The Echizen Daibutsu (越前大仏) is one of Japan’s largest and most striking Buddha statues, located within the Daishizan Seidaiji Temple complex in Katsuyama, Fukui Prefecture.

The Echizen Daibutsu is a 17-meter-tall Buddha statue that towers over two of the most famous Buddha statues in Japan—the Buddha at Todai-ji in Nara (14.7m) and the Kamakura Daibutsu (13.3m), making it the largest indoor Buddha statues in Japan, and among the largest Buddha statues overall. It was constructed in 1987, under the vision of a local businessman named Tadao Arai, who wanted to revitalise the region and create a significant cultural landmark.

The Daibutsu is part of the Daishizan Seidaiji Temple grounds, which also features other notable structures, including large gates, pagodas, and prayer halls, all designed in the traditional Japanese architectural style. To host such an enormous statue, it is no surprise that the temple buildings, including the main hall where the Echizen Daibutsu is hosted, are of an equally impressive scale. The Daishizan Seidaiji Temple stands out and looms over the town of Katsuyama. 

One of the best places to enjoy the view of the temple grounds is the Five-storied pagoda found to the north of the temple. This pagoda offers a fantastic view of the scale and size of the temple grounds. 

In the nearby area, you can find the Yume Ole Katsuyama Textile museum, the Katsuyama Castle Museum, and the Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum (plus many statues of Dinosaurs scattered around).