Today was my day off and I was starting to get a little stir-crazy, so I got myself ready and headed out for the day. A couple of the students at the school had recommended Kamakura Temple to me because I enjoyed Daiyuzan so much, but instead I went with my boss' suggestion of Hasedera.
To get to the Kamakura area by train is simple enough. My route was...
- Kamonomiya to Ofuna - Tokaido Line 580円
- Ofuna to Kamakura - Yokosuko Line 160円
Hasedera Temple 鎌倉長谷寺
Hasedera Temple was my first stop of the day, and it was horrendously busy. I counted at least 3 different school groups and 4 coaches, plus two entirely full trains of people. It's an easy walk from the station, though I had to weave through endless people who were ambling in and out of the road. The whole thing was quite an ordeal...
Anyway, the temple itself is pretty enough. Entry is 300円, and I was given a number for the Hydrangea Path as well. I decided to follow the route that was laid out, because that seemed like a sensible idea - no point going against the tide, so to speak. The route takes you up to the main buildings via some distinctly wonky steps, where I got to see a group of monks chanting.
The main building - Kannon-do Hall - houses a huge gold statue of Hase Kannon, usually referred to as the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy, though is in fact neither masculine nor feminine. According to the leaflet, it is 9.18m tall and has 12 heads in total. Each face has a different expression, which represents the deity listening to all people.
Next, I went to the Amida-do Hall which is just next door to Kannon-do Hall and is far smaller and quieter. The statue here is also covered in gold-leaf, and is of the seated Yakuyoke Amida Buddha, the Protector From Evil Spirits. The figure measures 2.8m, though the halo means it is far taller than that.
On my way around, I came to the Hydrangea Path waiting area and promptly decided that I am much less dedicated to hydrangeas than everyone else. My ticket was number 610, meaning I had at least 45 minutes to wait before I'd be allowed entry. As much as I like hydrangeas, I am really not that patient and the noise from the crowds was starting to grate.
I bought a charm for good luck in exams (I really want my final year of university to go well) and carried on wandering around the temple for a while before heading back to the station. I was planning on going to the giant buddha statue, but I really wasn't feeling it at the time. Anyway, here's a load of photos from Hasedera Temple.
Engaku-ji 円覚寺
Engaku-ji is about 50m from Kita-Kamakura train station, and admission is 300円 and it is generally OK to take photographs (rules are on their website). I hadn't originally planned to go there, but on the way through to Hase it looked nice and peaceful so I figured it was worth a go. I definitely made the right decision.
The temple complex is pretty big, and there's lots of open space so it's easy to get away from people and enjoy the surroundings.
The buildings are beautiful and there are hydrangeas everywhere. It was very quiet and very calming, which I really appreciated after the hustle and bustle of Hasedera. There are loads of trees and cliff faces, so it has a really wonderful atmosphere despite the weather being somewhat poor. If you're brave and/or fit enough, you can climb the steps to the Great Bell 大金 which is 2.5m tall. From there, you can get a really good view across the valley, as well as see the roofs at Tokeiji Temple.
I spent a good few hours wandering around and enjoying the quiet, and I felt a lot better as a result. I will definitely be going back on a day with better weather! There are so many little paths to explore, so it's easy to spend most of an afternoon there.
Shokozan Tokei-ji Temple 松岡山東慶寺
Tokei-ji Temple (they even have a Facebook page) was my last stop for the day. It's really close to Engaku-ji and admission is only 200円, so it seemed silly not to go. It's quite small and feels very overgrown compared to the other temples from today, but in the rain it made it feel like being in a Ghibli film. As you would expect at this time of year, there are lots of hydrangeas which attract a lot of people. Despite that, it didn't feel particularly crowded.
Whilst I might not visit this one again (I think I saw everything), I can say that it has a very charming and mysterious atmosphere, and the people in charge of maintaining the gardens are really friendly and pleased that people enjoy their hard work.
I really enjoy seeing so many people of every age enjoying the temples, even if it's just to see flowers or to be a tourist (like me). These buildings are so wonderful and the people are so kind, that I really do find them incredibly calming. Every time I've left a temple (well, perhaps not Hasedera), I have felt considerably better. No matter how many I see, I still find the architecture and the gardens to be incredibly beautiful. It's safe to say that I'll be seeing a fair number of temples and shrines over the next three months.
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