Kamakura was the capital of Japan from 1185 to 1333. It was a time of great battles and feuds, but eventually a leader called Yoritomo set up his base at Kamakura, near those loyal to the Minamoto clan.  The base remained a center of power for this shogun and his heirs until it was weakened by fights with other powers within the country and trying to protect from attacks from Kublai Khan. Kamakura was also one of my favorite escapes when I lived in Japan, and in that sense it hadn`t changed a bit.
We opted for one of the traditional routes and braced ourselves for some serious walking.  Getting off the train at north-Kamakura station, the first temple you come to is Enkaku-ji, one of the five main Rinzai Zen temples. It was founded in 1282. Most of it is reconstruction, but the bell, cast in 1301 is the largest in Japan. There is also a Shrine of the Sacred Tooth of Buddha here, and the Cave of the White Deer, where a herd appeared to listen to the sermon of the temple founder on the opening day.

Kencho-ji  is another important Zen temple, first-ranked of Kamakura’s five great Zen temples. Its grounds are sprawling, and you could easily spend hours walking around. The main gate here is known as Tanuki Mon, or Badger’s Gate after a badger who transformed himself into a monk to help repay the kindness he had been shown. The juniper trees here grew from seeds brought from China 750 years ago!

There were a couple more small temples in between on the route, but the most famous and recognizable temple in Kamakura is Tsurugaoka Hachimangu, the main Shinto shrine.  The atmosphere is totally different from the Zen temples around the city in design, detail and feel.  There are lotus ponds, walkways and bridges, and a good collection of Buddhist sculpture in the museum on the grounds.  Here they hold a huge New Year`s celebration, and a number of other festivals.

After fortifying ourselves with a lunch of ramen and gyoza at the main Kamakura station, we continued the hike to the beach, stopping to look at everything along the way.  There were lots of school trips, and we had to get used to stopping now and then so the kids could practice a little English. There is always someone shouting “Hello!” or “What is your name?” or “Have a nice day.”  These must be some of the first lessons!

There were hawks swooping around over the beach, and waves rolling in creating a dramatic scene.We sat and watched for awhile before continuing on to Hase-Dera, my all-time favorite spot in Kamakura.  The temple sits high on a hill overlooking the sea. There are lots of stairs leading up to the main temple, the walls of which are lined with thousands of small statues of Jizo, the patron bodhisattva for travelers and small children.  Many of the statues are clothed with small bibs or coats to keep them warm. They are mostly put there by mothers/families who have lost a child young or before birth. It might seem depressing to some, but it:s really quite beautiful.

The last stop was the Kamakura Daibutsu. This giant Buddha was completed in 1252, and is Japan`s second largest.  It is cast in bronze and weighs over 850 tonnes.  The coolest part is that you are able to go inside! It`s amazing to stand in the base looking up through the Buddha`s body and try to imagine how it was put together to stand here all those years.

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