Posted on 2014/10/03

Kamakura is like a mini Kyoto, much more compact, albeit less majestic. Bamboo forest, path lined with torii (traditional Japanese gate), shopping street are all within walking distance from Kamukura station. Here’s how you can spend a day in Kamakura without getting an overdose of shrines and temples. Try this route which is one of the recommended courses by Rurubu, a travel magazine in Japan. Sasuke Inari Jinja (shrine) – Zeni Arai Benzaiten Uga Fuku Jinja (shrine) – Genji Yama Kouen (park) – Jufuku-ji (temple) – Eishou-ji (temple) – Komachi-doori (shopping street) Sasuke Inari Jinja　佐助稲荷神社 The red toriis may remind some of the Fushimi Inari shrine (伏見稲荷大社) in Kyoto. Zeni… Read More

Posted on 2014/07/09

In the city of Kamakura, which belongs to the prefecture of Kanagawa, lies one of the most impressive Buddha statues in Japan, the “Daibutsu” 大仏. Noted for greenish color and peaceful meditation position, the bronze statue was built in the 13th century within the temple Kotokuin, measured more than 13 meters high and weighing about 93 tons. Although at the beginning was housed inside a wooden temple, but during the 15th century, a tsunami destroyed the temple and left it outdoors, as we can see today. You can pay 200 yen to have a look how it is being constructed from the inside.