This is a Buddhist statue of Bishamonten located in the grounds of Mikumano Shrine in Kitanarishima, Towacho , Hanamaki City.

It is 4.73 meters tall and is the largest statue of Buddha carved from a single Zelkova tree in Japan.
It is said to have been completed by Sakanoue no Tamuramaro, who was sent by the Imperial Court to pacify this area in the mid-Heian period. Standing on both palms of the goddess Jiten, it has been glaring sternly for 1,200 years, overwhelming those who see it.

Both the temple and Bishamon-do Hall, where the standing statue of Bishamonten was once enshrined, have been designated as Important Cultural Properties by the national government.

It is said that Mikumano Shrine was built by Shogun Sakanoue no Tamuramaro, who invited the three gods of Kumano to be enshrined there. There is also an anecdote that Minamoto no Yoshiie offered his kabura arrows here to pray for victory in battle.

It is one of the few buildings in Iwate prefecture that boasts an architectural style that dates back to the Middle Ages, and has been designated a prefectural cultural asset.

Every May, the Bishamon Festival and National Crying Sumo Tournament is held at Mikumano Shrine, a unique Shinto ritual that has been passed down since ancient times to pray for the growth of children.