Kamakura city is situated 57 km south of Tokyo, and we gets there by JR Yokosuka
Line in one hour. The city is surrounded at three sides by hills and faces Sagami bay
at southern side. Its population is 180 thousands.
MINAMOTO No Yoriyoshi, head of a big samurai clan constructed Tsurugaoka Wakamiya
shrine, Kamakura in 1063 after he had successfully suppressed a big local rebellion
against the Imperial court in Tohoku region, northern Japan.
MINAMOTO No Yoritomo, great-great-grandson of Yoriyoshi, came to Kamakura in 1180,
moved the shrine to the present place and started constructing Kamakura city around
the new shrine. He established the first shogunate in Kamakura ( so-called, Kamakura Bakufu)
in 1185, and the city became the first seat of Samurai's government.
Kamakura shogunate with its regent, Hojo clan lasted from 1185 to 1333, and samurai
culture flourished there what we call it the Kamakura era. Therefore we see many temples,
shrines and historical places there. These days the city has been soliciting UNESCO to
register Kamakura city on the world heritage list.

The image of Amitabaha in Amida-do

The great image of Buddha of bronze is in KOTOKUIN Buddhist temple, which is located
7 minutes on foot from Hase station of ENODEN line after passing Hase Temple.
It was constructed in 1252 with 13.35m of height and 12 tons of weight. ts head is 2.35m long.
An unprecedented great tsunami carried away the building in 1498 which had covered
the image, and left it in the open air. Later, great Kanto earthquake damaged its neck
and pedestal in 1923. However its major part remains intact, while the major part of
the image in Nara was destructed by fire and restored three times.

The big image of Buddha is of bronze and hollow. and people can enter inside from the right side.

Miura Peninsula and Sagami Bay are
seen from the compound of Hase temple.

The sanctuary is seen through the gate.

This stone stairway leads to the sanctuary

Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine was moved to the present place by MINAMOTO no Yoritomo,
the first shogun in 1180. It venerates gods of war.

1, Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine

(2), Daibutsu, the great image of Buddha of bronze

We take ENODEN private line at Kamakura station or a local bus to get to Hase area
in about 12 minutes. After reaching there we walk some minutes to Hase Buddhist temple
and to KOTOKUIN Buddhist temple with the great image of Buddha.
YUIGAHAMA beach is very near from Hase station about 5 minutes on foot.

They sell many kinds of lucky charms at the left shop
and many EMA tablets or horse picture tablets are
hanged over at the back.

Butsuden, ex-mausoleum of the wife of TOKUGAWA
Hidetada, the second shogun de theTokugawas.

The main sanctuary where the Kannon image with
11 heads is venerated. The image is 9.18m high.

The temple has a pond behind the main gate.

Water purification site where visitors purify
themselves with water in a big basin .

MAIDEN, theater of Noh dance located
in front of the sanctuary.

The front gate to Tsurugaoka Hachimangu
shrine where Wakamiya Odori street starts.

This is the frontal view of the gate to
the sanctuary.

2, HASE and KOUTOKUIN Buddhist Temples

(1) HASE Buddhist Temple

TOKUDO, priest sculpted two Kannon images of camphor tree in Yamato province ( at present,
Nara province) in 721. The two images are very big with 9.18m high, one of two was put at
Hase temple in Yamato province and another was set float at sea in order to spread Buddhism,
which finally reached the beach in Kamakura in 736.
Hase Kannon temple was constructed in Kamakura on the same year so as to venerate it.
Later, ASHIKAGA Takauji, the first shogun of Muromachi shogunate, donated gold leaves
in 1342 to cover all the statue and ASHIKAGA Yoshimitsu, the third shogun a halo.
There are also Amida-do, Daikoku-do, Benten-do, Jizo-do and Rinzo buildings.

3, KENCHOJI ZEN Buddhist TEMPLE

KENCHOJI ZEN Temple was constructed by HOJO Tokiyori, fifth regent of Kamakura shogunate,
in 1253 as the first training center of Zen meditation.
The Temple is along Kamakura Kaido highway, and 15 minutes from JR Kita Kamakura
station and alsoTsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine on foot.