The Great Buddha of Mount Nokogiri
Last week, I went on a day trip to Mount Nokogiri (Nogiriyama). It is a small mountain (329m) on the south of the Boso Pensinsula in Chiba Prefecture. It hosts the Buddhist Nihon-ji temple, famous for its 31m stone-carved Daibutsu (Great Buddha), as well as a 100-foot Kannon relief image and 1500 hand-carved arhat sculptures. There are also observatories with a great view of the surrounding mountains and Tokyo Bay (although the heat made the scenery a bit hazy).
To get there, it was a bit involved:
- First, I took the train from Tokyo to Kurihama, in the city of Yokosuka in Kanagawa Prefecture (check Hyperdia for the timetable)
- Then I boarded the Tokyo-Wan Ferry in Kurihama to get to the port of Kanaya, in the city of Futtsu in Chiba Prefecture
- Finally I took the Nokogiriyama Ropeway, a cable car that goes to the top of Mount Nokogiri
Once there, there are (steep) stairs to explore Nihon-ji.
Above, beach in Kurihama seen from the ferry. This is where Matthew C. Perry (of the U.S. Navy) landed in 1853 to force the opening of Japan.
Above, boat in Uraga Channel / Tokyo Bay.
Above, port of Kanaya in the city of Futtsu in Chiba Prefecture.
Above, view of Kurihama from the cable car.
Above, the top of Mount Nokogiri.
Above, view of Kyonan.
Above, the 100-Shaku Kwan-non (100-foot Kannon).
Above, view of Ruriko Observatory from the Kannon site.
Above, cliffs below Ruriko Observatory.
Above, some of the 1500 arhat sculptures.
Above, the massive Daibutsu.
Above, Buddha figurines left by visitors at the Daibutsu site.
Above, stairs.
Above, some of the 1500 Arhat statues. Some of them lost their heads during an anti-buddhist movement at the beginning of the Meiji period.
Above, view of the surrounding mountains from Ruriko Observatory.
Above, view of Kurihama from Jusshu Ichiran Observatory.
Above, late afternoon sun on the Uraga Channel.
Above, strawberry kakigori.
Above, view of the Nokogiriyama Ropeway from the port of Kanaya.
Above, fishermen in the port of Kanaya.
Above, cargo boat and pilot leaving Tokyo Bay.
Above, monument to Commodore Perry in Kurihama.
