Was visiting a friend in Ibariki area to go for dinner this weekend and as they lived in Ushiku its near the (world?) famous statue of Buddha, slap bang in the middle of the countryside.

Standing at 120 metres high its monolithic, especially given that the surrounding area is so flat and lacking in any form of hills or mountains; you can see the statue from miles around.

Not just impressed with the size I was quite amazed to find you can actually go inside the statue! It has a visitors area and elevators that can take you to viewing points up the statue; the feet, the chest and the head.

In the centre of the statue is a huge circular room where you can pay a rather large price (about １００万円) to have your ashes interred. Well actually I'm not 100% sure if it's your actual ashes, though you could pay for a "place" or "plot" there in the central chamber with walls adorned with thousands of tiny gold little Buddha's and a name plate beneath one.

More info here : http://www.ushikukankou.com/ushikudaibutsu.htm