Kamakura - Japan

Walk the world without caring about the weather tomorrow

Kamakura is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Japan due to the numerous shrines, temples and historical monuments as well as the beautiful beaches which are simply enchanting. However, behind the small and pleasant façade of Kamakura lies the richest Japanese history.

This significant historical town is where the first shogunate was established in 1192 until 1333. The defeat to the Taira clan in a domestic battle had the 3^rd son of Minamoto Yoshitomo, the leader of Minamoto clan, fled to Izu peninsula (adjacent to Kamakura). When he grew older, he started to garner forces against the Taira and set up his an ideal fortress in Kamakura which was bordered by sea and hills. The strategic situation around his base helped him vanquished the enemy in 1185 and was appointed shogun in 1192. It then became the de facto capital of Japan until the decline of Kamakura shogunate that it lost its position to other cities. Kamakura Period lasted over a century.

Geographically, Kamakura is a coastal town located in Kanagawa prefecture, to the south of Tokyo, Japan. The Institute for Research on World-Systems states that Kamakura was the largest city in Japan, eclipsing Kyoto by 1200 AD, and was the 4^th largest city in the world in 1250 AD. Today, the population is approximately 180,000.

The Magic of Kamakura

Sometimes called the Kyoto of Eastern Japan, Kamakura is rather on par with Nikko as the most culturally rewarding day trip from Tokyo. Countless Buddhist temples and the intermittent Shinto shrine scatter around the countryside. You could be indulging yourself in the tranquility while flipping through pages of this mammoth Japanese history book during the weekdays, but this pleasing city would be sandwiched with visitors during the weekends and holiday peak. The most visited spot is Kotokuin which houses a 13.35 meters bronze statue of Amida known as the renowned Great Buddha (大仏 Daibutsu). It is the second largest in Japan after the Todaiji in Nara. Besides, Hasedera temple, Engakuji temple, Zeniarai Benten shrine and Hachimangu shrine carry their own significance in history thus are also the highlights of Kamakura. The architecture here is older than anywhere else in Kanto region, the oldest is Sugimotodera temple featuring the eleven-faced statue of Kannon of Sugimoto (十一面杉本観音), founded in 734.

Due to its location at the coast of the Pacific Ocean, Kamakura boasts about its large and beautiful beaches that attract thousands of ebullient beach lovers during the hot summer months. They are just about ten-minute walking distance from Kamakura Station. Hence, if visiting Japanese aged temples and shrines is not your cup of tea, or you simply need a break and zephyr, heading to the beaches that filled with good-mannered Japanese people, sexy bikini-clad Japanese girls as well as gorgeous sunset would certainly give you rejuvenation from head to toe. Another eye candy by the beaches is aquatic fireworks well-known in Kamakura. The top three beaches are Yuigahama, where you can take pleasure in sea-bathing and have a good view of Kamakura firework exhibition held in summer, Inamuragasaki, where the best view of sunset takes place, as well as Shichirigahama, where swimming is not allowed and surfing is thus a popular activity.

Last but not least, senbei (せんべい) is what you must not miss in your trip to Kamakura. Though senbei are usually eaten with green tea as a casual bite and offered to visiting house guests as courtesy refreshment in Japan, and might not even be listed in top 10 must-eat list in food heaven Osaka, they are somehow very popular with tourists here. Therefore, Missing those delicious Japanese crisp rice cakes grilled and sold fresh along the major shopping avenue could mean that you have not really been to the city.

Travel To Kamakura - Top 10 Best Places

Here is the A-list of the best places to travel in Kamakura that worth your time and energy.

Kotokuin Great Buddha - Large bronze Buddha Statue.
Hasedera Temple - Attractive temple with views over Kamakura.
Hachimangu Shrine - Kamakura’s most important Shinto shrine.
Kenchoji Temple - Most important Zen temple.
Engakuji Temple - Second most important Zen temple.
Zeniarai Benten - Shrine where visitors wash their money.
Sugimotodera – Oldest temple with Eleven-faced statue of Kannon
Tokeiji Temple - Former refuge for abused wives.
Hokokuji - Notable for its lovely bamboo grove
Zuisenji Temple - Zen temple famous for its gardens.

3 Reasons Why I Love Kamakura

Travel to this lovely town would give you a lot of joyous moments for sure. Three things that attract me most are as below.

If to say that the historical heritage in Hiroshima is a post-war reminder of peace, the oldest temples and shrines built during pre-war period would be bounties of the peaceful past. I always have a weird imagination that I were someone lived in the old times who has a water-like mind like the monk in temple. Thus, even at the brink of doomsday, I would just be sitting and dying peacefully. What am I crapping! Yea, in short, I love aged temples that have falling roofs!
I wish that you have the idea how much I loved jian bing while traveled in Beijing, China. In Japan, senbei is like a jian bing in disguise, though they are different in some ways as jian bing is more like okonomiyaki (famous food in Osaka), whereas senbei is hard and eaten as snacks rather than meals in Japan. Aiks, simply put, I just want to try this taste of heaven best in Kamakura.
I am a beach lover but Kamakura beaches were not really that attractive to me at first, until I came across some photos of them in the sunset and a video featuring a sweet Japanese model taken at one of the beaches. Okay, forget about the latter. Watching the captivating sunset at the beaches of this coastal town would give romantic memory in the trip of history.