Kamakura Hiking Trails part 2: Tenen Hiking Course
After the Gionyama Hiking Course (see part 1) and visiting Zuisen-ji Temple, I made my way to the trailhead of the Tenen Hiking Course, which goes to Kencho-ji Temple, in Kita-Kamakura.
shrine
Kamakura Hiking Trails part 1: Gionyama Hiking Course
Kamakura is surrounded by the ocean in the south and by wooded hills in all other directions. Attractive hiking trails lead through the woods along these hills and connect Kamakura’s numerous temples and shrines. It is possible to walk them all in one go, starting and ending at train stations.
Musashi-Mitake Shrine
Musashi-Mitake Shrine (武蔵御嶽神社) is the shinto shrine sitting at the top of Mount Mitake. On May 7th and 8th, it will hold its annual Hinode (Sunrise) Festival.
Wisteria Festival at Kameido Tenjin Shrine
A wisteria festival (藤まつり; fuji matsuri) is currently taking place at the Kameido Tenjin shrine (亀戸天神), in eastern Tokyo, and will last until early May. I was there a couple of days ago: Purple wisteria flowers were dangling from trellises surrounding the pond, which was crawling with turtles.
Yanagimori Shrine near Akibahara
Yanagimori Shrine is a shinto shrine located across the Kanda River from Akibahara. It is dedicated to the tanuki (Japanese racoon dog), often pictured with enormous testicles.
Ceremonial sumo tournament at Yasukuni Shrine
Every spring, a ceremonial one-day sumo tournament called Honozumo is held on the grounds of Yasukuni Shrine. Entrance is free.
Hatonomori Hachiman Shrine in Sendagaya
Hatonomori Hachiman Shrine is a shinto shrine in Sendagaya, Shibuya City. Its distinguishing feature is its Fujizuka, called the Sendagaya Fuji. Fujizuka are small mounds that represent Mount Fuji. Fuji worshipers who are unable to do a pilgrimage to the top of Mount Fuji can use one of those instead. There are many other such Fujizuka in Tokyo (for example, at Shinagawa Shrine or Onoterusaki Shrine in Iriya).
Kanamara Matsuri (Festival of the Steel Phallus) in Kawasaki
The Kanamara Matsuri (かなまら祭り, “Festival of the Steel Phallus”), aka the Penis Festival, is a shinto festival celebrating fertility, long marriages and healthy births. It is held each spring at the Kanayama Shrine (金山神社) in Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture, just south of Tokyo. The penis, as the central theme of the event, is reflected in illustrations, candy, carved vegetables, decorations, and a mikoshi parade.
Hike from Yoshino Baigo Plum Park to Mount Hinode & Mount Mitake
After the plum festival at Yoshino Baigo in Ome, I went on a hike to Mount Hinode and Mount Mitake. At the end of the day, I took the Mitake funicular to get down to the valley then walked from the lower station to the Mitake train station.
Fushimi Inari Shrine
On my last day in Kyoto, I went to the Fushimi Inari Shrine (伏見稲荷大社, Fushimi Inari Taisha). It is an important Shinto shrine in southern Kyoto, famous for its thousands of red torii gates along a series of trails that go from the base of Mount Inari to the summit.