Savvy Japan: Guide To Kamakura

Above, a visit to Tsurugaoka Hachimangu in Kamakura. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Back in 2004, the first place G-TOUR visited in Japan after leaving Tokyo by bus was the ancient Japanese capital of Kamakura.

There, we visited the Daibutsu and the Tsurugaoka Hachimangu temple.

Savvy Tokyo has posted a guide to Kamakua with lots of useful information.

They begin it with:

Some of the most breath-taking architecture, art, and ancient culture exists only a short train ride away from the bustling metropolis of Tokyo. What was once Japan's ancient capital has in many ways been frozen in time, waiting to be discovered. 

Head south out of Tokyo on the train and you’ll find yourself in Japan’s second largest by population city, Yokohama, within minutes. Head further south again and suddenly you’ll emerge into an ancient town of Buddhist temples, bronze statues, gardens, and ocean views. A trip to Kamakura is one of the best ways to spend a weekend away from the deafening roar of Tokyo life. Home to its very own bamboo groves and historic shrines, Kamakura is very much the Kyoto of the East, with as much charm and beauty as can be found in its more famous counterpart.

To read more, go here.

Tokyo Cheapo's Kamakura Mega Guide

Above, the Great Buddha of Kamakura. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Visitors to Japan, and Tokyo in particular, who have limited amounts of time but would also like to venture out of the metropolis, then a day trip to Kamakura is something to consider.

I visited Kamakura during the first G-TOUR in 2004. Two of the places we stopped at were the Great Daibutsu and the Tsurugaoka Hachimangu shrine.

Tokyo Cheapo has posted their "mega guide" on Kamakura that focuses on 7 historical sites.

They start with:

Whether you want a day of hiking from shrine to temple through beautiful mountains and valleys, a day at the beach or a stroll around a bustling town with its fair share of culture, Kamakura (just south of Tokyo) is perfect. A long-ago political capital alongside Nara and Kyoto, Kamakura shares many of the traditional features and is a great place to get your taste of ancient Japan if you can’t reach Kansai. 

Once a great fortress town thanks to the surrounding mountains and open sea, it is now  thriving city filled with quaint shopping streets, stunning temples and peaceful shrines, along with the famous Buddha of course. With a history of inhabitants stretching back 10,000 years, Kamakura developed into the political capital of medieval Japan and was the site of numerous battles, mainly during the Kamakura period, which ended in 1333 with a brutal siege. The city originally had 7 entrances, also known as the seven mouths of Kamakura, but has since been opened up with roads and tunnels for a more city-like feel, and less of a battlefield stronghold. These days there is plenty to explore for everyone, but we have listed a few ideas for a great day in one of our favorite cities!

Another nice thing about Kamakura, it is not too far from Yokosuka, where the Godzilla slide is located at the Kurihama Flower World.

The article also has information on getting to Kamakura from Tokyo.

To read more, go here.

Explore Japan's History In Kamakura

Above, the Great Buddha of Kamakura. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Back in 2004, the first G-TOUR headed out of Tokyo and made a stop in Kamakura. While in Kamakura, the tour group visited Tsurugaoka Hachimangū and the Great Buddha.

Malay Mail Online has an article on things to see and do in Kamakura.

They start it with:

TOKYO, Aug 11 ― Vibrant, fast-paced Tokyo is renowned the world over, but visitors in Japan looking for a more laid-back destination can head to the seaside town of Kamakura. 

Just a 45-minute train ride from Tokyo via the JR Yokosuka line, Kamakura was recommended by my Japan-based relatives. It was a good way to gain a perspective of Japan’s samurai-steeped history, they said. 

Kamakura was the political centre of Japan some 800 years ago, hence the many shrines dedicated to Japanese deities.

To read more, go here.

An Insider's Guide To Kamakura, Japan

Above, the Great Buddha of Kamakura. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

If one is tired of the crowds of Tokyo, they can get a respite from them by taking an excursion to Kamakura, which is about an hour away.

Akemi Ohno is a resident of Kamakura and has an "Insider's Guide To Kamakura" posted at the website travel section of The Australian.

Two of the biggest attractions in Kamakura are the Tsurugaoka Hachimangu shrine and the Great Buddha of Kamakura.

Above, the Tsurugaoka Hachimangu shrine. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

On getting to Kamakura, she wrote:

About an hour by train from central Tokyo and overlooking Sagami Bay, Kamakura draws tourists for its culture and history. Take the outbound JR Yokosuka Line or JR Shonan-Shinjuku Line from Tokyo and get off at Kita-Kamakura or the next station, Kamakura; japan-rail-pass.com.

 To read more, go here.

Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine

Above, the stone steps leading to the Honden (main shrine). Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Kamakura is famous for its Great Buddha, but it is also famous for the Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine.

According to an article at Tokyo Daily Life:

Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine serves as the center of Kamakura, Kanagawa prefecture where the Bakufu (Shogunate government) was once based and there remain a lot of shrines and temples. 

The shrine is a popular sightseeing spot and many people visit there. Especially during the first three days of the New Year about 2.5 millions people visit there for Hatsumode (the practice of visiting a shrine or temple at the beginning of the New Year). 

The enshrined deities are the Emperor Ojin, Hime no kami (Munakata Sanjojin [Three Goddesses of Munakata, those are considered as one goddess]) and Empress Jingu. The Emperor Ojin is identified with Hachimanshin (God of War) and the three gods are called “Hachiman Sanshin” (the three Hachiman deities). Hachimanshin is the god deemed to be the ancestor of Imperial Family and had been worshiped by many Samurai. Hachimangu shrines, which enshrine Hachimanshin are said to be the most numerous shrines in Japan. Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine is one of the three great Hachimangu shrines in Japan along with Usa Jingu Shrine and Iwashimizu Hachimangu Shrine. 

The present Honden (the main shrine) was built by Ienari TOKUGAWA, a Shogun of the Edo Bakufu in 1828. It is a representative building of the Edo period (1603 – 1868). The vermillion building is beautiful and splendid. In addition, the building is located in a high place, so the view of Kamakura city from there is wonderful.

Above, the Honden (main shrine). Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Tourists staying in Tokyo can easily get to Kamakura for a leisurely day-trip.

To read more, go here.

Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine In Kamakura To Get Face-lift

Above, the Tsurugaoka Hachimangu shrine in 2004. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

A place that members of G-Tour in 2004 should be familiar with is getting a face-lift.

According to News On Japan, the Tsurugaoka Hachimangu shrine is getting it's first face-lift in 800 years. The shrine was one of the tour stops in the Kamakura area in August 2004.

They wrote:

A busy walkway leading to Kamakura's famed Tsurugaoka Hachimangu shrine is set to receive its first full-scale renovation in more than 800 years. 

The 500-meter stone-lined Dankazura, at the center of the Wakamiya Oji street, is expected to be closed until the work is complete in March 2016, shrine officials said. 

The renovation is set to begin in October at an estimated cost of 580 million yen ($5.41 million).

To read more, go here.

A Tokyo-based Travel Itinerary

Above, the Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine in Kamakura. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

If you have never been to Japan, but are planning a Tokyo-based trip there, here is an itinerary by the Idelish blog that you may want to consider following when planning your own.

I've been to most of the Tokyo attractions (and some of the Kamakura ones, including the Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine) they went to and all of them are worth a visit.

About Idelish: 

This blog was originally started in 2009 and hosted on Blogger as a way for us to share details about Malaysia for our wedding guests attending our wedding in summer of 2010. 

When we went on our honeymoon in December 2010, we visited a snow monkey park in Nagano. The journey there involved trains, buses and a hike. 

Wanting to make sure others would be able to visit the same place we did, we decided to revive our blog and share the details online. 

We had a vision for what our blog should look like and how we wanted to grow our site. So in April 2011, we took the first steps. We moved our blog to a self-hosted WordPress platform and updated the design and layout of the blog to better convey the imagery and information. 

We will continue to improve the site as we grow toward our goals.

To view the itinerary, go here.