Fukusenji Jūichimen Kannon
Record: 17 m
At the other extreme, and on the other side of town, is a large and well kept Buddhist temple, Fukusen-ji. The climb up the hill to the main hall of the temple was quite hard work in the midday sun. The hall contains the highest statue of kannon (the goddess of mercy) in Japan. It is 17 metres high and was carved from a single tree trunk over twelve years between 1951 and 1963. There are also some interesting paintings that look rather more Thai than Japanese.
