The Heiwa Kannon Peace Statue is an impressive stone monument in Utsunomiya City. As the bodhisattva of mercy, Kannon is an important Buddhist figure throughout Japan, and this particular Kannon statue was built in the memory of the war dead and as a prayer for peace, shortly after the end of World War Two. It was completed in 1954 and opened to the public in 1956. The stone sculpture was made of a huge rock from the local Oya area and is 27m tall. If you are interested in stone sculptures and stone mining, the Oya area is worth a visit because of its long history and distinct volcanic stones that are not found elsewhere. If you are visiting Heiwa Kannon, you might also want to check out the Oyaji Temple and the local history museum that are nearby.