People who catch a glimpse of the Sendai Daikannon through spaces between buildings often let out a gasp at the statue's esoteric, white-garbed beauty.
The presence of a statue of the Bodhisattva Kannon in a suburb crowded with homes and shops feels quite odd. Many will remember it from the movie "Godzilla" or the anime "Attack on Titan."
The Daikannon statue was built in the Nakayama district on the outskirts of Sendai in 1991 by business leaders who developed residential districts and built the town's foundation.
The statue "was built, in part, out of gratitude, because they [the business leaders] believed their success was due to their faith in Kannon," said Shunko Aita, 48, who is the deacon of Daikanmitsuji temple, which manages the statue.
At 100 meters, it is the second-tallest among the giant Buddha statues that were built in Japan in the 1980s and 1990s, after the 120-meter-tall Ushiku Buddha in Ibaraki Prefecture.
When the Daikannon was first built, tour buses would bring tens of thousands of visitors per year. At the time, some locals said the statue scared them, but it has since become part of the scenery. People out on the streets seemed to not to pay it any mind.
Visitors have declined over the years, but a recent book on touring Buddha statues and social media posts have brought more individual and foreign tourists.
According to Camera Handa, who wrote "Yume Miru Kyodaibutsu" on giant Buddha statues, one reason for the resurgence in popularity is that the statue "appears so grandly out on a high spot in the middle of a residential neighborhood."
In fact, when the statue was built, there were no homes or stores close by like there are today. The image of the statue as an "urban Kannon" caught hold during the Heisei era (1989-2019) when the area became built up.
"We'd be thankful if the development of social networking services can bring more people to the temple," Aita said.
Sendai has poured resources into attracting tourists from Thailand, a major Buddhist country. A Thai language tourist flyer provides a model course that includes the statue.
"We started promoting it after we heard that Thai visitors expressed interest in the Daikannon. Many Buddha statues there are gold, so a white one probably feels fresh to them," said Michiru Takahashi, who works in the city's tourism promotion strategy office.
Sendai, which was a filming location for a Thai movie last year, is hoping to gain direct flight services between Bangkok and Sendai Airport.
"The Kannon looks different depending on the viewing angle -- from really happy to sad. It must be the effect of the light," Aita said.
A view overlooking Sendai can be had from the statue's 12th level. From there, the buildings of the biggest city in the Tohoku region look like a forest. Across the city of 1.09 million people is the peaceful sea.
The Daikannon is watching over all of their joys and miseries.
Memo:
The Sendai Daikannon was built with reinforced concrete. It did not sustain major damage in the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. The entrance to the base is in the shape of a dragon's mouth. Visitors can ascend to the statue's 12th level. In her right hand, she holds a precious orb, while her left hand holds the Water of Wisdom. Inside the statue are 108 Buddha statues and other items. Entrance is 500 yen for adults.
Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/
