()
If you drive on Okinawa’s Route No. 6. a coastal road in Onna village that runs by zip-line park Forest Adventure, you may spot a statue that stands tall by the sea.
I recently spotted it on my way back from Cape Maeda, which is only a few minutes away by car.
Although I could not find any information on the exact height of the statue, it appeared to be around 10 feet or even more when I looked at it up close, much bigger than Nikola Jokić or Shaquille O’Neal.
This is a statue of Shinran Shonin, a Buddhist monk who is recognized as the founder of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism. According to a plaque posted nearby, it was donated by Ehon Numata, a founder of precision equipment maker Mitsutoyo Corporation, his son and then company president Toshihide Numata in 1980 to commemorate the 800th anniversary of the renowned monk.
Being successful men in business, the Numatas were also known as avid preachers of Buddhism. Shinran Shonin, on the other hand, is a historic figure who commonly appears in Japanese history books.
According to Shinshu-Kaikan, a temple in Tokyo, Shinran was born in 1173 during the Heian period (794 - 1185). He engaged in making Buddhism widely accessible to ordinary people, upholding the idea that anybody could be saved by devoting himself or herself to a Buddhism chant.
His effort was met with opposition from other sects who believed that people could be saved only after they went through arctic training.
Shinran’s interpretation of Buddhism became so popular that he and his master, Hounen Shonin, the government banished them to Echigo (now known as Niigata prefecture) and Tosa (Kōchi prefecture), respectively.
Although he suffered many hardships because of his beliefs, Shinran Shonin’s philosophy has been passed down through generations, inspiring many Buddhists even today.
There are no direct ties between Shinran Shonin and Okinawa (or Ryukyu). It was his hope for peace that Numata chose this location in Onna Village where gun batteries were installed during the Battle of Okinawa in 1945, according to the plaque.
Next time you drive by the coastal area, why not make a stop to meet this larger-than-life figure?
Not only the size of his statue but also the scale of his legacy can impress you.
GPS Coordinates: 26.433520, 127.759556
*There’s an open lot nearby where cars park.
