The city of Takaoka is often skipped over, with travelers instead preferring Kanazawa or Toyama. There is so much history and beauty in the city that make for a great full day of sight-seeing. The center of town around the station is also fairly walkable, with many of the main attractions no more than 20 minutes from the station. One of these is the 16 meter tall Great Buddha of Takaoka, hidden in the narrow streets not far from Takaoka Station. The great bronze statue is picturesque from so many different angles and it is fun to walk around and find the perfect shot. The surrounding area also has some interesting shops, restaurants and cafes to explore. The Great Buddha of Takaoka is fun to see, go inside and take pictures of so it’s definitely worth a visit!

The current iteration was completed in 1933. The Takaoka Great Buddha is considered one of Japan’s three Great Buddha statues – along with the enormous state housed in Todaiji Temple in Nara along with the Kamakura Daibutsu. Cast from bronze, the statue speaks to Takaoka’s metal-working expertise, something for which the town’s craftsmen are known throughout Japan. The history of the Big Buddha actually goes much further back in time than just 1933, though. In the 1300s a 5m tall Buddha with a small bronze Buddha inside was constructed. It was moved to the current location before finally being reconstructed in the 1700s due to wear and tear over the centuries. It was replaced by an even larger wooden gold-colored Buddha . This version wouldn’t last even a century before burning down in a tragic fire that swept the city. It was this long absence of a Giant Buddha in the city that the current version would fill.

Accessible on-foot from Takaoka Station – only a 10-minute walk – the Takaoka Great Buddha is located nearby Takaoka Castle Park and the Takaoka Art Museum. The statue is located outdoors therefore always accessible. The Buddha is also around 20-minutes walk from Takaoka’s famous Zuiryuji Temple. If you head in the other direction, you can walk to and through the historic and traditional districts of Yamacho and Kanayamachi. The architectural style of Yamacho reflects the Meiji Period(late 1800s through early 1900s) in a way that is rarely found in other cities. Kanayamachi looks more like most people would think of as a traditional Japanese street. It is home to many of the remaining small metalworking shops in the city. There is truly a large diversity of things to do and see in the area.

The western area of Toyama, especially Takaoka, is an area with a history that stretches back to the first formation of “Japan” with landscapes that inspired poets. Join us for a tour of Takaoka, the City of Japan Heritage Sites. We will see the large and impressive Zuiryuji Temple, the Big Buddha of Takaoka, trying metalworking and, finally, visiting the Amaharashi Coast. It is a full day and you can experience the breadth of Japanese culture and landscapes. Check it out below!

TAKAOKA TOUR FROM KANAZAWA / all year round

1 Day Tour

1 Day Tour from Kanazawa: Takaoka’s Temples, Metalworking Experience and Stunning Toyama Bay Views
Period	All Year Round
Time	08:00 – 18:15
Meeting Place	Kanazawa Station
Adult Rate	¥21,000
Child Rate	¥18,000

The second city of the Maeda clan during the Edo period and now the second city of Toyama prefecture, this historically important city has a diversity of sights and activities that shouldn’t be missed! This private tour can start from either Kanazawa Station or Takaoka. In the morning we will explore 300 year old Zuiryuji Temple, which has the unique statue of a toilet god, very symmetric continental-style construction and a central altar imported from China. After the temple, we will head to the Takaoka Big Buddha that has existed in some form for the past couple hundred years. The current metal version dates back to the 1930’s. As we head towards the metalworking experience, we will pass through some historic streets with many buildings from the late 1800’s. The architecture here is quite unique and not seen in most of Japan. The last activity of the morning is the metalworking experience where you can make a tin sake cup or chopstick holders.

After lunch we hop on the train to the south and Shokoji Temple, another amazing temple with a gold plated interior. This area was the center for religion in Toyama prefecture until the Edo period. We will then get on another very short train to Amaharashi to see the stunning view of the Northern Japanese Alps across Toyama. This area has some other sights in the area to see, all of which have those beautiful mountains in the background.