15.02.2018 KAMAKURA

We had breakfast at the hostel in Tokyo and then took the train (about 1 hour) to Kamakura. The biggest attraction there is Kôtoku-in Temple, which is famous for its “Great Buddha”. The statue weighs about 121 tonnes and is 13.35 metres high, so one could say it is indeed a really really Great Buddha.

Afterwards, we visited the Hase-dera temple, which was built in the 8th century and is made up from seven buildings. From the hill it is located on, one has a fantastic view over Kamakura, its beach and of course the ocean. We stayed there for a while, then made our way down to the (sadly pretty windy) beach, where we collected a few conches and discarded them again, just having a good time.

Later, we were walking through the streets and came across a tiny park with a doorway leading to a path up a hill. There were signs that identified it as a tsunami evacuation zone, which explained the sturdy metal handrail next to the track. The small hike up there really was beautiful, even though one couldn’t see much of the city, since the trees were too densly placed. At the top, we found ourselves a little paradise shielded from the wind and noises of civilisation, I couldn’t have wished for more.

We stayed in Kamakura for dinner and found a nice restaurant with detailled instructions on how to eat what (for tourists like us), which came rather in handy.

BGC: 15 (+0)