Seiryuji Temple (Showa Daibutsu)

In the hills south of Aomori City sits an unusually large bronze statue of Dainichi Nyorai. Seiryuji is a Shingon temple in Kuwabara, Aomori City, and also the Aomori branch of Mt. Koya. Known affectionately as the "Showa Daibutsu," it is counted as the 18th temple of the Tohoku 36 Fudo Temple pilgrimage.

The star of the grounds is the Showa Daibutsu, consecrated on September 30, 1984 (Showa 59). This seated bronze Dainichi Nyorai stands 21.35 m tall is the largest seated bronze Buddha in Japan, and weighs 220 tons. The temple moved to its present site after World War II from Chayamachi in the city, and the statue was erected along with the move. Oda Takahiro is said to have led the fundraising for it.

The other highlight is the five-story pagoda, completed on October 10, 1996 (Heisei 8). It is 39 m tall, built of Aomori hiba wood by the temple carpenter Omuro Katsushiro, and enshrines the four bodhisattvas of the Womb Realm. The main hall, the Kondo, was completed in October 1992 and houses an image of Dainichi Nyorai. It is also built of Aomori hiba; from its outer corridor you can look out over the dry landscape garden "Boki-sho," and inside is the temple treasure "Amida Shojū Raigo-zu," a painting of Amida and his attendants welcoming the dead. The hall of the Koya-san Aomori Branch was completed in June 1998.

When you visit, first walk up to the foot of the Buddha and see how large it looks from below. You can reportedly enter the base of the statue, where pictures of the six realms of rebirth are displayed. The five-story pagoda is 39 m tall, so it can be seen from trains on the Tohoku Main Line. In summer you may see pinwheels offered at the grounds for memorial services for lost children. Visiting the Buddha, the pagoda and the Kondo in turn takes about an hour.

To get here, take the Aomori City bus bound for Showa Daibutsu from JR Aomori Station and get off at the last stop, right at the temple. The ride takes about 50 minutes; it is a little way from the city center, and farmland spreads out around the temple.

Nearby sights include the Aomori Gyosai Center fish market (about 6.9 km), Nebuta House Wa Rasse (about 7 km) and the Asamushi Aquarium (about 9.2 km). It pairs well with other Aomori sightseeing as an excursion after exploring the city.