Awaji Kannon: One of the world's tallest statues
Witness History5 Huhti 2023

Awaji Kannon: One of the world's tallest statues

In 1982, a Japanese businessman unveiled one of the tallest statues in the world called the World Peace Giant Kannon in Awaji Island, Japan.

At 100 metres tall, the statue was visible from all across the island.

Despite healthy visitor numbers when it first opened, the statue fell into disrepair and locals believed it was haunted.

Emily Finch speaks to local resident Yusuke Natsukawa about the impact of the statue on the island, and Goro Otsubo who visited the statue in 2002.

A Whistledown production for the BBC World Service.

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more.

Recent episodes explore everything from football in Brazil, the history of the ‘Indian Titanic’ and the invention of air fryers, to Public Enemy’s Fight The Power, subway art and the political crisis in Georgia. We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: visionary architect Antoni Gaudi and the design of the Sagrada Familia; Michael Jordan and his bespoke Nike trainers; Princess Diana at the Taj Mahal; and Görel Hanser, manager of legendary Swedish pop band Abba on the influence they’ve had on the music industry. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the time an Iraqi journalist hurled his shoes at the President of the United States in protest of America’s occupation of Iraq; the creation of the Hollywood commercial that changed advertising forever; and the ascent of the first Aboriginal MP.

(Picture: Awaji Kannon. Credit: Shutterstock)

Jaksot(2000)

Wangari Maathai: The first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize

Wangari Maathai: The first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize

In 2004, the Kenyan ecologist Wangari Maathai became the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize.Wangari Maathai founded the Green Belt Movement in 1977, a grass-roots organisation empowering...

21 Loka 202510min

The British oil tanker sunk in Indonesia

The British oil tanker sunk in Indonesia

In 1958, the British oil tanker, SS San Flaviano, was sunk in the harbour of Balikpapan, Indonesia, while a rebellion was underway against President Ahmed Sukarno. It’s reported the bomb was dropped b...

20 Loka 202510min

My aunt created The Moomins

My aunt created The Moomins

The first Moomins story about a family of nature-loving white round trolls was published in 1945 during World War Two. The Moomins and the Great Flood was created by writer and artist Tove Jansson as ...

17 Loka 202510min

Helen Fielding: The creator of Bridget Jones

Helen Fielding: The creator of Bridget Jones

In 1995, a single 30-something woman with big knickers and blue soup first appeared in a weekly column, published by British newspaper The Independent.Initially written anonymously by journalist Helen...

16 Loka 202511min

The trial of Soviet writers Daniel and Sinyavsky

The trial of Soviet writers Daniel and Sinyavsky

In 1965, two writers were accused of publishing anti-Soviet material abroad.The arrest of Yuli Daniel and Andrei Sinyavsky was seen as symbolic of the new era in the Soviet Union. The liberal leader N...

15 Loka 20259min

Jorge Luis Borges: 'Father' of Latin American fiction

Jorge Luis Borges: 'Father' of Latin American fiction

In 1961, the Argentine poet and short story writer Jorge Luis Borges won the Formentor Prize for literature.Borges’ stories were characterised by mind-bending plots often featuring labyrinths, dreams ...

14 Loka 202510min

Wallander and the rise of Nordic Noir

Wallander and the rise of Nordic Noir

Published in 1991, Faceless Killers was the first of Henning Mankell’s crime novels featuring police inspector Kurt Wallander. The series changed the world of crime writing, introducing gritty social ...

13 Loka 202510min

How BRICS got its name

How BRICS got its name

In 2001, a few months after 9/11, economist Jim O’Neill was working at Goldman Sachs when he wrote a report about which countries might become big players in the world economy. That’s when he came up ...

10 Loka 20259min

Suosittua kategoriassa Yhteiskunta

olipa-kerran-otsikko
siita-on-vaikea-puhua
kaksi-aitia
gogin-ja-janin-maailmanhistoria
i-dont-like-mondays
poks
kolme-kaannekohtaa
antin-palautepalvelu
sita
aikalisa
yopuolen-tarinoita-2
mamma-mia
rss-murhan-anatomia
lahko
rss-nikotellen
terapeuttiville-qa
loukussa
meidan-pitais-puhua
rss-palmujen-varjoissa
ootsa-kuullut-tasta-2