|
The eastern side of Kamakura contains a scattering of less-visited shrines and temples, including two of the town's most enchanting corners. Though it's possible to cover the area on foot in a half-day, or less if you hop on a bus for the return journey, by far the best option for these scattered locations is to rent a bicycle . From Hachiman-ge work your way eastwards through a quiet suburban area north of the main highway, the Kanazawa-kaido, until you find signs indicating an optional left turn for Kamakura-gu . Mainly of interest for its history and torchlight No dramas in early October (tickets allocated by postal lottery in early Sept), this shrine was founded by Emperor Meiji in 1869 to encourage support for his new imperial regime. It is dedicated to Prince Morinaga, a forgotten fourteenth-century hero who helped restore his father, Emperor Go-Daigo, briefly to the throne. The prince was soon denounced, however, by power-hungry rivals and held for nine months in a Kamakura cave before being executed. The small cave and a desultory treasure house (daily 9.30am-4.30pm; Y300) lie to the rear of the classically styled shrine, but don't really justify the entry fee. A road heading north from Kamakura-gu marks the beginning - or end - of the short cut to the Ten'en Hiking Course , though the main trail starts 900m further east, near Zuisen-ji (daily 9am-5pm; Y100). The temple's fourteenth-century Zen garden, to the rear of the main building, is rather dilapidated, but the quiet, wooded location and luxuriant gardens in front of the temple make it an attractive spot. From Kamagura-gu you have to join the main road for the last short stretch to Kamakura's oldest temple, Sugimoto-dera (daily 8am-4.30pm; Y200), at the top of a steep, foot-worn staircase lined with fluttering white flags. Standing in a woodland clearing, the small, thatched temple, founded in 734, exudes a real sense of history. Inside its smoke-blackened hall, spattered with pilgrims' prayer stickers, you can slip off your shoes and take a look behind the altar at the three wooden statues of Juichimen Kannon, the eleven-faced Goddess of Mercy. The images were carved at different times by famous monks, but all three are at least one thousand years old. According to legend, they survived a devastating fire in 1189 by taking shelter - all by themselves - behind a giant tree; since then the temple has been known as Sugimoto , ("Under the Cedar"). Just a few minutes further east along Kanazawa-kaido, turn right over a small bridge to reach the entrance to Hokoku-ji (daily 9am-4pm; Y200), or Take-dera , the "Bamboo Temple". The well-tended gardens and simple wooden buildings are attractive in themselves, but the temple is best known for a grove of evergreen bamboo protected by the encircling cliffs. This dappled forest of thick, gently curved stems, where tinkling water spouts and the soft creaking of the wind-rocked canes muffle the outside world, would seem the perfect place for the monks' meditation. Too soon, though, the path emerges beside the manicured rear garden, which was created by the temple's founding priest in the thirteenth century. To return to central Kamakura, you can catch a bus for the two-kilometre ride from opposite Sugimoto-dera. Alternatively, take the small lane left in front of Hokoku-ji and follow it west through an attractive residential area, which cuts off at least a chunk of the highway
Your Tip for East Kamakura
Help other backpackers! Write your own guides and backpacking tips to East Kamakura - they will appear instantly on this page - Please only write a tip/guide to East Kamakura - visit the main East Kamakura forum to ask a question!
Please do not post links to your site here (they won't work) - please use the East Kamakura webguide section below! Thanks.
|
