The impressive Ushiku Amida Buddha statue in Ibaraki prefecture:

Impressive all right, especially photographed from that perspective.

It seems there are taller ones in China and Burma. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_statues_by_height

The tallest of the Bamyan statues was 55m, but their altitude was 2500m.

It seems a far cry from representing the Buddha by a footprint or a wheel.

Buddha images don't do much for me. Not that emblematic ones like the crucified Christ or the Virgin do either; yet they should be imprinted on my cultural psyche. Eastern Orthodox icons do have an effect. I wonder why. Perhaps because they look right through you.

http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/cart05.jpg