Daihisan Stone Buddhas (Daihisan no Sekibutsu)

Daihisan Stone Buddhas (Daihisan no Sekibutsu)

Estimated to have been carved over 1,000 years ago, the Daihisan Stone Buddhas (大悲山の石仏) are a group of stone-carved Buddhas in Odaka, Minamisoma City, in the coastal area of Fukushima prefecture.

The Daihisan Stone Buddhas are made up of three groups of statues: the Yakushido Buddhas (薬師堂石仏), the Amidado Buddha (阿弥陀堂石仏), and the Kannondo Buddha (観音堂石仏). The statues are enshrined in a forest area with many smaller Buddha statues.

They are the biggest and oldest stone Buddha statues in the Tohoku area of Japan, and have been designated as a National Historical Site. Their origins, and much of their history, however, remain unknown, although they are presumed to have been built sometime during the Heian period of Japanese history, which goes from 794 to 1185.

In front of the entrance to the Yakushido Buddhas is a 45 meter high cedar tree known as Daihisan’s Giant Japanese Cedar Tree. The tree has a circumference of 8.4 meters at eye level, and is one of the largest trees in Fukushima prefecture, also estimated to be over 1,000 years old. It is designated as a Natural Monument of Fukushima Prefecture.

Venue Details

Venue Details
Websitehttps://www.city.minamisoma.lg.jp/portal/english/aboutminamisoma/history/Cultural_Properties/13779.html
Contact

Minamisoma City Tourism Exchange Division
0244-24-5263
kankokoryu@city.minamisoma.lg.jp

Best SeasonAll Year
Access Details
AccessYakushimae-206, Odaka Ward, Izumisawa, Minamisoma City, Fukushima Pref.
View directions
Getting there

By car: Approx. 25 min. by car from Haranomachi Sta. in Minamisoma City via Prefectural Route 120. Approx. 10 min. by car from the JR Odaka Station.

By train: 20 min. on foot (1.8 km) or 5 min. by taxi from Momo-Uchi Station (JR Joban Line).

Related trips

  1. Driving

    One-Day Drive in Minamisoma City

    Located in the Northeastern part of Fukushima prefecture, Minamisoma City is one of the main hubs in the prefecture’s coastal area. The city perhaps draws the most crowds in July for the Soma Nomaoi festival, an event featuring horseback riders in samurai attire, which developed from an ancient samurai practice of military drills with horses. Outside of the event times, visitors can still experience Minamisoma’s equine traditions year-long. Once a vital enclave for the Soma samurai clan, Minamisoma specialized in manufacturing and the military during the most pressing years of Japan’s modernization. Many samurai customs continued; for one, people kept breeding and caring for horses even when this practice disappeared from most other places in Japan. In 2011, the city suffered greatly from the triple disaster triggered by the Great East Japan Earthquake. Despite difficulties, people have sought to pass on their heritage to new generations, adapting samurai traditions to modern times to continue cultivating their love for horses. The city is reachable from Tokyo in a few hours by car or public transportation, but this itinerary is designed specifically for driving. By horseback riding along the coast, having lunch at a cafe that has made a significant impact on the community after the 2011 triple disaster, and visiting a National Historical Treasure that is over 1,000 years old, you will travel through ancient history, medieval history, and modern times in Minamisoma.

    One-Day Drive in Minamisoma City

Nearby

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Nanohana Flower Fields and Mazes

A massive field of nanohana flowers that first bloomed in Spring 2012, bringing great joy to the community. Since 2013 to today, huge flower fields and mazes are organized for the public to come and enjoy entirely for free. Children can receive prizes for completing the maze and visitors of all ages are encouraged to walk through the maze and have fun. Takayuki Ueno is a local farmer and creator of the Nanohana Flower Maze, planting the first flowers here in November 2011; eight months after the Great East Japan Earthquake. Click here to read more about his inspiring story.
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Sedette Kashima

Sedette Kashima [せでってかしま] is a service area in Minamisoma City, in the coastal area of Fukushima prefecture.The name of the facility derives from an expression in the local dialect, which could be roughly translated as “Bring me with you!”. At the entrance, the service area has life-size replicas of Soma Nomaoi participants riding horses, and monitors showing photos of the festival. There is a souvenir shop and a dining hall, places for drivers to rest, as well as a play area for children and a dog park.At Sedette Kashima, you’ll find plenty of local crafts, souvenirs and traditional items from Minamisoma.Sedette Kashima can be accessed using non-toll (local) roads. 
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