Kamakura

An hour's train ride south of Tokyo takes us to Kamakura, a former ancient capital and now a popular seaside town. Sometimes called the Kyoto of eastern Japan for its numerous shrines and temples, we also found a thriving surfer culture, a railway crossing made popular by an old sports anime, and 121 tons of bronzed enlightenment.

Upon leaving the Kamakura train station we walked up the food and restaurant street known as Komachi Street.

Our first stop was Tsurugaoka Hachimangu shrine for two reasons. 1. Entrance is free. 2. It is the closest site to the station.

This 800-year-old shrine is dedicated to Hachiman, the God of Samurai. Pass through a large gate at the entrance, walk along a walkway flanked on each side by lily pad ponds and climb up a stone stairway to reach the main temple area.

It was a cloudy day, but still the temperatures soared to 35 degrees. We headed towards the sea for some cool breezes and to watch the surfers at Shichirigahama Beach. The mysterious Enoshima island lurks in the background.

The sand is a mix of black and brown sand which gives it a unique color and looks stunning in pictures.

Eager crowds gather next to Kamakurakokomae station to watch a train go by. Why? This crossing is shown in the opening credits of Slam Dunk, a very beloved basketball anime. For the actual scene in question, click here to see a YouTube clip and scroll to 00:57.

A short hike inland took us uphill to the Buddhist Temple Kotoku-in. There, we saw the Kamakura Daibatsu which took ten years to build and is a symbol of Kamakura.

The creation of this 11.3 meter 121 ton statue began in 1253. Originally housed indoors, storms and typhoons had other ideas and kept destroying the temple structures around it. In the 15th century, it was decided to leave it outside.

On the way up to the Buddha, we found Shugenji Temple. There are many temples (65) and shrines (15) in Kamakura. While the more famous ones charge an entrance fee, many are free if you wander off the beaten path to find them.

Our final ride on the iconic the Enoden train line before returning to Kamakura station and then home.