History of Kamakura
Kamakura is an ancient city that, over the centuries, has produced its own original culture. Although it was never the formal capital of Japan, for over 140 years (1192-1333), it was a centre of political power (along with Nara and Kyoto).
The first shogun of Japan was Minamoto no Yoritomo. Most of his family members died due to a long conflict between the Taira and Minamoto clans during the late Heian period of Japan. Yoritomo survived, rebuilt the power of the Minamoto clan and defeated the Taira. Thanks to the numerous alliances and support of other clans of warriors, he became the most powerful man in the country. In 1192, by the decision of the emperor of Japan, Yoritomo was appointed as Seii-Taishogun (shogun), a leader who held full power.
He was not the first shogun in Japan because several preceded him, but in contrast to his predecessors, the title of shogun was given to him for his whole life and was to be inherited. Yoritomo founded Kamakura’s first military government in Japan, Kamakura Bakufu, and chose the city as his headquarters. Since then, the emperor has become only a religious leader of divine origin.
Unfortunately, Yoritomo enjoyed his power only for a few years, as in 1199 (seven years after receiving the title of the shogun), he was betrayed and murdered. After Yoritomo’s death, the Hojo clan governed this area (the wife of Yoritomo was part of this family), and shortly became a part of the family of Taira. In Japan, it was common to say that although Tairas lost the battle, they ultimately won the war. The Hojo government ended in 1333, thus ending the period of military rule in Kamakura.
City development
In the twelfth century, the city had over 60 religious buildings. The Shogunate, the warrior community, and the military rigour made Kamakura the centre of Zen Buddhism at the end of the century. In the thirteenth century, more than 200,000 people lived there, and the city was the fourth largest in the world. The town’s high attractiveness was defensively influenced by its unique location: from three sides, it was surrounded by mountains, and from the fourth side – by waters of the Sagami Bay, belonging to the Pacific Ocean.
Kamakura began flourishing as a temple town in the 17th century. From the 19th century, it became popular for beaches, resort areas, and residential districts. Kawabata Yasunari, a writer awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature, lived and wrote many works in Kamakura. The city is blessed with the nature of the ocean and surrounding green hills. Kamakura attracts many tourists today. City rights were granted to Kamakura very late, in 1939, and today it is known mainly for its temples.
Kamakura military culture
Soldiers living in Kamakura improved their daily war skills so they could fight anytime. Numerous military goods have been brought here from the whole country, such as precision armour, excellent swords, and paintings of the war. Yabusame is a ritual in which a warrior, riding a galloping horse, shoots three shots at a target. This custom was born in Kamakura. The Yabusame festival is held annually in the Tsurugaoka-Hachimangu gardens on the last day of the Kamakura Festival (April) and in September.
Travel from Tokyo
In Tokyo, we took a JR Yokosuka train. The journey from Tokyo Station to Kamakura Station takes 55 minutes. The train stops at three main stations: Shinagawa, Yokohama, and Kita-Kamakura.
From Kamakura station, we took a stroll. You can reach the temple of Tsurugaoka Hachimangu by passing through the wide shopping street Wakamiya-Oji, which is 1.5 km long. It is a beautiful cherry avenue leading through three torii gates. It was planted with numerous trees on the command of the Shogun Yoritomo, who wanted to honour the gods (kami) and beg for a favour for his pregnant wife.
A wide alley with numerous stone lanterns is in the middle of the street. The temple is also accessible by a parallel street, Komachi-dori, which offers the opportunity to view old wooden houses, multi-generational shops, or small backyard Japanese gardens. We decided to go to the temple along the less popular street, which is more authentic and natural.
Kamakura temples
Tsurugaoka Hachimangu
This temple was founded in 1063 by Minamoto no Yoriyosji as a branch of the temple of Iwashimizu Hachimangu in Kyoto. Originally, Tsurugaoka Temple was built near the Yuigahama coast. In 1180, however, the future shogun, Minamoto no Yoritomo, moved it to its present location. He wanted this temple to be the main one in the city he had founded.
Before leaving the temple, we visited a small nearby park with a pond and very tame, big, grey squirrels.
Kencho-Ji Temple
Then, we went to the Kencho-ji Temple (about 700m, on foot, along the main road, slightly up the hill). It was built in 1253 at the behest of Emperor Gofukakus during the reign of the Hojo family. Construction ended in the fifth year of the Kencho era, from which the temple’s name was given.
Initially, there were 7 main buildings and 49 smaller temples. Unfortunately, at the turn of the 14th and 15th centuries, most of them were destroyed due to numerous fires. In 1573 – 1645, Takuan – the Zen Master- asked the Kamakura shogun for financial help. This allowed him to rebuild the temple in its original form, which is admired today. Today, there are several prominent buildings (main temple, monastery, gate and belfry) and 10 smaller temples. It is Japan’s most important Zen temple and the oldest Zen monastery.
Kotokuin Temple (Great Buddha)
After returning to Kamakura station, we took a city bus (Enoshima Dentetsu Bus), departing from the 1st position (Suica / PASMO card). The bus goes for about 15 minutes and stops opposite the temple entrance. Note, the bus is unsuitable for tourists, as there is no information in English. It isn’t easy to know where it is and whether it is going in the right direction. The bus driver speaks the names of each bus stop (in Japanese), so please listen well and get off at the bus stop called Daibatsu-mae. For me, travelling by bus was itself a kind of attraction :-).
The train can also reach Enoden temple (there are three train stations from Kamakura to Hase), but you have to walk another 7 minutes from the Hase station.
Buddha Amida
Sitting Buddha Amida, also known as Kamakura Daibatsu (Great Buddha), is the city’s biggest attraction and the National Treasure. The statue is made of bronze, which measures 11.3 meters (including the base – 13.4 meters) and weighs 121 tons. It was founded in 1252, and its creation took about 10 years. His construction was ordered by the wife of Yoritomo (shogun), following the great statue of Todai-Ji in Nara, depicting the Buddha of Wajrahan. At that time, the statue of the Buddha was made of wood and stood on the temple grounds in 1243. Less than five years after its ascension, the statue was taken by a typhoon and never found again. Another sculpture was made of bronze and covered with gold petals.
The statue inside is empty, so you can go inside (with a symbolic ticket price) and see the handmade work done more than 750 years ago.
The monument stood inside a wooden pavilion (the Great Buddha hall) for several decades. Unfortunately, the pavilion was destroyed twice by tsunamis (1334 and 1369) and then by an earthquake (1498). After these events, the pavilion has never been rebuilt, so now it is an outdoor Daibatsu.
Few traces of Buddha’s gilding remain today, but its dimensions continue to make a big impression on visitors. To emphasize the scale of its size, the face measures 2.35 m, the eyes are 1 m big, and the ears are 1.9 m long. The entrance to the temple area costs 200 yen (about 1,6 Euros), and the entrance to the monument is 20 yen (0.2 Euros).
Hasedera temple
On our way back to Hase railway station, we visited one more place: the Bodhisattva Temple of Kannon-Hasedera.
According to legend, in 721 AD, the pious monk Tokudo Shonin discovered a large camphor tree in the woods near the village of Hase in the Nara region. He carved out two statues of the goddess Kannon with 11 faces. The first monument made from the lower part of the tree was placed in the temple in Nara. However, the second monument (made from the top of the tree) was thrown into the sea, praying to float up to where people need bodhisattva care. The second statue was found 15 years later on one of the beaches near Kamakura. Worth mentioning that the temple of Hase was constructed to honour it, and the monument Kannon stands today.
I think this place is worth visiting. You should plan to spend at least 2-3 hours there to have enough time to visit and relax. The temple is situated on a hill and is surrounded by beautiful gardens. There are several interesting places to visit: temples, statues of saints, caves, small Jizo figurines, and lovely small gardens. The best is at the end: a marvellous view of the bay and ocean waters.
Statue of Hase Kannon
Kannon-do Hall is where a magnificent statue of Hase Kannon is housed. It is made of wood and covered with gold leaf (added in 1342). “The Buddhist Goddess of Mercy” has 11 heads (on top of the main one) and is over 9m high. It is the largest monument to this goddess in Japan. The goddess is depicted as a woman holding a stick in her right hand and a lotus flower in her left hand, but strictly speaking, it is neither masculine nor feminine. Unfortunately, I do not have a photo because there is a ban on taking pictures within the temple where the monument is located.
Yakuyoke, the Protector from Evil Spirits
Amida-do Hall is where a golden seated statue of Yakuyoke, the Protector from Evil Spirits, Amida Buddha, is enshrined. It was built at the command of Minamoto no Yoritomo (the first shogun) in 1194 AD and measures 2.8 meters in height.
Jizo-do Hall
There is a small building in which Fukuju Jizo, or “Happy” Jizo, is enshrined. Surrounding the Hall are thousands of little Jizo stone statues standing in long rows. The statues are there to comfort the souls of unborn children and help them on the way to paradise.
Benten-kutsu Cave
A little cave is hewn into the rock, where Benzaiten and 16 children are chiselled out of the rock walls. Benzaiten is a sea goddess and the only female among the Seven Lucky Gods of Japan. Her temples and shrines are located near water–the sea, a river, or a pond. She patronises music, the fine arts, and good fortune in general and usually carries a biwa (Japanese mandolin) or plays the lute. Be careful inside the cave. It is dark, and the ceiling is low, so watch your step. Many votive candles are burning everywhere, which makes the place magical.
Entrance ticket to the Hasedera temple 300 yen (2,4 euros).
I recommend finishing your visit to the Hasedera Temple on the scenic terrace. You can sit there, have some snacks, or buy something to drink from a nearby beverage machine, but above all, enjoy the beautiful view of Sagami Bay, the sandy beaches, and the ocean. Beware of the Kites, who learned to steal food from the tourists’ plates. Numerous information boards warn about this, so it is easy to remember.
Return to Hase Station (about a 5-minute walk), then take the Enoden Line to Kamakura Station (3 stations).
When returning to Tokyo, it is worth visiting Chinatown and Yokohama.
Useful links
- official website of the Hasedera Temple
- Kannon Musem (pdf)
- Kamakura City
- Kamakura Visitors Guide
- official website of the Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Temple
- Kamakura, Odawara & Enoshima 1 Day Tour*
- Kamakura Essential Walking Tour + Local Experience from Tokyo*
So far, my other posts about Japan:
- Japan – how to organise the trip on your own
- Japan – tailor-made travel plan
- gallery of my photos from Japan
TRIPS:
- Himeji – White Egret Castle
- Kamakura – the seat of the first Shogun
- Kanazawa – Kenrokuen Garden and Castle
- Kyoto and Kansai region
- Matsumoto – city overshadowed by the Castle
- Mount Fuji – the most popular icon in Japan
- Nagano Prefecture – The Roof of Japan
- Nara -Japan’s first permanent capital
- Nikko – the light of the sun
- Tokyo – Western capital
*Links to the offer from Klook are affiliate
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