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Hachiman Area

flag Hachiman Shrine

 

The Shrine is about 10 minutes by foot from Kamakura station. The shrine is one of the most popular shrines in Japan attracting over two million visitors alone during the New Year holidays. The original shrine was founded in the 13th century by the first samurai Shogun in Japanese history whose name was Minamoto Yoritomo. The extensive compound is surrounded by a forest and holds a large pond and beautiful structures. The pond is surrounded by cherry trees. Lotus flowers float on the pond and are in full bloom during the summer. If you are lucky, you can see a wedding ceremony performed on an open stage in traditional Japanese style. Horseback archery is conducted twice a year(in mid-April and in mid-September), a dynamic sport where the shooter wears a samurai costume.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lotus on a pond in the shrine precincts.

Admission :Free

Open :7:00am to 6:30pm

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flag Dankazura Avenue

Dankazaura is a pedestrian path in the center of Wakamiya Oji Street. Dankazura path was built about 800 years ago by the first Shogun whose name was Minamoto Yoritomo. The Shogun Yoritomo was very pleased to hear his wife got pregnant and prayed the baby be a boy. As part of his prayers to the god of Hachiman Shrine, he constructed this special path or approach way to the Shrine. Dankazaura path starts at the second Torii gate, a few minutes walk from Kamakura station, and stretches 500 meters. The path is lined with hundreds of cherry trees, azalea and dwarf azalea. The path gets narrower as you get closer to the Shrine. The idea was to give any enemy attacking the Shogunate the illusion that the path is even longer than it really is.

 

 

spring to autum

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

from the end of March to early in April

 

 

 

 

 

 

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flag Komachi Shopping Street

Komachi Street stretches about 800 meters from Kamakura station to Hachimangu Shrine. The street is lined with a variety of shops such as souvenir shops, confectionary shops (e.g. traditional Japanese, ice cream), art dealers, restaurants, coffee houses and so forth. You can enjoy window or actual shopping, and perhaps enjoy something to eat as you stroll around. Most shops open around 10:00am and close at 5:30pm

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flag Jomyo Temple

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The Temple was founded in the late 12th century and is ranked fifth in the top five Zen temples in Kamakura. There is a dry landscape garden which you can see from the guest room called Kisen-an. The garden was built about 20 years ago (the original was built 400 years ago). You can enjoy powdered tea service in this room for 600 yen.

Admission :100Yen for entrance and 600Yen for maccha tea

Open :8:00am to 4:30pm

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flag Hokoku Temple

The Temple is 15 minutes by foot from Hachiman Shrine. This Zen temple was built in the mid-14th century. Its nickname is “Bamboo Temple” as it has a beautiful bamboo forest which you can walk through. It also has a beautiful garden like the other Zen temples. At the corner of the forest, there is a tea-house where Japanese powdered tea is served for 500 yen. There are large Yagura (caves) which used to be graves for samurai in the Ashikaga clan. The Ashikaga clan was a powerful military regime from the 13th to the 15th centuries. All the samurai in the Ashikaga clan of Kamakura died after a fierce battle during the 14th century and the Temple has served to console the souls of the clan.

Admission :300Yen

Open :9:00am to 4:00pm

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flag Kencho Temple

The Temple is located 15 minutes by foot from Kita-Kamakura station and only 10 minutes from Hachiman Shrine. The Zen sect of Buddhism was imported from China in the 13th century. The Temple is the first Zen temple founded in Kamakura (in the mid-13th century) ,ranked first among the top five Zen temples in Kamakura and became the propagation center of the Zen sect. The inner gate is a majestic, two-story structure with a roof rebuilt in the late 18th century. The main object of worship in the main hall is a statue of Jizo Bodhisattva. It is unusual for a temple to enshrine Jizo Bodhisattva as the main object of worship. The reason is that this place had once been an execution ground for criminals. To console the souls of those criminals, however, Jizo Bodhisattva was considered the most suitable choice. The Temple has a beautiful garden just like other Zen temples.

 

 

Admission :500Yen

Open :8:00am to 4:30pm

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flag Zeni Arai Benzaiten (Bank Note washing shrine)

ZeniaraiZeniarai Benzaiten  is a Shinto shrine ,located 20 minutes on foot from Kamakura station. In spite of its small size, it is the second most popular spot in Kamakura after Hachiman shrine. Zeniarai Benzaiten is popular among tourists because the waters of a spring in its cave are said to be able to multiply the money washed in it. The object of worship is a deity which fuses a traditional spirit called Ugafukujin with the Buddhist goddess of Indian origin Sarasvati, known in Japanese as Benzaiten.  You wash your note such as 1000Yen or 10,000Yen note and you keep it for a while and then you are supposed to use it.  Some while later you might get a lot of money. You can also enjoy strolling through a typical residential street of Kamakura before you reach the shrine from Kamakura station.

Admission :Free

Open :8:00am to 5:30pm

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