The Biggest Statue of Kobo Daishi

As you head down the coast road towards Cape Muroto in the diatance you can see a white statue on the hillside. This is above Raieeiji Temple and is not part of the Shikoku Pilgrimage, but the statue is of the legendary founder of the pilgrimage, Kobo Daishi.

As a young man Kobo Daishi came here and practised austerities in a cave on the seashore, and te statue represents him as at that age.

The statue  was completed in the 1980's and stands 21 meters tall including its pedestal. Right behind it is another largish statue, of the reclining Buddha, or sometimes known as Buddha entering Nirvarna. There are a few recling buddha statues in Japan though it is not as widely seen as in many other East Asian countries, and this one is claimed to be the first gilded one.

The climb up to view the statues is worth it for the great views.