S P O T ／ SPOT-075
Karyuku Daibutsu (Jōfuku-ji's Seaside Buddha)
刈宿の大仏（常福寺）かりやどのだいぶつ（じょうふくじ）
On the shore of Mikawa Bay, where the Yahagi-furu River meets the sea, a 14-meter seated Amida Buddha sits in the grounds of Jōfuku-ji, facing the water. Unlike the inland, industrial-era Buddhas at Jurakuen and Tōgan-ji, the Karyuku Daibutsu belongs to an older, specifically coastal tradition: Buddhas erected at river mouths or harbor entrances to console the souls of those drowned at sea and to bless the safe return of fishing fleets. The figure is plain, almost folkish, and the surrounding scene — small fishing harbor, salt air, gulls — sets it apart from the more polished modern Buddhas of the region. The town of Karyuku itself is a quiet coastal village; the Buddha sits at its edge, watching the bay with the patience of a marker that has been on duty for several human generations and expects to be there for several more. Combine the visit with the nearby Toba fire festival district or the Kira hot spring villages to grasp the spread of folk maritime culture along this stretch of coast.
H I G H L I G H T S
Highlights
- 01A 14-meter seated Amida Buddha at the mouth of the Yahagi-furu River, facing Mikawa Bay — built in the older coastal tradition of consoling the drowned
- 02Quieter and more folkish than the prewar industrial Buddhas of inland Aichi, with fishing harbor, salt air and gulls as setting
- 03Combine with the nearby Toba fire festival district and the Kira hot spring villages to grasp the maritime folk culture of the Mikawa coast
A C C E S S ／ M E T A
Essentials
- Location
- Aichi Prefecture Nishio City
- Address
- 愛知県西尾市刈宿町出口50付近（常福寺）
- Fee
- 境内自由（公式要確認）
- Hours
- 境内自由（公式要確認）
- Status
- 現存
- Parking
- 公式情報を要確認
- Time
- 60〜90分