Front:
A Brief History of the Kamakura Dai-butsu
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SA
N the year 737, A.D., the Emperor SHŌMU, being a sincere devotee to Buddhism,
caused numerous monasteries to be erected throughout Japan, and, among the other
churches thus built and endowed by His Majesty, is that known as the "Kō-
toku-in" at Kamakura.
In the grounds of this ancient fane stands the famous colossal bronze image of
the Great Buddha which was cast in September 1252, A.D., by the celebrated glyptic
artist ONO GO-RO-YE-MON in accordance with commands received from the SHOGUN
(Prince MUNETAKA) who assisted Itako no Tsubone to carry out her pious desire of
fulfilling the dying injunctions of MINAMOTO NO YORITOMO, one of whose waiting ladies
she had been. The image was much injured by a tidal wave which swept over the
site of the monastery in 1495, A.D., yet, notwithstanding the ravages of time, and the
fury of the elements, it is in a state of excellent preservation and repair.
It is about 50 feet in height; 98 feet in circumference; the length of the face
is 8 and a half feet, of the eye 4 feet, of the ear 6 and a half feet, and of the nose 3
feet 8 inches. The breadth of the mouth is 3 feet 2 inches, the length from knee to
knee 36 feet, and the circumference of the thumb is over 3 feet.
The prior
FINS
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