Travel Guide Usuki

The small fishing port of Usuki is located about 40 km south of Beppu. The port is anchored at the bottom of a cove. Near Usuki, there is a collection of more than sixty rock Buddha figures from the 10th to 12th centuries. These figures are carved in high relief on the rocks. Some of them have been damaged and have retained only part of the body, while others are intact. The most famous is the head of Dainichi Buddha. One can appreciate the grandeur and serenity of these reliefs, strongly influenced by Chinese art. Although faded by time and weather, some statues still bear traces of polychromy. They can also be seen in the Ōita area, particularly in Motomachi, Magari, and Takase. The city has set up a web page dedicated to tourism with an automatic French translator: www.city.usuki.oita.jp/categories/kanko/.