buddha stands together with the numerous stone Buddhist statues scattered across Mount Nokogiri. The area is designated as a scenic site by Chiba Prefecture under the name “Mount Nokogiri and the Group of Arhat Stone Statues.”
Standing in the Great Buddha Plaza and looking upward at the enormous figure creates a powerful impression. The statue appears to emerge naturally from the mountain, creating a sense that the Buddha and the surrounding landscape are part of a single sacred space.
The Great Buddha seen today is the result of a major restoration carried out from 1966 to 1969. The original statue was created in 1783 during the Edo period by the master stonemason Ohno Jin-goro Eirei and 27 of his apprentices.
The original statue is believed to have been approximately 37.7 meters high. Because it was carved directly into natural rock, however, the statue was gradually damaged by exposure to wind and rain.
By the end of the Edo period, considerable erosion and damage had occurred, leaving the statue in a severely deteriorated condition. During the restoration in the Showa period, Buddhist sculptor Yatsuyanagi Kyoji and others repaired and reconstructed the image.
After restoration, the height of the statue was approximately seven meters shorter than the original, resulting in the present figure of around 31 meters. The restoration preserved the Great Buddha as one of Mount Nokogiri’s most important cultural landmarks.
The formal name of the temple is Kenkonzan Nihon-ji. Its origins are traditionally traced back to 725, during the Nara period, when the high priest Gyoki is said to have founded the temple at the request of Emperor Shomu.
Nihon-ji originally belonged to the Hosso school of Buddhism. At its height, the temple complex was said to contain seven major halls, twelve subsidiary temples, and around 100 smaller buildings, making it an important Buddhist center.
Several famous Buddhist monks are associated with the temple’s early history. Roben, Kukai, and Ennin are traditionally said to have stayed in the area, where they engaged in religious practices, carved Buddhist images, and conducted rituals.
Over its long history, Nihon-ji changed Buddhist affiliations several times. It later became associated with the Tendai school and experienced periods of prosperity and decline as political and religious circumstances changed.
During the medieval period, the temple received support from influential figures such as Minamoto no Yoritomo and Ashikaga Takauji, helping it recover from periods of decline.
During the Edo period, Nihon-ji was temporarily associated with the Shingon school. Later, under the rule of Tokugawa Iemitsu, the temple became a Soto Zen Buddhist temple, the tradition it follows today.
One of Nihon-ji’s most fascinating attractions is the group of stone statues known as the 1,500 Arhats. The collection consists of approximately 1,553 statues, each with its own facial expression, posture, and character.
The project was initiated by Koga Guden, a head priest of Nihon-ji during the late Edo period. Stonemason Ohno Jin-goro Eirei, who came from Sakurai Village in the Mōda District of Kazusa Province, and his apprentices spent approximately 21 years, from 1779 to 1798, creating the statues.
The Arhat figures are scattered along paths, rock faces, and wooded slopes throughout the temple grounds. Their individual expressions and poses create a remarkable sense of variety, while their placement among the rocks and trees makes the sculptures feel deeply connected to the mountain.
Walking among these statues provides a quiet and contemplative experience. For visitors interested in Japanese Buddhism, traditional sculpture, or historic mountain temples, the Arhat collection is one of the highlights of Nihon-ji.
After the beginning of the Meiji period, Japan introduced policies separating Shinto and Buddhism. The resulting Haibutsu-kishaku movement, which called for the suppression or destruction of Buddhist institutions and objects, had a major impact on Nihon-ji.
Many Buddhist statues and temple buildings were destroyed or lost during this period. The temple suffered another major setback when a fire in 1939 destroyed additional buildings. As a result, only a small number of structures, including a temporary main hall, survived into the modern era.
In May 2015, a stone statue of Prince Shotoku within the temple grounds was damaged by an intruder. Signs of unauthorized entry were reportedly found at the site, and an investigation followed.
Despite such incidents and the losses suffered throughout its long history, Nihon-ji continues to preserve its religious and cultural heritage on Mount Nokogiri.
Nihon-ji also has a special connection with India through a sacred Bodhi tree. On May 24, 1989, the temple received a branch from the sacred Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya, India.
Bodh Gaya is traditionally regarded as the place where Siddhartha Gautama, the historical Buddha, attained enlightenment beneath a Bodhi tree. The branch presented to Nihon-ji was provided through a special arrangement involving the Indian government and represented an important moment in Buddhist and cultural exchange between India and Japan.
A commemorative Buddhist ceremony was held at the Great Buddha Plaza, with approximately 400 people attending, including representatives from India and Japan.
Near the Bodhi tree stands a commemorative monument and a replica of the Four Lions Capital of Ashoka’s First Sermon Pillar. The original Ashoka pillar is associated with Emperor Ashoka of ancient India and Buddhist history.
The replica and sacred tree symbolize the relationship between Japan and India, Buddhist cultural exchange, and prayers for world peace.
The historic planting ceremony was attended by representatives and prominent figures from both countries. Among them were Rama Lobsang Mahabodhi, who was serving as a special adviser to the Indian president, the wife of the Indian ambassador to Japan, former member of the Japanese imperial family Tokuhiko Nashimoto, and former Minister of Home Affairs Toukichi Abiko.
The event demonstrated how Nihon-ji serves not only as a place of Japanese Buddhist worship but also as a location for international religious and cultural exchange.
The Great Buddha is located within the extensive grounds of Nihon-ji on the slopes of Mount Nokogiri. Visiting the statue is therefore more than simply seeing a single monument. The journey through the temple grounds reveals a combination of forest, cliffs, stone sculptures, historic sites, and Buddhist monuments.
Visitors can combine the Great Buddha with the temple’s 1,500 Arhats, Hyaku-shaku Kannon, Jigoku Nozoki viewpoint, and other attractions on Mount Nokogiri. Together, these sights create an experience that connects Japanese Buddhist culture with the dramatic natural environment of the mountain.
Because the temple grounds extend across a mountainous area, comfortable shoes are recommended. Visitors should also allow sufficient time for walking between the various sites and take care on steep or uneven paths.
The Nihon-ji Temple Great Buddha is one of the most impressive Buddhist monuments on Mount Nokogiri. Carved directly into the mountain, the enormous Yakushi Ruriko Nyorai represents centuries of Buddhist devotion, traditional stone-carving craftsmanship, and the close relationship between religion and nature in Japan.
The Great Buddha is only one part of the temple’s appeal. The more than 1,500 Arhat statues, the long history of Nihon-ji, the remains of historic temple buildings, and the sacred Bodhi tree connected with India all add layers of cultural significance to the site.
For travelers interested in Japanese history, Buddhism, traditional sculpture, and mountain scenery, Nihon-ji offers a unique opportunity to explore a sacred landscape where natural rock and human craftsmanship have been brought together for centuries.