世界平和大観音様
This enormous statue towers over Higashiura and the east coast of Awaji. By some measures, it was the largest statue in the world when it was completed (in 1982), and it is still one of the largest statues anywhere on earth. It depicts Kannon – the popular Buddhist goddess known in Chinese as Guanyin – and its white outline can be seen from all over the island, and even from some places across the bay in Osaka.
Note: on March 30, 2020, the statue legally became the property of Japan’s national government. The government plans to tear the statue down, and hand the land over to the local community. It is expected that the statue will be pulled down by 2022 at the latest. If you want to see it, visit Awaji sooner rather than later!
The statue was built by a locally born businessman who went to Osaka and made a fortune in real estate. In its heyday, it was home to a museum, an observation deck, and several businesses. The statue was something of a personally inspired white elephant (er, white Guanyin), and after its founder and his wife died, the museum on the site was quickly shut down, and the statue was not properly maintained.
These days, the statue is considered a safety hazard, and no-one is allowed inside. Nonetheless, the holy lady still stands as one of the most visible landmarks on Awaji.
The statue is several kilometers south of Higashiura’s bus station, on the main coastal road (28) to Tsuna. It’s impossible to miss.
