Kamakura (Daibutsu), Japan

Our final day in Japan was spent with Wakagi. He took us, by a very long train ride, to Kamakura. Kamakura has a famous Buddhist temple and the only outdoor Buddha statue in Japan. Because of a tidal wave in the fifteenth century, the original temple was washed away and the statue was exposed. Now the Daibutsu is a major tourist attraction. We went inside the hollow statue and saw that the god of Buddhism was empty and dead, just like the religion. While we visited the other temple, there was a ceremony going on. We saw a family of Buddhists praying closer to the shrine in a special area. Andrew noted a sign that said something about "5000¥" (~$50 USD). We can only assume that they spent five thousand yen to pray closer to a large piece of metal shaped like a man. Many of the traditions and religious rituals seem to be oriented around a person's financial status. Doing things bring good fortune; having idols in the home brings financial gain. It was disheartening to see so many people led astray by hopes of financial gain, when they were only giving away what they had. Be thankful that our gift of eternal life was free. And it is far more valuable than coins and paper here on this earth.