Built in 1936, this statue of Kannon (Goddess of Mercy) is one of the largest in Japan, standing 41.8m tall and weighing over 6000 tonnes. You can walk inside the statue up to her shoulder for excellent views. To get here, take the gururin bus (¥200, 20 minutes) from JR Takasaki Station to Jigen-in temple.
Byakui Dai-Kannon
Central Honshū
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
12.48 MILES
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Nearby Central Honshū attractions
6.42 MILES
Listed as a World Heritage Site in 2014, Tomioka Silk Mill provides a look at the history of silk production, with some English-language narration…
12.48 MILES
Among gorgeously forested mountains and believed to be the home of the God of Water, Fire and Agriculture, this site has housed a shrine of some form for…
13.95 MILES
Fans of the iron horse will love this rail graveyard–locomotive museum, with rolling stock, stations, carriages, simulators and years of Japanese rail…
18.57 MILES
On the border of Gunma and Nagano Prefectures, about 4km east of Karuizawa on Rte 18, you'll find the Usui Pass, historically an important point on the…
20.27 MILES
This property, one of the first Western hotels in Japan, welcomed guests from 1906 to 1970. An exceptional example of elaborate Meiji-era architecture, it…
6. 'Umi' Museum of Contemporary Art
20.93 MILES
This light-filled gallery showcases an impressive collection of contemporary work by Japanese artists who have found fame abroad in genres such as oil…
7. Asama-yama Magma Stone Park
26.46 MILES
Here's your chance to get up close and personal with Asama-yama – so close, you could almost touch it. Formed in 1783 by Asama's last violent eruption,…