Essoji Temple “Great Buddha Head”

The “Great Buddha Head” is located in Tatsuruhama and is rare in Japan.

The priest at the time, who served in the Pacific War, lamented the loss of lives of his comrades in arms and many residents, and decided to build the statue to comfort the victims. He began begging for alms in 1943, before the end of the war, and in 1955, the head of the Great Buddha was completed, but he passed away in the middle of his ambition. During and shortly after the war, the price of copper skyrocketed and it was difficult to raise funds for the construction.

The head of the Great Buddha is about 3 meters high, and its face can be seen up close, earning it the local nickname “Daibutsu-san (Great Buddha).

Etsuso-ji Temple suffered damage in the 2007 Noto Peninsula earthquake, when the main hall was completely destroyed, but the “Great Buddha Head” did not fall off its pedestal. Because of this, the local people believe that the statue is also believed to be beneficial for “family safety”.