Monday, October 29, 2018

Kamakura: Historic Temples, Shinto Shrines & Soba





Once a sleepy fishing village, few places are entrenched deeper in Japan’s history than Kamakura. The small coastal town only an hour from Tokyo, was once the political centre of medieval Japan when Minamoto Yoritomo established the country's first military dictatorship in 1185 and became the first shogun. Surrounded by wooded hills and facing the ocean to the south, Kamakura was blessed with natural defences for the samurai-backed shogunate that controlled all of Japan for over 150 years. Once a political, economic and cultural centre of medieval Japan, the city is now filled with numerous famous temples and shrines. making it the political, economic and cultural envy of the country. Often called “little Kyoto”, Kamakura boasts hundreds of temples and shrines scattered around the hilly, green city, including the enormous Giant Buddha at Kōtoku-in that is the tallest Buddhist statue in the world, the serene Hōkoku-ji bamboo grove with more than 2000 Mōsō bamboo; Tsurugaoka Hachimangu shrine, a renowned symbol of Kamakura, boasting a magnificent main hall and gates; and peaceful Meigetsu-In, known as the "temple of hydrangeas." 



Arched stone bridge leading to Tsurugaoia Hachimangū used only by the shogun

Tsurugaoka Hachimangū is the oldest and most important Shinto shrine in Kamakura

Established in 1180 by Yoritomo Minamoto, the first shogun of the Kamakura Era,
the shrine is the spiritual heart of Kamakura

Shinto priest mopping away the wet rain on the Maiden (shrine stage) with zen-like concentration

Hōkoku-ji bamboo grove with more than 2000 Mōsō bamboo

The small tea house hidden away in the bamboo grove, that for 500 yen we were treated to a bowl of Matcha tea and traditional Japanese sweets

Wet moss covered stones and glistening leaves

Enjoying a bowl of Matcha tea overlooking the serene bamboo grove
with the sound of rain drops - very zen!

Little Japanese sweets known as 'higashi' are often served with matcha tea

Small pavilion at Hōkoku-ji where I got my temple book (goshuin) signed by a monk, 
who for a few yen, marks it with beautiful calligraphy and stamps it with red seals

Hōkoku-ji bellower with its original thatched roof dating from 1334

Japanese unripe wonderberries

Path leading up to Meigetsu-in with atmospheric mist covered mountains

Meigetsu-In is nicknamed the 'Ajisai Temple' because of the abundance of Hydrangea blossoms that cover the grounds each June

The main hall (hodo) of Meigetsuin Temple through the boughs of a Japanese maple

Meigetsuin Temple hall with stone lantern in the rain

Japanese purple beautyberries 

Dankozura Kosuzu is an institution in Kamakura, serving handmade soba

Side entrance of Kosuzu through its small garden

Spicy wasabi peas

Cold Sapporo beer in small Japanese beer glasses

Kamaboko: Cold Japanese fish cakes made with steamed white fish paste
which can be enjoyed on its own or with a light drizzle of soy sauce

Soy sauce in a lovely polkadot ceramic pot

Cold soba noodles (zaru soba) with julienned wakame 

Tsuyu is a soy and mirin dipping sauce for cold soba noodles

Warm soba noodles

Kamo Nanban Soba: Hot soba noodles served in a warm dashi and soy broth with slivers of perfectly cooked duck breast and green onions

Kosuzu's famous chilled warabi mochi with black honey and nutty kinakara soybean powder

The Great Bronze Buddha (Daibutsu) at Kōtoku-in is the tallest Buddhist statue in the world 

Smoke from the bronze incense burner in front of Daibotsu is to ward off evil spirits


The Sammon Gate of Hase-dera Buddhist Temple 

Beautiful ponds and gardens are one of the highest of the temple

Statue of sitting Keneo bodhisattva overlooking the pond

Wall of tiny mizuko-jizo statues honour the memory of stillborn babies is unique in Japan

Incense sticks burning in front of Hasadera Temple

Hasadera Temple with the 14th-century gold statue of the Goddess of Mercy

The 1300 year old gilded wooden statue of 'Kannon', the 11-headed Goddess of Mercy

13th-century Hasedera Temple Bell



Kannan-do is the main hall of the Buddhist Temple and houses a museum these days

The temple garden with pond full of koi





















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