Kotokuin Temple

No trip to Kamakura is complete without a visit to Kotokuin Temple, home of the Daibutsu statue, aka the Great Buddha – the best known of Kamakura’s attractions. The temple dates from 741, and the bronze statue of Buddha from 1252. Over 36 feet (11 metres) high and weighing 121 tonnes, the figure appears ungainly and top-heavy from a distance, but from close up the proportions seem perfect. For a mere ¥50 (on top of the ¥300 temple entrance fee) you can even take a look around inside the statue.