Shrine Hopping: From Giant Statues to Giant Trees (Day 6 - Kamakura)

6:00 A.M., my usual wake up time for this trip.  Today is a rough day.  I'm sick.  I can't stay behind, I must force myself to go.  I don't want Scott to miss anything because I'm feeling a little sick.

Today is a holiday.  It's Ocean Day!  There will be quite a bit of people getting to the ocean, especially in Kamakura.

We have a long ride ahead of us.  I think it's a little over an hour ride just to get to Kamakura Station.  Today is what I like to call 'shrine hopping day" for us.  Today we're going to visit 3 shrines/temples that are quite a ways from each other.  Today's agenda is:  Daibutsu, Hase Dera, and Tsurugaoka Hachimangu.

Time to head to Shinjuku Station.  It's not as bad as I thought it would be.  I guess it's because it's a holiday that there isn't the mass rush hour on normal weekdays.  Since tomorrow is our free day, I suggest to Jayson that those who want to fill up their Suica cards should do it now (because we can show them how).

Instead of going onto the usual Yamanote Line, it's time to go a different way.  We're heading out of Tokyo and going south.  Hopefully there will be a place to sit on the train.  Just our luck, the train is slightly full, well the seating area.  I decide to stand until a seat opens up.  After a couple of stops, seats become available.  Too bad Scott and I are separated for the moment.  At first, Scott was being stubborn and didn't want to sit down.  He said that he can manage, but I convinced him after saying how long the ride will be.


After over an hour in the train, we finally make it Kamakura.  It's amazing that the ride didn't seem that long.  I wonder why....

Kamakura hasn't changed.  There is just more people around since it's a nice sunny day for the beach!  The first year it was the ending part of the typhoon, so it was still cloudy and rainy.  As we head out of the station, Jayson's senpai greets us with his daughter.  After a short reunion, it's time to head to the Enoshima Electric Railway.

First thing at the station, I start looking for the コロッケ (croquette) stand.  That's the first thing I remember about this station.  I'm so glad that it's still here.  I rush over because I wasn't sure how much more time until the train comes.  I think everyone in the group thought I was weird.  Jayson cannot believe I still remembered the stand.

You can really tell that the recession is hitting everyone hard.  The croquettes are smaller this year.

As we wait for the train to come, there is a shrine at the end of the tracks.  There is a frog.  I get the joke, but I don't think the rest of the group understands.  It's a play on Japanese words.  The frog represents returning.  Frog in Japanese is kaeru and return is also kaeru.

The train finally arrives.  Same as always.  These are the things I love about Japan.  Like I have been saying, Tokyo is constantly evolving, but there are places like Kamakura that stay the same.

Time to take the short ride to the Hase Station.

Right outside of the Hase Station is a shop called Cafe Hula Hawaii.  The first Tokyo trip Jayson commented that Kamakura is as close as you can get to Hawaii.  People come here if they cannot afford the trip to Hawaii.  I didn't understand this the first year until going to the lookout point at Hase Dera.

Now it's time to make the trek to Daibutsu.  I remember that we need to head straight and we get to Daibutsu.  The walk up is the same.  First there are the Hawaii-themed or Hawaii-named shops on the way.

There are a lot of cars on the street.  Some are heading toward the beach.  Others are headed toward the Daibutsu.

This year there are more people walking about.  I guess good weather makes a big difference.  The typhoon during the first Tokyo trip really kept people indoors.  Of course, we weren't those people.  A little rain couldn't stop us!

Finally we make it to the entrance.  Yoko goes and purchases our tickets.  Nice souvenir.  All our admission tickets serve that purpose.

First things first.  We need to purify ourselves.  Jayson explains to those that have not done it before how it is done.

Once you pass that area, you can see the enormous statue of Buddha.  It's so big that taking this above picture was actually quite far away from the statue.  Like the rest of the historic landmarks around Japan, the statue still looks the same as it did 2 years ago.

Today is so hot.  Good weather for Ocean Day, bad for people sightseeing.  After taking a few pictures, I decide to go to the souvenir area.  I decide to get the usual charms as omiyage.  In the end I only spend around $20 (So cheap compared to buying back at home.  Another business opportunity?).

I cannot take the heat anymore.  I need something to cool me down.  I tell Scott that we should get some soft serve ice cream.  He doesn't argue with that suggestion.

While we both eat our ice cream, there are many squirrels around in the trees.  The first year was so rainy we didn't get to see them.  There actually was a man near us feeding them.  Too bad I didn't have a chance to take a picture of it.

It's lunch time!  I'm hungry.  It's free time and we have to find our own meal.  Majority of us go to the shop right across the street from the Daibutsu.  Since we are a large group, the lady lets us go upstairs.  I really want something cool since it is hot outside.  I order cold soba, while Scott decides to get hot ramen. (変, strange...)

Time flies by so fast.  Right after getting our orders, it's almost time to meet up with the rest of the group.  Time to pay our bill (no tip needed).  Well, Summer gave the lady a tip.  She gave her a Hawaii key chain.  She looked very happy to receive such a gift.  Is Hawaii really that much a paradise to others?  I guess perspective makes a big difference to everyone.  We meet up with the rest of the group and walk back towards the station.

Hase Dera is on the top of a street with regular homes.  You wouldn't think there would be a shrine in the middle of community.  That's the charm of Japan.  Things are put in random areas or communities are built around historic landmarks so they don't waste any space.

We have free time to explore the entire garden.  I don't think there is enough time.  This place is HUGE!  Last time we were here, I wasn't able to get to the cave.  This year I am making it a point to get there.

First things first at any temple.  Purify ourselves once again.

Everything looks the same as it did the first time I came here.  Here I took the same picture.  Can you tell when I took each one?

The one on the left is the picture I took the first year.  The one on the right is the one I took this year.  The angle is different but it is of the same area.  This is one of the quirks of Japan.  There are places that stay constant as the outside continuously change.

The garden are is so beautiful.  It's the perfect time to visit Hase Dera.  It says online that these flowers usually bloom during June and July.

Next it's time to head towards the actual temple area.  Too bad pictures are not permitted in any of the halls.  Scott doesn't seem too interested in going in them.  I don't think this is his scene.  Even though we do live in the country area, I think he'd rather be in the city.

I want to go to the path of enlightenment (I think that's what it's called).  I remember going on that uphill battle and being rewarded.  So, I dragged Scott to come with me. (^_^)

The beginning of the path is still the same.  The only thing different is that there aren't any flowers by the stairs.  It still is beautiful.  At first I thought I would try and count the steps, but soon I just stopped because of the amount there was.

Once we reached the top of the path, you can see all the way to the shore line.  With my zoom lens, you can see the amount of people at the beach.  The first time there weren't as many because of the storm.  It was amazing to see that many people on the beach.  It makes Maui seem so insignificant.

Once I get my pictures, it's time to head back down.  I really want to go into the cave this year.  If I don't now, I don't know when I will get a chance to come here again.

On the way to the caves, I stop by the area with hundreds of Jizo.  What does the Jizo represent?  Jizo is the protector of unborn children that have either been miscarried, still-born or aborted.  It's amazing to see the the amount seems to have increased in just 2 years.

We finally make it to the caves.  Yay!  It's so dark and low inside.  I guess this is the best time to be short.  It was nice a cool compared to the weather outside.  Maybe that's why so many people were inside.

I tried taking pictures of the statues, but it was too dark.  But it was amazing how everything was set up.  Each deity had it's own area and you can place your offering at whichever one you want to.  Exploring around the caves was interesting.  You cannot be claustrophobic.  Some areas were low and tight.  Cliff said he had trouble being hunched for that period of time inside the caves.

Time flies again.  It's time for us to leave Hase Dera and head to Tsurugaoka Hachimangu.  We have to get back to Kamakura Station.  Back to the electric train we go!  This time we are going to go by taxi.  Better than the first year.  The walk is nice but it cuts into the time we don't have.  We are dropped off across the street and must walk down the long pathway to get to the shrine.

This year there are many vendors.  I guess the first year there wasn't because 1) it was pretty late in the afternoon and 2) it was the day after the typhoon.

We finally make it to the lower level of the shrine.  Here you have a great view of the staircase to get to the main temple.  This is why it was a good idea to take a taxi here than walking.

My first stop of the shrine is of course the area with all the sake barrels.  Sometimes I wonder if they really are full.  These things are huge.  It must be around 3 feet high.  Must be a big party to drink all that sake.

At the base of the stairwell, there is a huge gingko tree.  It is said that this tree is approximately 1,000 years old.  I think it is really sad to know that in March 2010 this had been uprooted due to a snowstorm.  I am glad to have seen it twice.  The next time I visit, it won't be the same.

It's amazing how powerful nature can be.  A heavy snowstorm that can uproot a tree that had been sturdy for 1,000 years.

Time to make the journey up those stairs.  After this long day, it's a little challenge to go up that many stairs.

At the top, you can see the Hachimangu sign in more detail.  The "hachi" (Japanese kanji for 8) is made up of 2 "tsurus" (Japanese cranes).  It is the mirror reflection of each other.

After going into the temple and purchasing more souvenirs, Scott and I head back down the stairs.  For some reason I need a snack.  I was happy to see a yakitori vendor.  Scott loves yakitori.  Of course, I have to order since Scott doesn't like to try his Japanese.  This gives us a chance to sit down and relax before we have to head back to the station.

Our time in Kamakura is done.  Time to head back to Tokyo.  I can't believe that we only got to see 3 places in Kamakura in 10 hours.  It would take forever to see everything there is to see in Kamakura.  I guess we have to venture out to Japan on our own one day.

As we take the hour train ride back to Tokyo, we spot Kamen Rider V3!  変身 (henshin)!

I want to rest like I did the first year.  I passed out on the train.  I think Andy took a picture of it.  I couldn't believe it.  I was holding onto the railing and sleeping sitting up.  I blended into my surroundings.

For some reason I cannot go to sleep.  I feel tired and a little sick, yet I cannot fall asleep.  At least the class part is done for today.  Tonight is our farewell banquet and optional tour of Kabukicho because tomorrow is a free day.

The farewell banquet was something to remember, too bad some of it I don't.  I didn't take any pictures.  I was too busy drinking.  It was like the first year.  At one point I was just speaking Japanese.  At least this year I didn't cry.

After the dinner, we have an optional tour of the the Metropolitan Government Building and Kabukicho.  Scott isn't feeling so good.  I have to take him back to the hotel room.  Everyone else is waiting for me so we can head to the government building.


We get there, and to our luck, we just missed the last elevator.  No seeing Tokyo from above at night.  At least I got to the first time.  So now it's time to head to Kabukicho!


For some reason, I don't remember getting to Kabukicho.  I remember walking and everything, but I don't know which route we took.  I do remember bits and pieces.  I do remember going to Shinjuku station because that's how we got to Kabukicho the first year.  But I don't remember the rest.  But I do remember getting to the gate that marks Kabukicho (Kabukicho Ichibangai).

As we walk around I start taking pictures.  Even though I'm 酔っぱらい, I think I took pretty good pictures.

Our tour is cut short.  Time to head back to the hotel.  We are going to take a taxi even though we are close by.  It was amazing that I could tell the taxi driver where to go.  I even asked for a receipt.  All of this was in Japanese.  That's what Sheila told me.


Tomorrow is a free day.  In the morning, we are heading to Ghibli Studios.  Then we are going to Tokyo Disney Sea at night!