Tsunami Honganji Viharaya
A large white Buddha beside the railway at Peraliya, built after the 2004 tsunami, near where a train carrying a thousand people or more was swept off the line.
What the Honganji Viharaya actually is
The Tsunami Honganji Viharaya is a memorial temple at Peraliya, a village in Hikkaduwa on the south-west coast. Its centrepiece is a roughly 30 m standing Buddha, modelled on the Bamiyan Buddhas that were destroyed in Afghanistan in 2001, with the hand raised in the abhaya mudra, the gesture of protection and fearlessness. It was inaugurated on 26 December 2006, the second anniversary of the tsunami.
Funding came from Japan, through the Honganji Foundation, a Japanese Buddhist organisation, according to a report cited by the Pluralism Project; other sources say simply ‘Japan’. The statue stands a short way inland, with the railway line close behind it.
Peraliya is where the Matara Express (also called the Ocean Queen) was hit by the 26 December 2004 tsunami. Estimates of deaths range from about 900 to over 1,700, so no single figure is reliable. A rebuilt locomotive and carriages are kept as a memorial and the village holds an annual ceremony.
Worth your attention
The Buddha
About 30 m high, white, in the abhaya mudra. Modelled on the Bamiyan Buddhas.
The railway line
The main coast line runs just behind the statue; trains still pass, which makes the place concrete.
The memorial train
A rebuilt locomotive and carriages returned to Peraliya in December 2008 and are used in the annual ceremony.
The annual 26 December gathering
Interfaith ceremonies at the nearby mass-grave memorial; a quiet time to avoid as a casual visitor.
Before you go
Do this
- Treat it as a memorial first: speak quietly and dress properly.
- Stop briefly at the railway line behind; the scale of what happened is clearer there.
- Allow time to read any boards on site.
- Go early in the day, before the coast road buses arrive.
- If your driver offers to take photos with the statue, decline the pose.
Know this first
- The death toll at Peraliya is uncertain: about 900 to over 1,700 depending on the source.
- On 26 December each year the site is used for ceremonies and is not a place for sightseeing.
- It is a roadside stop, not a museum; there is little interpretation, and hawkers may approach.
- One report says the surface coating on the statue began to peel soon after it was unveiled, so it may look weathered.
Getting to Tsunami Honganji Viharaya
Most people see Tsunami Honganji Viharaya as part of a stay around Hikkaduwa. Our Hikkaduwa guide covers where to stay, how long to give it and what else is nearby.
Coming straight from the airport, the relevant run is Colombo Airport to Hikkaduwa — fixed price per vehicle, driver waiting inside arrivals with a name board.
Read the full Hikkaduwa guideFrom Colombo Airport
Car up to 3 passengers; vans quoted on the route page. No night surcharge.
Tsunami Honganji Viharaya — frequently asked
What is the Tsunami Honganji Viharaya?
A temple and memorial in Peraliya with a roughly 30 m Buddha statue, inaugurated on 26 December 2006 in memory of the 2004 tsunami dead.
Who paid for the statue?
Japanese funding, reported to be through the Honganji Foundation, a Japanese Buddhist organisation. Sources describe the donor slightly differently.
How many died on the Peraliya train?
Estimates range from about 900 to over 1,700, with Sri Lankan authorities saying at least 1,000. No exact count is known.
Is it appropriate to visit?
Yes, as a quiet memorial stop. Dress modestly, keep your voice down and avoid 26 December unless you are attending.
Also worth stopping for around Hikkaduwa
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