File:Portrait in front of Kamakura Daibutsu, Kōtoku-in, Kamakura, Japan (1914 by Elstner Hilton).jpg

Well, times change and so do our notions of what's acceptable language. At the turn of the 20th century, the photographer opted to refer to this famous statue of the Buddha as an "idol," a usage that would be frowned upon today.

Still, since this is a historical document, I felt it would be wrong of me to crop or photoshop the caption Uncle Elstner gave this photo in the teens of the last century. However, this does not mean I endorse the term or any of its many negative connotations.

According to Wikipedia, "Daibutsu (大仏 or in traditional orthography (kyūjitai) 大佛) is a Japanese word meaning literally 'Large Buddha' that refers to large statues of the Buddha or one of his various incarnations." The statue at Kamakura is one of the score or so statues of Buddha that are large enough to warrant being called a "daibutsu." en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daibutsu

Wikipedia tells us the following about the statue of the Buddha at Kamakura:

"The Great Buddha of Kamakura is a monumental outdoor bronze statue of Amitābha Buddha located at the Kōtoku-in Temple in Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan."

"The bronze statue probably dates from 1252, in the Kamakura period, according to temple records. It was preceded by a giant wooden Buddha, which was completed in 1243 'after five years of continuous labor', the funds having been raised by Lady Inadano-Tsubone and the Buddhist priest Joukou of Toutoumi."

"That wooden statue was damaged by a storm in 1248, and the hall containing it was destroyed, so Joukou suggested making another statue of bronze, and the huge amount of money necessary for this and for a new hall was raised for the project. The sculptors were Ono Goroemaon and Tanji Hisatomo. At one time, the statue was gilded. There are still traces of gold leaf near the statue's ears. The hall was destroyed by a storm in 1334, was rebuilt, and was damaged by yet another storm in 1369, and was rebuilt yet again."

"It is unclear, however, whether the statue constructed in 1252 is the same statue as the present statue. The building housing the statue was washed away in the tsunami of September 20th, 1498 during the Muromachi period."

"The statue is approximately 13.35 meters tall and weighs approximately 93 tons. The statue is hollow, and visitors can view the interior. Many visitors over the years have left graffiti on the inside of the statue."

"At one time, there were thirty-two bronze lotus petals at the base of the statue, but only four remain, and they are no longer in place."

"A notice at the entrance to the grounds reads, 'Stranger, whosoever thou art and whatsoever be thy creed, when thou enterest this sanctuary remember thou treadest upon ground hallowed by the worship of ages. This is the Temple of Bhudda (sic) and the gate of the eternal, and should therefore be entered with reverence.' "

"Since the last hall was washed away in 1498, the Great Buddha has stood in the open air. The Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 destroyed the base the statue sits upon, but the base was repaired in 1925. Repairs to the statue were carried out in 1960-1961, when the neck was strengthened and measures were taken to protect it from earthquakes." en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kōtoku-in

The statue is located in the Kotokuin Temple.