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  • Lions at Mengake Kamakura Procession - Mengake or Masked Parade at Goryo Jinja shrine.  At this festival held in September a group of ten people take part in this annual ritual: 8 men and 2 women. Wearing comical or grotesque masks that signify different demons, legends and dieties  leave the shrine and parade through the nearby streets accompanied by portable shrine and festival music.
    mengake-kamakura-25.jpg
  • Kosokuji Kamakura - Kosokuji was built in the year 1278 and one of the oldest in Kamakura.  It was founded by Saku Adjoin, a Buddhist priest of the Shingen sect but when he came to Kamakura he changed his sect to Jishu, a relatively minor sect devoted to Nembutsu.  The temple’s principle image is that of Amida Nyorai - enshrined with Kannon and Amida Buddha.   Kosoku-ji is the 7th temple of the Kamakura 33 Kannon Sacred Grounds.
    kosokuji-kamakura.jpg
  • Tengu at Mengake Kamakura - Mengake or Masked Parade at Goryo Jinja shrine.  At this festival held in September a group of ten people take part in this annual ritual: 8 men and 2 women. Wearing comical or grotesque masks that signify different demons, legends and dieties  leave the shrine and parade through the nearby streets accompanied by portable shrine and festival music.
    mengake-kamakura-03.jpg
  • Oni Demon at Mengake Procession Kamakura- Mengake or Masked Parade at Goryo Jinja shrine.  At this festival held in September a group of ten people take part in this annual ritual: 8 men and 2 women. Wearing comical or grotesque masks that signify different demons, legends and dieties  leave the shrine and parade through the nearby streets accompanied by portable shrine and festival music.
    mengake-kamakura-27.jpg
  • Midwife at Mengake Kamakura - Mengake or Masked Parade at Goryo Jinja shrine.  At this festival held in September a group of ten people take part in this annual ritual: 8 men and 2 women. Wearing comical or grotesque masks that signify different demons, legends and dieties  leave the shrine and parade through the nearby streets accompanied by portable shrine and festival music.
    mengake-kamakura-23.jpg
  • Karasu Tengu Crow Goblin at Mengake Kamakura - Mengake or Masked Parade at Goryo Jinja shrine.  At this festival held in September a group of ten people take part in this annual ritual: 8 men and 2 women. Wearing comical or grotesque masks that signify different demons, legends and dieties  leave the shrine and parade through the nearby streets accompanied by portable shrine and festival music.
    mengake-kamakura-19.jpg
  • Drummers at Mengake Kamakura - Mengake or Masked Parade at Goryo Jinja shrine.  At this festival held in September a group of ten people take part in this annual ritual: 8 men and 2 women. Wearing comical or grotesque masks that signify different demons, legends and dieties  leave the shrine and parade through the nearby streets accompanied by portable shrine and festival music.
    mengake-kamakura-08.jpg
  • Drummer at Mengake Kamakura - Mengake or Masked Parade at Goryo Jinja shrine.  At this festival held in September a group of ten people take part in this annual ritual: 8 men and 2 women. Wearing comical or grotesque masks that signify different demons, legends and dieties  leave the shrine and parade through the nearby streets accompanied by portable shrine and festival music.
    mengake-kamakura-05.jpg
  • The Kamakura Museum of Literature or Kamakura Bungakukan is a small museum that containing material on the subject of writers who have lived in Kamakura.   Displayed are personal effects, manuscripts, first editions owned by more than a hundred writers of Japanese literature, including Soseki Natsume and Kawabata Yasunari, as well as film director Yasujiro Ozu. The museum is housed in a beautiful villa overlooking the Shonan Coast. The villa was originally owned by the Maeda family.  The villa was the setting for an important scene from the novel "Spring Snow" by Yukio Mishima.
    kamakura-literature-4.jpg
  • The Great Buddha of Kamakura, or "Daibutsu" as it is known in Japanese, is Kamakura's most famous attraction.  Immortalized by a poem of Rudyard Kipling "The Great Buddha of Kamakura".
    kamakura-daibutsu-7.jpg
  • Lions at Mengake Kamakura Procession - Mengake or Masked Parade at Goryo Jinja shrine.  At this festival held in September a group of ten people take part in this annual ritual: 8 men and 2 women. Wearing comical or grotesque masks that signify different demons, legends and dieties  leave the shrine and parade through the nearby streets accompanied by portable shrine and festival music.
    mengake-kamakura-26.jpg
  • Jiji Elderly Man at Mengake Kamakura - Mengake or Masked Parade at Goryo Jinja shrine.  At this festival held in September a group of ten people take part in this annual ritual: 8 men and 2 women. Wearing comical or grotesque masks that signify different demons, legends and dieties  leave the shrine and parade through the nearby streets accompanied by portable shrine and festival music.
    mengake-kamakura-20.jpg
  • Fukurokokuji Diety of Good Fortune at Mengake Procession Kamakura - Mengake or Masked Parade at Goryo Jinja shrine.  At this festival held in September a group of ten people take part in this annual ritual: 8 men and 2 women. Wearing comical or grotesque masks that signify different demons, legends and dieties  leave the shrine and parade through the nearby streets accompanied by portable shrine and festival music.
    mengake-kamakura-28.jpg
  • Lion at Mengake Kamakura Procession - Mengake or Masked Parade at Goryo Jinja shrine.  At this festival held in September a group of ten people take part in this annual ritual: 8 men and 2 women. Wearing comical or grotesque masks that signify different demons, legends and dieties  leave the shrine and parade through the nearby streets accompanied by portable shrine and festival music.
    mengake-kamakura-24.jpg
  • Karasu Tengu Crow Goblin at Mengake Kamakura - Mengake or Masked Parade at Goryo Jinja shrine.  At this festival held in September a group of ten people take part in this annual ritual: 8 men and 2 women. Wearing comical or grotesque masks that signify different demons, legends and dieties  leave the shrine and parade through the nearby streets accompanied by portable shrine and festival music.
    mengake-kamakura-18.jpg
  • Japanese Musicians at Mengake Kamakura - Mengake or Masked Parade at Goryo Jinja shrine.  At this festival held in September a group of ten people take part in this annual ritual: 8 men and 2 women. Wearing comical or grotesque masks that signify different demons, legends and dieties  leave the shrine and parade through the nearby streets accompanied by portable shrine and festival music.
    mengake-kamakura-12.jpg
  • Drummers at Mengake Kamakura - Mengake or Masked Parade at Goryo Jinja shrine.  At this festival held in September a group of ten people take part in this annual ritual: 8 men and 2 women. Wearing comical or grotesque masks that signify different demons, legends and dieties  leave the shrine and parade through the nearby streets accompanied by portable shrine and festival music.
    mengake-kamakura-06.jpg
  • The Kamakura Museum of Literature or Kamakura Bungakukan is a small museum that containing material on the subject of writers who have lived in Kamakura.   Displayed are personal effects, manuscripts, first editions owned by more than a hundred writers of Japanese literature, including Soseki Natsume and Kawabata Yasunari, as well as film director Yasujiro Ozu. The museum is housed in a beautiful villa overlooking the Shonan Coast. The villa was originally owned by the Maeda family.  The villa was the setting for an important scene from the novel "Spring Snow" by Yukio Mishima.
    kamakura-literature-3.jpg
  • The Kamakura Museum of Literature or Kamakura Bungakukan is a small museum that containing material on the subject of writers who have lived in Kamakura.   Displayed are personal effects, manuscripts, first editions owned by more than a hundred writers of Japanese literature, including Soseki Natsume and Kawabata Yasunari, as well as film director Yasujiro Ozu. The museum is housed in a beautiful villa overlooking the Shonan Coast. The villa was originally owned by the Maeda family.  The villa was the setting for an important scene from the novel "Spring Snow" by Yukio Mishima.
    kamakura-literature-1.jpg
  • Japanese Musicians at Mengake Kamakura - Mengake or Masked Parade at Goryo Jinja shrine.  At this festival held in September a group of ten people take part in this annual ritual: 8 men and 2 women. Wearing comical or grotesque masks that signify different demons, legends and dieties  leave the shrine and parade through the nearby streets accompanied by portable shrine and festival music.
    mengake-kamakura-11.jpg
  • The Kamakura Museum of Literature or Kamakura Bungakukan is a small museum that containing material on the subject of writers who have lived in Kamakura.   Displayed are personal effects, manuscripts, first editions owned by more than a hundred writers of Japanese literature, including Soseki Natsume and Kawabata Yasunari, as well as film director Yasujiro Ozu. The museum is housed in a beautiful villa overlooking the Shonan Coast. The villa was originally owned by the Maeda family.  The villa was the setting for an important scene from the novel "Spring Snow" by Yukio Mishima.
    kamakura-literature-6.jpg
  • Jiji Elderly Man at Mengake Kamakura - Mengake or Masked Parade at Goryo Jinja shrine.  At this festival held in September a group of ten people take part in this annual ritual: 8 men and 2 women. Wearing comical or grotesque masks that signify different demons, legends and dieties  leave the shrine and parade through the nearby streets accompanied by portable shrine and festival music.
    mengake-kamakura-22.jpg
  • Midwife at Mengake Kamakura - Mengake or Masked Parade at Goryo Jinja shrine.  At this festival held in September a group of ten people take part in this annual ritual: 8 men and 2 women. Wearing comical or grotesque masks that signify different demons, legends and dieties  leave the shrine and parade through the nearby streets accompanied by portable shrine and festival music.
    mengake-kamakura-16.jpg
  • The Kamakura Museum of Literature or Kamakura Bungakukan is a small museum that contains material on the subject of writers who have lived in Kamakura.  Displayed are personal effects, manuscripts & first editions owned by more than a hundred writers of Japanese literature, including Soseki Natsume and Kawabata Yasunari, as well as film director Yasujiro Ozu. The museum is housed in a beautiful villa overlooking the Shonan Coast. The villa was originally owned by the Maeda family and was the setting for an important scene from the novel "Spring Snow" by Yukio Mishima.
    kamakura-literature-2.jpg
  • Drummers at Mengake Kamakura - Mengake or Masked Parade at Goryo Jinja shrine.  At this festival held in September a group of ten people take part in this annual ritual: 8 men and 2 women. Wearing comical or grotesque masks that signify different demons, legends and dieties  leave the shrine and parade through the nearby streets accompanied by portable shrine and festival music.
    mengake-kamakura-07.jpg
  • The Kamakura Museum of Literature or Kamakura Bungakukan is a small museum that containing material on the subject of writers who have lived in Kamakura.   Displayed are personal effects, manuscripts, first editions owned by more than a hundred writers of Japanese literature, including Soseki Natsume and Kawabata Yasunari, as well as film director Yasujiro Ozu. The museum is housed in a beautiful villa overlooking the Shonan Coast. The villa was originally owned by the Maeda family.  The villa was the setting for an important scene from the novel "Spring Snow" by Yukio Mishima.
    kamakura-literature-5.jpg
  • Okame Fat Faced Woman and Midwife at Mengake Kamakura - Mengake or Masked Parade at Goryo Jinja shrine.  At this festival held in September a group of ten people take part in this annual ritual: 8 men and 2 women. Wearing comical or grotesque masks that signify different demons, legends and dieties  leave the shrine and parade through the nearby streets accompanied by portable shrine and festival music.
    mengake-kamakura-17.jpg
  • Japanese Musicians at Mengake Kamakura - Mengake or Masked Parade at Goryo Jinja shrine.  At this festival held in September a group of ten people take part in this annual ritual: 8 men and 2 women. Wearing comical or grotesque masks that signify different demons, legends and dieties  leave the shrine and parade through the nearby streets accompanied by portable shrine and festival music.
    mengake-kamakura-10.jpg
  • Hase-dera Temple in Kamakura is officially named Kaiko-zan Jisho-in Hase-dera but commonly called Hase Kannon.  Hase-Dera has landscaped Japanese gardens, a giant prayer wheel, jizo caves, a bamboo grove, and a vegetarian restaurant up the hill with a birds-eye view of Kamakura and the Shonan Coast. Hase-dera is famous for its massive wooden statue of Kannon - a treasure of Japan.  Originally belonging to the Tendai sect of Buddhism, Hase-dera became an independent temple of the Jodo sect of Zen Buddhism.
    kamakura-hasedera-03.jpg
  • Hase-dera Temple in Kamakura is officially named Kaiko-zan Jisho-in Hase-dera but commonly called Hase Kannon.  Hase-Dera has landscaped Japanese gardens, a giant prayer wheel, jizo caves, a bamboo grove, and a vegetarian restaurant up the hill with a birds-eye view of Kamakura and the Shonan Coast. Hase-dera is famous for its massive wooden statue of Kannon - a treasure of Japan.  Originally belonging to the Tendai sect of Buddhism, Hase-dera became an independent temple of the Jodo sect of Zen Buddhism.
    kamakura-hase-dera-03.jpg
  • The Great Buddha of Kamakura, or "Daibutsu" as it is known in Japanese, is Kamakura's most famous attraction.  Immortalized by a poem of Rudyard Kipling "The Great Buddha of Kamakura".
    kamakura-daibutsu-2.jpg
  • Myohonji is a part of the Nichiren sect of Buddhism in the southeastern hills of Kamakura founded by Hiki Yoshimoto.  Its official name is Choko-zan Myohon-ji.   This forest temple features a statue of Nichiren to left of the main hall and is connected via the Gionyama Hiking Trail leading through the wooded hills of Kamakura. On Nichiren's recommendation, Yoshimoto decided to erect this temple to console the political souls of his father, sister and family.
    kamakura-myohonji-3.jpg
  • Anyo-in Kamakura - Gionzan Anyi-in Choraku-ji is a Pure Land Jodo sect Buddhist temple in Kamakura famous for its azalea, dedicated to Minamoto no Yoritomo and found by his wife Hojo Masako. The main object of worship enshrines Kannon Goddess of Mercy.  Anyo-in has a complex history - the result of the fusion of three separate temples called Choraku-ji, Zendo-ji and Tashiro-ji.  there is a huge pine tree in the garden that is more than 700 years old.
    kamakura-anyoin-2.jpg
  • Zeniarai Benten Shrine in Kamakura is famous with people who wish to wash their money.  Zeniarai means "coin washing” as people believe that money washed in the shrine's spring will increase or double.  Zeniarai Benten Shrine is an example of the fusion between the Shinto and Buddhist religions with many aspects of the respective religions melded into one shrine. Here  the unique custom of coin washing started and the Shrine maintains this belief of the power of enrichment. For this reason it isone of the most popular and busy shrines in Kamakura.  Bamboo baskets and ladles are available on the shelf to help with the money washing.
    zeniarai-benten-kamakura-13.jpg
  • Sakura at Hasedera - Hase-dera Temple in Kamakura is officially named Kaiko-zan Jisho-in Hase-dera but commonly called Hase Kannon.  Hase-Dera has landscaped Japanese gardens, a giant prayer wheel, jizo caves, a bamboo grove, and a vegetarian restaurant up the hill with a birds-eye view of Kamakura and the Shonan Coast. Hase-dera is famous for its massive wooden statue of Kannon - a treasure of Japan.  Originally belonging to the Tendai sect of Buddhism, Hase-dera became an independent temple of the Jodo sect of Zen Buddhism.
    kamakura-hasedera-07.jpg
  • Myohonji is a part of the Nichiren sect of Buddhism in the southeastern hills of Kamakura founded by Hiki Yoshimoto.  Its official name is Choko-zan Myohon-ji.   This forest temple features a statue of Nichiren to left of the main hall and is connected via the Gionyama Hiking Trail leading through the wooded hills of Kamakura. On Nichiren's recommendation, Yoshimoto decided to erect this temple to console the political souls of his father, sister and family.
    kamakura-myohonji-2.jpg
  • Zeniarai Benten Shrine in Kamakura is famous with people who wish to wash their money.  Zeniarai means "coin washing” as people believe that money washed in the shrine's spring will increase or double.  Zeniarai Benten Shrine is an example of the fusion between the Shinto and Buddhist religions with many aspects of the respective religions melded into one shrine. Here  the unique custom of coin washing started and the Shrine maintains this belief of the power of enrichment. For this reason it isone of the most popular and busy shrines in Kamakura.  Bamboo baskets and ladles are available on the shelf to help with the money washing.
    zeniarai-benten-kamakura-12.jpg
  • Zeniarai Benten Shrine in Kamakura is famous with people who wish to wash their money.  Zeniarai means "coin washing” as people believe that money washed in the shrine's spring will increase or double.  Zeniarai Benten Shrine is an example of the fusion between the Shinto and Buddhist religions with many aspects of the respective religions melded into one shrine. Here  the unique custom of coin washing started and the Shrine maintains this belief of the power of enrichment. For this reason it isone of the most popular and busy shrines in Kamakura.  Bamboo baskets and ladles are available on the shelf to help with the money washing.
    zeniarai-benten-kamakura-10.jpg
  • Zeniarai Benten Shrine in Kamakura is famous with people who wish to wash their money.  Zeniarai means "coin washing” as people believe that money washed in the shrine's spring will increase or double.  Zeniarai Benten Shrine is an example of the fusion between the Shinto and Buddhist religions with many aspects of the respective religions melded into one shrine. Here  the unique custom of coin washing started and the Shrine maintains this belief of the power of enrichment. For this reason it isone of the most popular and busy shrines in Kamakura.  Bamboo baskets and ladles are available on the shelf to help with the money washing.
    zeniarai-benten-kamakura-2.jpg
  • 78.2  The Great Buddha of Kamakura 鎌倉大仏 this monumental bronze statue of Buddha was cast by Ono Goroemon in 1253, a leading craftsman of his time.  There are traces of gold leaf near the statue's ears as the entire statue was originally gilded. The hall in which the Daibutsu was housed was destroyed by a typhoon in 1334, rebuilt, then damaged once again by yet another storm in 1369.  It was rebuilt a third time but the last building washed away in the tsunami of September 1498.  Since then, the Great Buddha has stood in the open, as it does today.  Daibutsu is located within the grounds of Kotoku-in Temple.
    78.2.TENTATIVE-KAMAKURA-DAIBUTSU-04.jpg
  • Hase-dera Temple in Kamakura is officially named Kaiko-zan Jisho-in Hase-dera but commonly called Hase Kannon.  Hase-Dera has landscaped Japanese gardens, a giant prayer wheel, jizo caves, a bamboo grove, and a vegetarian restaurant up the hill with a birds-eye view of Kamakura and the Shonan Coast. Hase-dera is famous for its massive wooden statue of Kannon - a treasure of Japan.  Originally belonging to the Tendai sect of Buddhism, Hase-dera became an independent temple of the Jodo sect of Zen Buddhism.
    kamakura-hasedera-05.jpg
  • Hase-dera Temple in Kamakura is officially named Kaiko-zan Jisho-in Hase-dera but commonly called Hase Kannon.  Hase-Dera has landscaped Japanese gardens, a giant prayer wheel, jizo caves, a bamboo grove, and a vegetarian restaurant up the hill with a birds-eye view of Kamakura and the Shonan Coast. Hase-dera is famous for its massive wooden statue of Kannon - a treasure of Japan.  Originally belonging to the Tendai sect of Buddhism, Hase-dera became an independent temple of the Jodo sect of Zen Buddhism.
    kamakura-hase-dera-04.jpg
  • Hase-dera Temple in Kamakura is officially named Kaiko-zan Jisho-in Hase-dera but commonly called Hase Kannon.  Hase-Dera has landscaped Japanese gardens, a giant prayer wheel, jizo caves, a bamboo grove, and a vegetarian restaurant up the hill with a birds-eye view of Kamakura and the Shonan Coast. Hase-dera is famous for its massive wooden statue of Kannon - a treasure of Japan.  Originally belonging to the Tendai sect of Buddhism, Hase-dera became an independent temple of the Jodo sect of Zen Buddhism.
    kamakura-hase-dera-05.jpg
  • Hase-dera Temple in Kamakura is officially named Kaiko-zan Jisho-in Hase-dera but commonly called Hase Kannon.  Hase-Dera has landscaped Japanese gardens, a giant prayer wheel, jizo caves, a bamboo grove, and a vegetarian restaurant up the hill with a birds-eye view of Kamakura and the Shonan Coast. Hase-dera is famous for its massive wooden statue of Kannon - a treasure of Japan.  Originally belonging to the Tendai sect of Buddhism, Hase-dera became an independent temple of the Jodo sect of Zen Buddhism.
    kamakura-hase-dera-02.jpg
  • Hase-dera Temple in Kamakura is officially named Kaiko-zan Jisho-in Hase-dera but commonly called Hase Kannon.  Hase-Dera has landscaped Japanese gardens, a giant prayer wheel, jizo caves, a bamboo grove, and a vegetarian restaurant up the hill with a birds-eye view of Kamakura and the Shonan Coast. Hase-dera is famous for its massive wooden statue of Kannon - a treasure of Japan.  Originally belonging to the Tendai sect of Buddhism, Hase-dera became an independent temple of the Jodo sect of Zen Buddhism.
    hase-dera-kamakura-6.jpg
  • Myohonji is a part of the Nichiren sect of Buddhism in the southeastern hills of Kamakura founded by Hiki Yoshimoto.  Its official name is Choko-zan Myohon-ji.   This forest temple features a statue of Nichiren to left of the main hall and is connected via the Gionyama Hiking Trail leading through the wooded hills of Kamakura. On Nichiren's recommendation, Yoshimoto decided to erect this temple to console the political souls of his father, sister and family.
    kamakura-myohonji-6.jpg
  • Myohonji is a part of the Nichiren sect of Buddhism in the southeastern hills of Kamakura founded by Hiki Yoshimoto.  Its official name is Choko-zan Myohon-ji.   This forest temple features a statue of Nichiren to left of the main hall and is connected via the Gionyama Hiking Trail leading through the wooded hills of Kamakura. On Nichiren's recommendation, Yoshimoto decided to erect this temple to console the political souls of his father, sister and family.
    kamakura-myohonji-8.jpg
  • Myohonji is a part of the Nichiren sect of Buddhism in the southeastern hills of Kamakura founded by Hiki Yoshimoto.  Its official name is Choko-zan Myohon-ji.   This forest temple features a statue of Nichiren to left of the main hall and is connected via the Gionyama Hiking Trail leading through the wooded hills of Kamakura. On Nichiren's recommendation, Yoshimoto decided to erect this temple to console the political souls of his father, sister and family.
    kamakura-myohonji-5.jpg
  • Wearing a Harumaki at Kamakura Matsuri - Japanese festivals are traditional festive occasions with their roots in Chinese festivals having undergone dramatic changes as they mixed with local customs.  Such events are usually sponsored by the local shrine though they can occasionally be secular.
    kamakura-matsuri-2.jpg
  • Kamakura Cityscape - it's hard to believe that this quiet little town with its many temples was at one time the capital of Japan. From 1185 to 1333 the "Kamakura Period" when the Shogunate ruled the country. These days Kamakura is a very popular day trip from Tokyo with beaches, gardens, temples and nature trails.
    kamakura-cityscape.jpg
  • Myohonji is a part of the Nichiren sect of Buddhism in the southeastern hills of Kamakura founded by Hiki Yoshimoto.  Its official name is Choko-zan Myohon-ji.   This forest temple features a statue of Nichiren to left of the main hall and is connected via the Gionyama Hiking Trail leading through the wooded hills of Kamakura. On Nichiren's recommendation, Yoshimoto decided to erect this temple to console the political souls of his father, sister and family.
    kamakura-myohonji-4.jpg
  • Zeniarai Benten Shrine in Kamakura is famous with people who wish to wash their money.  Zeniarai means "coin washing” as people believe that money washed in the shrine's spring will increase or double.  Zeniarai Benten Shrine is an example of the fusion between the Shinto and Buddhist religions with many aspects of the respective religions melded into one shrine. Here  the unique custom of coin washing started and the Shrine maintains this belief of the power of enrichment. For this reason it isone of the most popular and busy shrines in Kamakura.  Bamboo baskets and ladles are available on the shelf to help with the money washing.
    zeniarai-benten-kamakura-9.jpg
  • The Great Buddha of Kamakura, or "Daibutsu" as it is known in Japanese, is Kamakura's most famous attraction.  Immortalized by a poem of Rudyard Kipling "The Great Buddha of Kamakura".
    kamakura-daibutsu-1.jpg
  • Happi Coats at Kamakura Matsuri - Japanese festivals are traditional festive occasions. Some festivals have their roots in Chinese festivals but have undergone dramatic changes as they mixed with local customs.  Matsuri is the Japanese word for a festival or holiday. In Japan, festivals are usually sponsored by a local shrine or temple, though they can be secular.<br />
There is no specific matsuri days for all of Japan; dates vary from area to area, and even within a specific area, but festival days do tend to cluster around traditional holidays such as Setsubun or Obon. Almost every locale has at least one matsuri in late summer or autumn, usually related to the harvests. Matsuri almost always feature processions which include elaborate floats and "mikoshi" or portable shrines which are paraded around the neighborhood, and sometimes even into the ocean along the coast.
    kamakura-matsuri-4.jpg
  • Mikoshi and Loincloths at Kamakura Matsuri - Japanese festivals are traditional festive occasions. Some festivals have their roots in Chinese festivals but have undergone dramatic changes as they mixed with local customs.  Matsuri is the Japanese word for a festival or holiday. In Japan, festivals are usually sponsored by a local shrine or temple, though they can be secular.<br />
There is no specific matsuri days for all of Japan; dates vary from area to area, and even within a specific area, but festival days do tend to cluster around traditional holidays such as Setsubun or Obon. Almost every locale has at least one matsuri in late summer or autumn, usually related to the harvests. Matsuri almost always feature processions which include elaborate floats and "mikoshi" or portable shrines which are paraded around the neighborhood, and sometimes even into the ocean along the coast.
    kamakura-matsuri-3.jpg
  • Kamakura Matsuri Fundoshis - Japanese festivals are traditional festive occasions. Some festivals have their roots in Chinese festivals but have undergone dramatic changes as they mixed with local customs.  Matsuri is the Japanese word for a festival or holiday. In Japan, festivals are usually sponsored by a local shrine or temple, though they can be secular.<br />
There is no specific matsuri days for all of Japan; dates vary from area to area, and even within a specific area, but festival days do tend to cluster around traditional holidays such as Setsubun or Obon. Almost every locale has at least one matsuri in late summer or autumn, usually related to the harvests. Matsuri almost always feature processions which include elaborate floats and "mikoshi" or portable shrines which are paraded around the neighborhood, and sometimes even into the ocean along the coast.
    kamakura-matsuri-5.jpg
  • Daibutsu - Great Buddha of Kamakura - this monumental bronze statue of Buddha  was built in 1252 cast by Ono Goroemon, a leading maker at that period of time.  There are traces of gold leaf near the statue's ears as the entire statue was originally gilded.  The hall in which the Daibutsu was housed was destroyed by a storm in 1334, rebuilt, then  damaged by yet another storm in 1369.  It was rebuilt a third time but the last building washed away in the tsunami of September 1498.  Since then, the Great Buddha has stood in the open, as it is today.
    daibutsu-kamakura-1.jpg
  • Kamakura Rickshaw - Rickshaw have made a big comeback in Japan, especially around traditional places such as Kamakura and Kyoto, though their use is more a photo opportunity than for real transportation. Usually the ride consists of a quick, token 15 minute tour.  Nowadays the rickshaw pullers tend to be university students, working at a part-time job rather than this being a blue-collar low level job.
    kamakura-rickshaw-2.jpg
  • Anyo-in Kamakura - Gionzan Anyi-in Choraku-ji is a Pure Land Jodo sect Buddhist temple in Kamakura famous for its azalea, dedicated to Minamoto no Yoritomo and found by his wife Hojo Masako. The main object of worship enshrines Kannon Goddess of Mercy.  Anyo-in has a complex history - the result of the fusion of three separate temples called Choraku-ji, Zendo-ji and Tashiro-ji.  there is a huge pine tree in the garden that is more than 700 years old.
    kamakura-anyoin-1.jpg
  • Sakura at Hasedera - Hase-dera Temple in Kamakura is officially named Kaiko-zan Jisho-in Hase-dera but commonly called Hase Kannon.  Hase-Dera has landscaped Japanese gardens, a giant prayer wheel, jizo caves, a bamboo grove, and a vegetarian restaurant up the hill with a birds-eye view of Kamakura and the Shonan Coast. Hase-dera is famous for its massive wooden statue of Kannon - a treasure of Japan.  Originally belonging to the Tendai sect of Buddhism, Hase-dera became an independent temple of the Jodo sect of Zen Buddhism.
    kamakura-hasedera-06.jpg
  • Hase-dera Temple in Kamakura is officially named Kaiko-zan Jisho-in Hase-dera but commonly called Hase Kannon.  Hase-Dera has landscaped Japanese gardens, a giant prayer wheel, jizo caves, a bamboo grove, and a vegetarian restaurant up the hill with a birds-eye view of Kamakura and the Shonan Coast. Hase-dera is famous for its massive wooden statue of Kannon - a treasure of Japan.  Originally belonging to the Tendai sect of Buddhism, Hase-dera became an independent temple of the Jodo sect of Zen Buddhism.
    kamakura-hase-dera-01.jpg
  • Myohonji is a part of the Nichiren sect of Buddhism in the southeastern hills of Kamakura founded by Hiki Yoshimoto.  Its official name is Choko-zan Myohon-ji.   This forest temple features a statue of Nichiren to left of the main hall and is connected via the Gionyama Hiking Trail leading through the wooded hills of Kamakura. On Nichiren's recommendation, Yoshimoto decided to erect this temple to console the political souls of his father, sister and family.
    kamakura-myohonji-1.jpg
  • Kamakura Matsuri at Tsurugoaka Hachimangu Shrine - Japanese festivals are festive occasions often with their roots in Chinese festivals but have undergone changes as they mixed with local Japanese customs.  Matsuri is the Japanese word for a festival and are usually sponsored by a local shrine or temple, though they can be secular. There is no specific matsuri days for all of Japan.  Dates vary depending on area.
    kamakura-matsuri-1.jpg
  • Kamakura Rickshaw - Rickshaw have made a big comeback in Japan, especially around traditional places such as Kamakura and Kyoto, though their use is more a photo opportunity than for real transportation. Usually the ride consists of a quick, token 15 minute tour.  Nowadays the rickshaw pullers tend to be university students, working at a part-time job rather than this being a blue-collar low level job.
    kamakura-rickshaw-1.jpg
  • Jizo at Hase-dera Kamakura - Hase-dera officially named Kaiko-zan Jisho-in Hase-dera but commonly called Hase Kannon.  Hase-Dera has landscaped Japanese gardens, a giant prayer wheel, jizo caves, a bamboo grove, and a vegetarian restaurant up the hill with a bird-eye view of Kamakura and the Shonan Coast. Hase-dera is famous for its massive wooden statue of Kannon - a treasure of Japan.  Originally belonging to the Tendai sect of Buddhism, Hase-dera became an independent temple of the Jodo sect of Zen Buddhism.
    hasedera-kamakura-1.jpg
  • 78.2  The Great Buddha of Kamakura 鎌倉大仏 this monumental bronze statue of Buddha was cast by Ono Goroemon in 1253, a leading craftsman of his time.  There are traces of gold leaf near the statue's ears as the entire statue was originally gilded. The hall in which the Daibutsu was housed was destroyed by a typhoon in 1334, rebuilt, then damaged once again by yet another storm in 1369.  It was rebuilt a third time but the last building washed away in the tsunami of September 1498.  Since then, the Great Buddha has stood in the open, as it does today.  Daibutsu is located within the grounds of Kotoku-in Temple.
    78.2.TENTATIVE-KAMAKURA-DAIBUTSU-01.jpg
  • Great Buddha of Kamakura - a monumental  bronze statue of Buddha  was built in 1252. The bronze image was cast by Ono Goroemon who was a leading maker at that period of time.   There are traces of gold leaf near the statue's ears as the entire statue was once gilded.  The hall in which the Daibutsu was housed was destroyed by a storm in 1334, then rebuilt, then  damaged by yet another storm in 1369.  It was  rebuilt sa third time but the last building washed away in the tsunami of September 1498.  Since then, the Great Buddha has stood in the open, as it is today.
    kamakura-daibutsu-6.jpg
  • 78.2  The Great Buddha of Kamakura 鎌倉大仏 this monumental bronze statue of Buddha was cast by Ono Goroemon in 1253, a leading craftsman of his time.  There are traces of gold leaf near the statue's ears as the entire statue was originally gilded. The hall in which the Daibutsu was housed was destroyed by a typhoon in 1334, rebuilt, then damaged once again by yet another storm in 1369.  It was rebuilt a third time but the last building washed away in the tsunami of September 1498.  Since then, the Great Buddha has stood in the open, as it does today.  Daibutsu is located within the grounds of Kotoku-in Temple.
    78.2.TENTATIVE-KAMAKURA-DAIBUTSU-03.jpg
  • Touir Group at Daibutsu Kamakura
    kamakura-tour-1.jpg
  • Great Buddha of Kamakura - a monumental  bronze statue of Buddha  was built in 1252. The bronze image was cast by Ono Goroemon who was a leading maker at that period of time.   There are traces of gold leaf near the statue's ears as the entire statue was once gilded.  The hall in which the Daibutsu was housed was destroyed by a storm in 1334, then rebuilt, then  damaged by yet another storm in 1369.  It was  rebuilt sa third time but the last building washed away in the tsunami of September 1498.  Since then, the Great Buddha has stood in the open, as it is today.
    kamakura-daibutsu-5.jpg
  • Gate and Steps at Meigetsuin Garden Kamakura - Meigetsuin represents legendary Mount Shumi or Sumeru an imaginary mountain in the Buddhist universe. According to records Meigetsuin was originally merely the guest house of a much bigger temple called Zenko-ji which was closed by the government during the Meiji period and is all that remains of the formerly important temple.
    meigetsuin-kamakura-4.jpg
  • Great Buddha of Kamakura - a monumental  bronze statue of Buddha  was built in 1252. The bronze image was cast by Ono Goroemon who was a leading maker at that period of time.   There are traces of gold leaf near the statue's ears as the entire statue was once gilded.  The hall in which the Daibutsu was housed was destroyed by a storm in 1334, then rebuilt, then  damaged by yet another storm in 1369.  It was  rebuilt sa third time but the last building washed away in the tsunami of September 1498.  Since then, the Great Buddha has stood in the open, as it is today.
    kamakura-daibutsu-4.jpg
  • Great Buddha of Kamakura - a monumental  bronze statue of Buddha  was built in 1252. The bronze image was cast by Ono Goroemon who was a leading maker at that period of time.   There are traces of gold leaf near the statue's ears as the entire statue was once gilded.  The hall in which the Daibutsu was housed was destroyed by a storm in 1334, then rebuilt, then  damaged by yet another storm in 1369.  It was  rebuilt sa third time but the last building washed away in the tsunami of September 1498.  Since then, the Great Buddha has stood in the open, as it is today.
    kamakura-daibutsu-3.jpg
  • Gosho Shrine Matsuri, Kamakura - Japanese festivals are traditional festive occasions. Some festivals have their roots in Chinese festivals but have undergone dramatic changes as they mixed with local customs.  Matsuri is the Japanese word for a festival or holiday. In Japan, festivals are usually sponsored by a local shrine or temple, though they can be secular..There is no specific matsuri days for all of Japan; dates vary from area to area, and even within a specific area, but festival days do tend to cluster around traditional holidays such as Setsubun or Obon. Almost every locale has at least one matsuri in late summer or autumn, usually related to the harvests. Matsuri almost always feature processions which include elaborate floats and "mikoshi" or portable shrines which are paraded around the neighborhood, and sometimes even into the ocean along the coast.
    mikoshi-4.jpg
  • Gosho Shrine Matsuri, Kamakura - Japanese festivals are traditional festive occasions. Some festivals have their roots in Chinese festivals but have undergone dramatic changes as they mixed with local customs.  Matsuri is the Japanese word for a festival or holiday. In Japan, festivals are usually sponsored by a local shrine or temple, though they can be secular..There is no specific matsuri days for all of Japan; dates vary from area to area, and even within a specific area, but festival days do tend to cluster around traditional holidays such as Setsubun or Obon. Almost every locale has at least one matsuri in late summer or autumn, usually related to the harvests. Matsuri almost always feature processions which include elaborate floats and "mikoshi" or portable shrines which are paraded around the neighborhood, and sometimes even into the ocean along the coast.
    mikoshi-2.jpg
  • Jizo at Anyo-in Kamakura - Gionzan Anyi-in Choraku-ji is a Pure Land Jodo sect Buddhist temple in Kamakura famous for its azalea, dedicated to Minamoto no Yoritomo and found by his wife Hojo Masako. The main object of worship enshrines Kannon Goddess of Mercy.  Anyo-in has a complex history - the result of the fusion of three separate temples called Choraku-ji, Zendo-ji and Tashiro-ji.  there is a huge pine tree in the garden that is more than 700 years old.
    jizo-anyoin-2.jpg
  • Since the year 736, Hase-Dera Temple has been known as the 4th station among the 33 holy places in the Kanto area, and one of the main stops for Buddhist pilgrims in Kamakura, situated down the street from the Great Buddha of Kamakura.  Hase-Dera has landscaped Japanese gardens, a giant prayer wheel, jizo caves, a bamboo grove and a vegetarian restaurant up the hill with a bird-eye view of Kamakura and the Shonan Coast.
    hase-dera-garden-2.jpg
  • Jochiji ranks 4th of the five great Zen Buddhist temples of Kamakura -  a branch of Engakuji located a few hundred meters away. Jochi-ji was founded in 1283 by the ruling Hojo family, to honor the premature death of their son. This was once a large temple complex with many sub-temples but now it is calm.  Behind the temple a circular path leads through the temple garden past caves and a graveyard.  At the temple's entrance at the bottom of the hill is one of the ten celebrated wells of Kamakura.  Jochiji is unique in that it has a two storey main gate with a bell on the second floor, an unusual combination at Japanese temples.  In addition the shape of the windows are in the shape of bells. The bell itself was cast in 1340.  At its peak, the Temple had 11 different structures including the main hall as well as numerous sub-temples, with 500 residents in the temple precinct.  Many people are familiar with Jochiji as it is alongside the Daibutsu Hiking Trail.  Many visitors hiking or making pilgrimage to the Great Buddha of Kamakura along this trail pass by Jochiji and many stop for a visit en route.
    jochi-ji-3.jpg
  • Jizo at Anyo-in Kamakura - Gionzan Anyi-in Choraku-ji is a Pure Land Jodo sect Buddhist temple in Kamakura famous for its azalea, dedicated to Minamoto no Yoritomo and found by his wife Hojo Masako. The main object of worship enshrines Kannon Goddess of Mercy.  Anyo-in has a complex history - the result of the fusion of three separate temples called Choraku-ji, Zendo-ji and Tashiro-ji.  there is a huge pine tree in the garden that is more than 700 years old.
    jizo-anyoin-1.jpg
  • Hase-Dera Temple known more formally as Kaikozan Jishoin Hase-dera is one of the great Buddhist temples in the city of Kamakura. The temple is the fourth of the 33 stations of the Bando Sanju san kasho pilgrimage circuit dedicated to the goddess Benzaiten.<br />
The temple originally belonged to the Tendai sect of Buddhism but eventually became an independent temple of the Jodo sect.  Its Kannon statue is a treasure of Japan The statue is one of the largest wooden statues in Japan, with a height of 9 meters, made from camphor and gilded in gold. It has 11 heads each of which represents a phase in the search for enlightenment.
    hase-dera-temple.jpg
  • Gosho Shrine Matsuri, Kamakura - Japanese festivals are traditional festive occasions. Some festivals have their roots in Chinese festivals but have undergone dramatic changes as they mixed with local customs.  Matsuri is the Japanese word for a festival or holiday. In Japan, festivals are usually sponsored by a local shrine or temple, though they can be secular..There is no specific matsuri days for all of Japan; dates vary from area to area, and even within a specific area, but festival days do tend to cluster around traditional holidays such as Setsubun or Obon. Almost every locale has at least one matsuri in late summer or autumn, usually related to the harvests. Matsuri almost always feature processions which include elaborate floats and "mikoshi" or portable shrines which are paraded around the neighborhood, and sometimes even into the ocean along the coast.
    mikoshi-1.jpg
  • Buddha at Tokaiji Temple Kamakura - Tokaiji Temple once served as a refuge for abused women in Kamakura.  By staying at Tokeiji Temple for three years, women could attain a divorce. It is called the Divorce Temple because of this history.  Its full name is Shokozan Tokei-ji and is also called Kakekomi-dera.  Tokeiji is a sub-temple of the Engakuji - a Rinzai Zen Buddhism founded 9in 1285 by Kakusan-ni who was the wife of Hojo Tokimuni.  Tokimuni died at a young age so his wife developed Tokeiji as a nunnery.   The temple remained a nunnery for over 600 years.  Men were not allowed to enter until 1902, when a male abbot took over Tokei-ji under auspices of Engakuji.
    tokeiji-9.jpg
  • Kenchoji Temple in Kamakura is the oldest Zen monastery in Japan. Construction of the temple was completed in 1253. Shown is the "Sanmon Gate" or the Main Gate, though its nickname is the "Badger Gate". According to the legend, a badger transformed itself into a monk and helped in building it.
    kenchoji-temple-2.jpg
  • Meigetsuin is a Zen temple in Kamakura in harmony with nature. Composed of two gardens, one zen dry garden in front and a strolling garden in back. Meigetsuin is well-known for the many hydrangea in bloom in June, and vivid maples leaves in autumn.  According to 350-year-old records  Meigetsuin was originally just the guest house of a much bigger  Zenko-ji Temple which was closed by the government during the Meiji period and is all that remains of the formerly important temple.
    meigetsuin-garden-2.jpg
  • Hase-dera Temple in Kamakura is officially named Kaiko-zan Jisho-in Hase-dera but commonly called Hase Kannon.  Hase-Dera has landscaped Japanese gardens, a giant prayer wheel, jizo caves, a bamboo grove, and a vegetarian restaurant up the hill with a birds-eye view of Kamakura and the Shonan Coast. Hase-dera is famous for its massive wooden statue of Kannon - a treasure of Japan.  Originally belonging to the Tendai sect of Buddhism, Hase-dera became an independent temple of the Jodo sect of Zen Buddhism.
    AMBER-LOTUS-2023-124.jpg
  • Joeiji Temple story dates from the 13th century. There was an observatory deck on this site built for the founder of Kamakura Shogunate to get a view of Yuigahama Beach.  The temple is also called Botamochi-dera based on the story that a Botamochi rice ball covered with Azuki bean paste - is responsible for the miracle that saved the life of Nichiren while he was being taken to his execution. Joeiji holds a memorial service for Nichiren.  The objects of worship here are statues of Priest Nichiren, sacred tablets, and statues of Buddha and Nichiei.
    joeiji-03.jpg
  • Buddha at Tokaiji Temple Kamakura - Tokaiji Temple once served as a refuge for abused women in Kamakura.  By staying at Tokeiji Temple for three years, women could attain a divorce. It is called the Divorce Temple because of this history.  Its full name is Shokozan Tokei-ji and is also called Kakekomi-dera.  Tokeiji is a sub-temple of the Engakuji - a Rinzai Zen Buddhism founded 9in 1285 by Kakusan-ni who was the wife of Hojo Tokimuni.  Tokimuni died at a young age so his wife developed Tokeiji as a nunnery.   The temple remained a nunnery for over 600 years.  Men were not allowed to enter until 1902, when a male abbot took over Tokei-ji under auspices of Engakuji.
    tokeiji-10.jpg
  • Kenchoji Temple in Kamakura is the oldest Zen monastery in Japan. Construction of the temple was completed in 1253. Shown is the "Sanmon Gate" or the Main Gate, though its nickname is the "Badger Gate". According to the legend, a badger transformed itself into a monk and helped in building it.
    kenchoji-sakura.jpg
  • Komyoji is a popular temple with locals in the Kamakura area for its abundant cherry blossoms in spring, frequent weekend flea markets, and free parking near the beach. Komyoji Garden has a rare example of a dry garden, sometimes called a Zen garden, as this temple is not of the Zen sect of Buddhism.  In addition to the temple's zen dry karesansui garden, on the north side of the temple is the pond garden, which comes to life in spring with sakura cherry trees.
    komyoji-snow-02.jpg
  • Joeiji Temple story dates from the 13th century. There was an observatory deck on this site built for the founder of Kamakura Shogunate to get a view of Yuigahama Beach.  The temple is also called Botamochi-dera based on the story that a Botamochi rice ball covered with Azuki bean paste - is responsible for the miracle that saved the life of Nichiren while he was being taken to his execution. Joeiji holds a memorial service for Nichiren.  The objects of worship here are statues of Priest Nichiren, sacred tablets, and statues of Buddha and Nichiei.
    joeiji-05.jpg
  • Joeiji Temple story dates from the 13th century. There was an observatory deck on this site built for the founder of Kamakura Shogunate to get a view of Yuigahama Beach.  The temple is also called Botamochi-dera based on the story that a Botamochi rice ball covered with Azuki bean paste - is responsible for the miracle that saved the life of Nichiren while he was being taken to his execution. Joeiji holds a memorial service for Nichiren.  The objects of worship here are statues of Priest Nichiren, sacred tablets, and statues of Buddha and Nichiei.
    joeiji-02.jpg
  • Gosho Shrine Matsuri, Kamakura - Japanese festivals are traditional festive occasions. Some festivals have their roots in Chinese festivals but have undergone dramatic changes as they mixed with local customs.  Matsuri is the Japanese word for a festival or holiday. In Japan, festivals are usually sponsored by a local shrine or temple, though they can be secular..There is no specific matsuri days for all of Japan; dates vary from area to area, and even within a specific area, but festival days do tend to cluster around traditional holidays such as Setsubun or Obon. Almost every locale has at least one matsuri in late summer or autumn, usually related to the harvests. Matsuri almost always feature processions which include elaborate floats and "mikoshi" or portable shrines which are paraded around the neighborhood, and sometimes even into the ocean along the coast.
    mikoshi-3.jpg
  • Kenchoji Temple in Kamakura is the oldest Zen monastery in Japan. Construction of the temple was completed in 1253. Shown is the "Sanmon Gate" or the Main Gate, though its nickname is the "Badger Gate". According to the legend, a badger transformed itself into a monk and helped in building it.
    kenchoji-temple-3.jpg
  • Komyoji Garden at Komyoji Temple is a rare dry garden, sometimes called a Zen garden, although this temple is not of the Zen sect of Buddhism.  It is a popular temple with locals in the Kamakura area for its abundant cherry blossoms in spring, frequent flea markets, and free parking near the beach.
    komyoji-garden-2.jpg
  • Komyoji is a popular temple with locals in the Kamakura area for its abundant cherry blossoms in spring, frequent weekend flea markets, and free parking near the beach. Komyoji Garden has a rare example of a dry garden, sometimes called a Zen garden, as this temple is not of the Zen sect of Buddhism.  In addition to the temple's zen dry karesansui garden, on the north side of the temple is the pond garden, which comes to life in spring with sakura cherry trees.
    komyoji-snow-04.jpg
  • Komyoji is a popular temple with locals in the Kamakura area for its abundant cherry blossoms in spring, frequent weekend flea markets, and free parking near the beach. Komyoji Garden has a rare example of a dry garden, sometimes called a Zen garden, as this temple is not of the Zen sect of Buddhism.  In addition to the temple's zen dry karesansui garden, on the north side of the temple is the pond garden, which comes to life in spring with sakura cherry trees.
    komyoji-snow-03.jpg
  • Komyoji is a popular temple with locals in the Kamakura area for its abundant cherry blossoms in spring, frequent weekend flea markets, and free parking near the beach. Komyoji Garden has a rare example of a dry garden, sometimes called a Zen garden, as this temple is not of the Zen sect of Buddhism.  In addition to the temple's zen dry karesansui garden, on the north side of the temple is the pond garden, which comes to life in spring with sakura cherry trees.
    AMBER-LOTUS-2023-184.jpg
  • Komyoji is a popular temple with locals in the Kamakura area for its abundant cherry blossoms in spring, frequent weekend flea markets, and free parking near the beach. Komyoji Garden has a rare example of a dry garden, sometimes called a Zen garden, as this temple is not of the Zen sect of Buddhism.  In addition to the temple's zen dry karesansui garden, on the north side of the temple is the pond garden, which comes to life in spring with sakura cherry trees.
    AMBER-LOTUS-2023-79.jpg
  • Komyoji is a popular temple with locals in the Kamakura area for its abundant cherry blossoms in spring, frequent weekend flea markets, and free parking near the beach. Komyoji Garden has a rare example of a dry garden, sometimes called a Zen garden, as this temple is not of the Zen sect of Buddhism.  In addition to the temple's zen dry karesansui garden, on the north side of the temple is the pond garden, which comes to life in spring with sakura cherry trees.
    AMBER-LOTUS-2023-182.jpg
  • Kenchoji Temple in Kamakura is the oldest Zen monastery in Japan. Construction of the temple was completed in 1253. Shown is the "Sanmon Gate" or the Main Gate, though its nickname is the "Badger Gate". According to the legend, a badger transformed itself into a monk and helped in building it.
    kenchoji-temple-4.jpg
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