I am Fujimori, the representative.
On Wednesday, July 11, a regular holiday, I went to Kamakura on a day trip with my friend S.
The other day, when we had a drink after a long time, a book titled "Pilgrimage to Old Temples" by Tatsuhiko Shibusawa came up in conversation, and we decided that Kyoto and Nara are good, but Kamakura is also very good.
The walk begins in the morning in Kitakamakura.
First, right in front of the station.Engakuji Temple To.
This was probably my first visit since elementary school field trips. Engakuji Temple is a Zen temple of the Rinzai sect, which Soseki also visited, and Zen meditation sessions are frequently held there.
On a morning with light rain, Kamakura is quiet and the air is pleasant. We took a leisurely walk through the precincts of the temple, surrounded by the unique rocky surface of Kamakura.
Next, we headed to the S-recommendedTokei Temple This is a nunnery that is a counterpart to Engakuji Temple. This is a nun temple that forms a counterpart to Engakuji Temple, and is famous as a so-called "run-in temple" where people can get divorced if they run in.
Climb the stairs leading to the beautiful temple gate and enter the temple grounds.
We walked around slowly in the light rain that came and went. At the back of the temple grounds is a cemetery, where the graves of Tetsuro Watsuji and D.T. Suzuki are located, and the well-maintained graves are very refreshing.
I talked to S. about how it was one of the very few "rewarding" jobs in Kamakura that was creative and required a great deal of work.
The rock face was beautifully covered with rock tobacco leaves, the flowers of which are said to be very elegant and beautiful.
(You can see the seasonal flowers on the temple's blog there.Photo has).
Tokei Temple S had made a reservation in advance for us to visit a small hall behind the main hall, where there is a Buddhist statue called Suigetsu Kannon, which dates back to the Kamakura period. At the appointed time of 11:00 a.m., we opened the entrance to the company building, which is also a private home, and a very elegant-looking woman appeared from inside and invited us to the Suigetsu Hall where Suigetsu Kannon is dedicated.
The seated statue of the Water Moon Goddess of Mercy is a small wooden carving about 40 cm tall, but her figure and expression are extremely bewitching. It is even erotic if you continue to look at it.
The richness of her gaze, her voluptuous lips, the expression of her fingertips holding the lotus flower, and the softness of the folds of her robe that envelop her body with only her toes showing, are expressions that would have made Michelangelo look like a true Michelangelo. I was fascinated by the glossy and gentle Kannon.
S for making the reservation, and the lady at Tokeiji Temple (probably the Okami-san who updates the above blog) for allowing us to take our time to see the temple, we had a very good time. Thank you.
Afterwards, the river flows through a beautiful hydrangeaMeigetsuin, the "Hydrangea Temple To. The hydrangeas are long past their season, but there are still some beautiful blooms, and the bluish purple hydrangeas, like tanzanites, are beautiful.
After visiting Myogetsuin Temple, we went to Kenchoji Temple, the head temple of the Rinzai sect of Zen Buddhism. Kenchoji Temple is large and masculine, and one feels suddenly brought back to reality after the tranquil scenery of the past few days. The half-monastery at the top of the mountain at the far end of the temple grounds is also a little disconcerting, as it seems a little too open-minded to the interests of the present world.
The rain was getting a little heavier, but we didn't want to go back to the entrance, so we proceeded to the "Tenen Hiking Course" that leads into the Kamakura mountains from Hansobo. It was raining today, and there was no way anyone was going to go hiking in the mountains, so the two of us, who were in no hiking mood at all (I was wearing leather sneakers and a leather handbag...), went recklessly along the slippery rocks and sloppy path. We were in no mood for hiking at all (I was wearing leather sneakers and a leather handbag...). We joked that we could easily get lost if it started to pour, but our faces were serious and regretful.
It took me about 40 minutes to get safely through to the side of Kakuonji Temple, but it felt very long in the mountains of Kamakura, where old forests were full of rock-cut shrines, which meant that I was walking through a cemetery, which also helped with the eerie feeling of being in a cemetery.
It is already 2:00 p.m. when I come out of the mountains. I wanted to have lunch as soon as possible, but most stores in the quiet residential area around Nikaido do not open for lunch until 2:00. With an empty stomach, we walked through the typical Kamakura alleys and headed for Komachi-dori, where we thought we would find a store open.
This is another recommendation from S. The famous curry storecaraway I checked later and found that there is usually a line for the restaurant. Later, I found out that there is usually a line for the restaurant, but since it was raining and already past 3:00 p.m., I didn't wait in line at all and went into the restaurant, which was rather empty.
Egg curry with a quail egg in it. It is mild and delicious. S, who used to be a member of a curry club, eats a lot of fukujinzuke (pickled vegetables).
After eating curry, we went to the other side of Kamakura Station, toward Onari Street. Here,Kamakura Shoes Komaya, a store specializing in made-to-order shoesThe second president of the company is a friend of mine from my days studying in Florence, Mr. J, who trained at Stefano Beymer, a long-established high-end custom shoe store in Florence.
Unfortunately, we couldn't meet again today as he was in Tokyo, but I bought a pair of Spanish sneakers that he had bought directly from Europe. I'm a picky person, and I like shoes without laces, so his choice was perfect for me.
Now, it's time to take the Enoden.
Go to Hase and walk from there.Goryo Shrine (shrine dedicated to a deity close to the imperial family) I went to the shrine. The shrine grounds, which straddle the Enoden tracks, are a quiet, small shrine with a very familiar feeling, and I felt as if I had played there when I was a child. Around Hase, the Enoden train lines were closing in under the eaves of houses, and I envied the boy who ran along the tracks to the station and jumped on the train, rather than being prohibited to enter the tracks. I grew up in Kamakura.
We went straight to the beach and walked along the ocean to Inamuragasaki. There were many surfers out on the rough, rainy sea. I have never imagined living by the sea because the saltiness of the sea makes me feel loose, but if I were born into a family of surfers, I would probably surf, I thought to myself as I walked along the beach in the pleasant evening breeze.
Last visited,Sukhavati (Amitabha's Pure Land) Gokuraku-ji Temple Gokurakuji Temple is located by the side of Gokurakuji Station, where a small stream flows by and across the Sakura Bridge. Unfortunately, the clock struck 5:30 and we could not visit the temple. But the temple grounds peeking out from the straw-thatched gate were quiet and secluded. Let's come back again.
After 6:00 p.m., the sun was gradually setting and the curry in my stomach was getting used to it, so I went to today's dinner spot.
Take the Enoden from Gokurakuji to Koshigoe, all taken at Koshigoe fishing port.Shirasuya, a restaurant specializing in local fish To.
The specialty is freshly caught shiny raw shirasu! But unfortunately, there were no fresh shirasu today due to the time of the year. What a disappointment.
But there are many other tasty fish as well.
Enjoy sashimi, boiled fish, tatami, kama-age shirasu rice bowl, etc.
Sashimi. This fish with a very long beak is a white fish similar to the Japanese swordfish, firm but tasty without being fussy. Lost the name.
Scorpionfish simmered in the shape of a fish. Even the flesh of the cheeks is melt-in-your-mouth delicious.
The delicious fish and beer keep the conversation going, and we end up staying for nearly four hours, until the restaurant closes after 10:00 p.m.
It was already midnight when I left the restaurant, boarded the Enoden at midnight, and arrived at Shinagawa via Ofuna.
Unfortunately, the weather was not what we expected, but Kamakura was very expressive with light rain, and we may have felt the gentle atmosphere that is most typical of Kamakura. It was a very fulfilling day.
Kamakura is more than enough to enjoy even on a day trip. The busier you are, the more I recommend it. Please come on a rainy weekday.
