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This is one of the cultural gems of the Gifu Prefecture. Shoho-ji is a Buddhist temple in Gifu dedicated to the Obaku Zen sect. The temple's official name is Kinzopan Shoho-ji. The temple was first established in 1638. The temple enshrines a 13.7-m dry lacquer statue of Buddha, called the Gifu Daibutsu. Due to a shortage of funds, the Buddha was constructed from a framework of wood and bamboo. Ichu, the temple's 11th generation priest, travelled around the country to collect Buddhist sutras; they used the paper to cover the Buddha. Then, it was lacquered and gilded. Because of that, the Buddha is called "Basket Buddha Image".

Photo by Lihua Zuojin. Licensed under Creative Commons.

Tags: travel, Gifu Prefecture, Shoho-ji, Gifu, Obaku Zen, Kinzopan Shoho-ji, Buddha, Gifu Daibutsu, Ichu, Buddhist sutra, Basket Buddha Image