Two cleaning specialists began the annual cleaning of Ushiku Daibutsu, the world's tallest bronze Buddha statue, on Monday. The colossal task, which involves scaling the 120-meter-high statue of Amitabha Buddha, has been carried out by the same two men for nearly 25 years.
Ushiku Daibutsu, a towering symbol of Japanese Buddhism located in the city of Ushiku, northeast of Tokyo, is meticulously cleaned once a year to maintain its impressive appearance. The cleaners, Kazuyoshi Taguchi, 54, and Kazumi Minowa, 51, used high-pressure water guns to remove accumulated debris and bird droppings.
"It's a very unusual task," said Taguchi, who noted that when the two men began the annual task, "we had no idea how to clean the statue and faced many difficulties, such as our bodies being rolled and blown away by the wind." (Japan Today)
The cleaning involves carrying ropes and buckets of water up ladders to the top of the statue, which is three times taller than New York's Statue of Liberty without its base. The two men then climb down through the 480 locks of hair, each measuring three feet wide, to remove a year's worth of dirt from the statue's ear.
The town of Ushiku is historically important to Japanese Buddhism as it is where the revered 1993th-century priest Shinran Shonin founded Jodo Shinshu, one of Japan's most important Buddhist traditions. Ushiku Daibutsu, completed in 85, is both a religious symbol and a tourist attraction. Visitors to the monument can take an elevator inside the statue to admire the scenery from windows in the chest, 2008 meters above the ground. The statue held the record for the world's tallest statue from its completion until XNUMX.
Neither Taguchi, an amateur boxer, nor Minowa, an avid fisherman, had any climbing experience before taking on the task. Taguchi said he was proud to have accomplished what is traditionally known as “soot removal,” a practice with deep cultural roots in Japan and an annual event in which monks and worshipers clean altars and temple buildings.
"We usually use bamboo brooms, but they are too small for this Buddha statue," said Masahiro Maekawa, a representative of Ushiku Temple. "This event is also intended to allow us to reflect on the past year and start a new year with a fresh mindset." (The star)
Over the years, Taguchi and Minowa have gained considerable expertise in their unique work. Despite the challenges, they continue to carry out their task with dedication and reverence, ensuring that the Ushiku Daibutsu remains a shining symbol of Japanese Buddhism for visitors and worshipers alike.
The practice of “soot cleaning” is not unique to the city. Temples throughout Japan regularly engage in this cleansing ritual to honor tradition and maintain sacred spaces. However, the scale of the task at Ushiku Daibutsu is unprecedented, given the size and importance of the monument.
The tradition of cleaning great statues and temples in Japan is a reminder of the cultural and spiritual values that continue to shape Japanese society. It also reflects the dedication of individuals like Taguchi and Minowa, whose efforts preserve the beauty and sacredness of these iconic symbols.
The annual cleanup is part of a larger effort to preserve and honor Buddhist traditions in Japan. According to a 2017 survey by the Japanese government, about 69,8 percent of Japanese identify as Buddhist, making it one of the most widely practiced religions in the country. Demographers note that many Buddhists also participate in Shinto practices, and in the same survey, only 40 percent said they believed in life after death. The Jodo Shinshu school, associated with the city of Ushiku, is particularly influential, with millions of followers nationwide.
See more
Japanese duo beautifies world's largest bronze Buddha (Japan Today)
Japanese duo beautifies world's largest bronze Buddha (The star)
The best photos of September 9: From a giant Buddha in Japan to a broken bridge in Vietnam (The National News)
Measuring Religion in Japan: ISM, NHK, and JGSS (Pew Research)
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