full lotus position

Kekkafuza, or the full lotus position, is a representative seated posture often seen in Buddhist statues, in which both legs are crossed and folded with the soles of both feet turned upward and placed on the opposite thighs. This posture has long been used in yoga and Buddhist practice and is believed to promote physical stability and mental concentration. The Great Buddha of Kamakura is also seated in the full lotus position. By contrast, the posture in which only one foot is placed on the opposite thigh is called hankafuza, or the half lotus position.

There are two windows.

There are two windows on the back of the Great Buddha of Kamakura. These windows were originally used during the casting of the statue to remove the inner clay and molds. Today, they serve as openings to let wind and light into the statue’s interior. It is rare for a Buddha statue to have windows in its back, and seeing them in person highlights the ingenuity of the design. This can be seen as one of the technical innovations introduced when the statue was rebuilt from wood to bronze, and it offers a glimpse into the wisdom of people from the past.

stooped posture

The Great Buddha of Kamakura actually has a slightly hunched, forward-leaning posture. It’s said that this expresses a gentle, companionable stance, allowing the statue to meet the eyes of worshippers. It also reflects the casting techniques and characteristics of Buddhist sculpture of the time, and for nearly 800 years it has watched over us with that serene, softly hunched posture.

was covered with gold leaf

The Great Buddha of Kamakura (the seated statue of Amida Nyorai) did not originally have its current bronze color; when it was first completed, it gleamed with luxurious gold leaf. Over the centuries, the gold leaf peeled away, leaving the bronze appearance we see today. If you look closely, you can still spot slight traces of the gold leaf in some areas.

left-handed

While many large Buddha statues commonly have right-twisted curls, the Great Buddha of Kamakura is characterized by left-twisted curls. If you look closely at the statue, you can see that each individual curl is twisted to the left in the same direction.

The Great Buddha Hall was swept away by typhoons, earthquakes, and tsunamis during the Kamakura and Muromachi periods.

Like the Great Buddha of Nara, the Great Buddha of Kamakura was originally housed inside a Great Buddha Hall when it was built. After the hall was swept away by typhoons, earthquakes, and tsunamis during the Kamakura and Muromachi periods, the statue has remained exposed to the elements.

Meditation mudra

The mudra formed by joining the fingers into a circle is called the Dhyana Mudra, and it indicates that the Great Buddha is in a deep state of meditation.