Nokogiriyama: the stone Great Buddha and the view of hell, across Tokyo Bay
Nokogiriyama, the saw-tooth mountain, is an old stone quarry on the Boso Peninsula, across the bay from Tokyo. Its cliffs hide one of the most dramatic temple grounds near the capital: the largest stone Buddha in Japan, a goddess carved into the rock, and a ledge called the view of hell. Few foreign visitors make it here, which is part of the reward.
The Great Buddha of Nihon-ji
Carved out of the mountain in the eighteenth century and restored in the twentieth, the seated Daibutsu of Nihon-ji temple is about 31 metres tall, the largest pre-modern stone Buddha in Japan and far bigger than the Great Buddha of Kamakura. It sits in a quiet clearing at the foot of the mountain, and you can walk right up to it.
Jigoku Nozoki and the Hyakushaku Kannon
Near the summit, Jigoku Nozoki is a slab of rock that juts out over a sheer drop, with a view across Tokyo Bay to Mt Fuji on clear days. Below it, the Hyakushaku Kannon, a goddess of mercy about thirty metres high, is carved directly into the quarry wall. Along the paths stand hundreds of small stone arhat figures, each with a different face.
Steps, and how to plan the climb
The grounds are a network of stone stairways, many hundreds of steps in all, so good shoes and a reasonable level of fitness matter. A ropeway from the town side takes you most of the way up, which cuts the climbing a lot. Allow two and a half to three hours to see the Buddha, the cliffs and the viewpoint at an easy pace.
Across the bay, and lunch by the sea
The drive itself is part of the day: the Tokyo Bay Aqua-Line runs through a tunnel under the bay and across a long bridge, with a stop at Umihotaru, a rest area on an artificial island in the middle of the water. Kanaya, the fishing port at the foot of the mountain, is the place for a seafood lunch. By train the trip takes over two hours with changes.
By car, and the price
Nokogiriyama is about an hour and a half from central Tokyo by car, and the chauffeur can drop you at the ropeway and collect you at the temple gate on the other side, which saves climbing back. An eight hour day from your Tokyo hotel is from ¥126,000 for the Toyota Alphard with up to four guests, with tolls, parking and fuel included. Your chauffeur can speak English, Italian, Spanish, French or Japanese, at the same price.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get to Nokogiriyama from Tokyo?
By car it is about an hour and a half via the Tokyo Bay Aqua-Line. By train it takes over two hours to Hama-Kanaya station, with changes.
How big is the Nokogiriyama Buddha?
The stone Daibutsu of Nihon-ji is about 31 metres tall, the largest pre-modern stone Buddha in Japan.
Is Nokogiriyama a hard climb?
There are many hundreds of stone steps. The ropeway saves most of the climb, but good shoes and some fitness are needed.
What is Jigoku Nozoki?
A rock ledge near the summit of Nokogiriyama that juts out over a sheer drop, with views over Tokyo Bay.