Kamakura & Enoshima

Last week, I went on a day trip to Kamakura and Enoshima, in the Kanagawa prefecture, not far from Tokyo.

Kamakura is a former capital of Japan (during the so-called Kamakura period, between 1185 and 1333) and has a lot of temples and shrines. The best-known monument of all is probably the Great Buddha (Daibutsu; Photo above), a big bronze statue of Buddha at Kotoku-in Temple.

Above, part of the Engaku-ji zen temple complex, in Kita-Kamakura.

Above, a practitioner of Kyudo, the zen art of archery, at Engaku-ji. The target was actually 2m from the woman. She didn’t miss.

Above, tombs inside the Tokei-ji temple.

Above, statue of Hotei, the Shinto god of happiness (aka the Laughing Buddha), at the Jochi-ji temple.

Above, a crow at the Kuzuharaoka shrine in Genjiyama park (on the Daibutsu hiking trail from Kita-Kamakura).

Above, people praying at the Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gu shrine.

Above, people posing in yukata in front of the Great Buddha statue.

Above, beach near the Hase train station.

Above, the Enoden train, which links the Hase station in Kamakura with Enoshima.

Enoshima is an island not far from Kamakura, linked to the mainland by a 600m bridge (Benten bridge; Photo above). It has a big Shinto shrine (in multiple parts) and other touristic attractions.

Above, torii at the entrance of the island, with the street leading to the Enoshima shrine behind it.

Above, torii leading to the Enoshima shrine.

Above, Shinto priest getting the cash out.

Above, dragon statue at the Enoshima shrine.

Above, on the way to the Iwaya caves.

Above, people looking for crabs and fish in tidal pools.

Above, the Iwaya caves.

Above, view of the Enoshima Daishi temple and Samuel Cocking Garden from the Lighthouse Observation Tower.

Above, cooking corncobs and squids.

Above, the Benten Bridge, with the Enoshima Spa and the Lighthouse Observation Tower in the background.