Famous Buddhist temple Kotoku-in, located in the western part of the city, has brought huge bronze statue of the Buddha. Age statues - more than eight centuries. The first, wooden, the statue was built in 1243 and has since been a symbol of Kamakura, one of the symbols and national treasure of Japan. The height of the statue with a pedestal is 13, 4 meters, its weight - 121 tons.

Buddha image appeared in Kamakura shogun due to the ambitions of the first kamakurskogo government Minamoto-no-Yoritomo. When he saw in 1195 in the city of Nara presentation ceremony in honor of the Great Buddha images after the reconstruction, he decided, and in the city to erect a monument, which would symbolize the strength and power of the Minamoto clan representatives. However, to carry out his plan shogun did not - he died four years later. After his death, a lady in waiting Inada, having received the approval and support of the widow shogun Dzёko monk, began to collect donations for the construction of the temple. In 1238, they were able to collect the necessary sum, and five years later the construction of the temple and the sculptures were completed.

In the first case it was a statue of the tree 24 meters high, but it destroyed in 1247 storm. Inada and Dzёko again started raising funds. New construction began in 1252 and lasted 12 years. Sculptures, this time it was cast in bronze by two well-known artists Hisamoto Tanzi and Goroemonom Ono. Bronze Great Buddha stood like a rock in front of the disaster, but the temple building in which he was thrice destroyed. In 1334 and 1369's wooden structure was demolished typhoons, and in 1498 he was blown away, accompanied by a strong earthquake. Since then, the Buddha sitting under the open sky. For a long time inside a hollow statue was abandoned, homeless found shelter in this building. In the XVIII century statue rescued from the destruction of the Jodo sect of monks who collected donations for the reconstruction of the Great Buddha.

In 1923 Kanto earthquake destroyed the base of the monument, which was repaired two years later. Last renovation of the statue was made in 1960-1961, - in particular, measures were taken to protect against earthquakes.

Today, visitors can explore the temple inside the statue, there is a special staircase.