Sights in Kamakura
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Kamakura Daibutsu
The Kamakura Daibutsu is at Kōtoku-in temple. Completed in 1252, it is Japan's second-largest Buddha image and Kamakura's most famous sight. It was once housed in a huge hall, today the statue sits in the open, the hall having been washed away by a tsunami in 1495. Cast in bronze and weighing close to 850 tonnes, the statue is 11.4m tall.
Its construction is said to have been inspired by Yoritomo's visit to Nara (where Japan's biggest Daibutsu holds court) after the Minamoto clan's victory over the rival Taira clan. Even though Kamakura's Daibutsu doesn't quite match Nara's in stature, it is commonly agreed that it is artistically superior.
The Buddha itself is the Amida …
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Daibutsu
Kamakura’s most famous sight, Daibutsu was completed in 1252. Once housed in a huge hall, the statue of Buddha today sits in the open, as a result of its home having been washed away by a tsunami in 1495. Cast in bronze and weighing close to 850 tonnes, the statue is 11.4m tall. Its construction was inspired by the even bigger Daibutsu in Nara, although it is generally agreed that the Kamakura bronze is artistically superior. If you’re not claustrophobic, you can enter the Buddha’s belly through a small door that opens from his side. The privilege will cost you a measly ¥20.
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Hase-Dera
Inside Hase-dera, a temple overlooking the bay, is a 9m-tall, gold-leafed Kannon statue, said to have washed up from the sea in the early 8th century. The statue represents the Buddhist goddess of mercy whose compassion is often invoked as a source of succour to the bereaved and aggrieved. In the gardens here are thousands of small jizō. Mothers who have miscarried or aborted foetuses, or lost their children, often dress jizō in warm clothing or offer toys or food as offerings in supplication for helping those lost children negotiate the underworld.
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Ennō-Ji
Ennō-ji is distinguished by its statues depicting the judges of hell. According to the Juo concept of Taoism, which was introduced to Japan from China during the Heian period (794–1185), these 10 judges decide the fate of souls, who, being neither truly good nor truly evil, must be assigned to spend eternity in either heaven or hell. Presiding over them is Emma (Yama), a Hindu deity known as the gruesome king of the infernal regions.
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Sugimoto-dera
Sugimoto-dera, Kamakura’s oldest temple, is said to have been established by Empress Komei around the mid-8th century. The famous ancient steps lead to ferocious guardian figures (niō) poised at the entrance. The main hall houses three Kannon statues that are said to have miraculously escaped a 12th-century fire by hiding behind a tree. Take a bus from bus stop 5 in front of Kamakura Station and get off at Sugimoto-dera.
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Egaraten-Jinja
Students come to Egaraten-jinja to pray for academic success. Like other Tenjin shrines, Egara is dedicated to the memory of Michizane Sugawara, a Kyoto scholar of noble birth who was born in the middle of the 9th century. Students write their aspirations on ema (small votive plaques), which are then hung to the right of the shrine. Buses taken from stop 6 in front of Kamakura Station run out to Egara Tenjinja; get off at Tenjin-mae.
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Jōchi-Ji
Founded in 1283 by Hojo Morotoki, Jōchi-ji is the fourth of Kamakura’s five great Zen temples. The main gate’s bell on the 2nd floor of the belltower was cast in 1340. Nearby is Kanro-no-ni, one of Kamakura’s 10 revered wells. The interest in this muddy little pond, whose name translates to ‘Sweet Water’, is mostly historical, but photographers still swarm its edges looking for the perfect shot.
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Tsurugaoka Hachiman-Gū
A pleasant walk from Kamakura Station, Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū is a carnivalesque Shintō shrine that was established by the Genji family, founders of the Kamakura shōgunate. It is dedicated to a deity who is both the god of war and the guardian of the Minamoto clan. You’ll see a steeply arched bridge that was once reserved for the passage of the shōgun alone.
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Tōkei-Ji
For 600 years Tōkei-ji was known as the Divorce Temple, the only place in Japan where abused or disgruntled wives could seek refuge from unhappy marriages. The main object of worship here is a statue of Shaka Nyorai (the Enlightened Buddha). The statue is believed to date back to the 14th century and, according to temple records, it escaped a great fire in 1515.
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Kenchō-Ji
Kenchō-ji, the first and grandest of Kamakura’s Zen temples, is home to gnarled cypress trees that arose from seeds brought from China by founding priest Lah-hsi Tao-lung 700 years ago. The main hall is from Kyoto and the Buddha Hall (Butsuden) from Tokyo, but the temple bell is the only artefact that was actually made here.
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Hōkoku-Ji
Situated down the road from Sugimoto-dera, Hōkoku-ji has quiet landscaped gardens where you can relax under a parasol with a cup of green tea. This Rinzai Zen temple is known for its forest of vibrant, perennial bamboo. It regularly holds zazen (meditation) classes for beginners.
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Engaku-Ji
One of the five main Rinzai Zen temples in Kamakura, Engaku-ji dates from 1282 and has a majestic main gate from the 1780s. The temple’s main treasure, one of Buddha’s teeth, is enshrined up the hill but is off-limits to the public (although you can peer into the courtyard).
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Kamakura National Treasure Museum
The Kamakura National Treasure Museum displays an excellent collection of Kamakura art. Some are the typically peaceful jizō, although the collection also houses a number of compelling sculptures that are energetic and carnal, and sometimes gruesome.
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Zuisen-Ji
Zuisen-ji is best known for its perennial flowers and relaxing strolls through gardens laid out by founder Musō Kokushi during the Kamakura era (1185–1333).
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Kakuon-Ji
Kakuon-ji features a charming thatched Buddha Hall and hourly tours; the last one starts at 3pm.
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