ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Gifu Great Buddha

Hey there! Do you know what a Buddha is? It's a very important religious figure for some people who believe in Buddhism. They believe that Buddha was a teacher who taught people how to be kind and peaceful.

Now, the Gifu Great Buddha is a very big statue of Buddha that is located in Japan. It's made out of bronze, which is a type of metal that is strong and durable. The statue is really tall - it's about 13.7 meters (45 feet) high!

Imagine a giant statue of a person that you can see from really far away. That's how big the Gifu Great Buddha is! And it's not just big, it's also very heavy. It weighs about 40 tons, which is like having 10 elephants all in one place!

People come from all over the world to see this statue because it's very old and has a lot of history. It was built over 1,200 years ago in the year 729, by a Buddhist monk named Rōben. That's even older than your grandparents!

The Gifu Great Buddha is special because it's not just a statue, it's also a temple. That means that people can come to pray and meditate in front of the statue. They believe that doing this will make them feel peaceful and happy, just like Buddha taught.

So, if you ever get to visit Japan, make sure to go see the Gifu Great Buddha! It's a really big and important statue that teaches people about kindness and peace.