Japan (Lonely Planet, 11th Edition) - Chris Rowthorn [163]
OTHER SHRINES & TEMPLES
If you’re still in the mood for temples, there are plenty more in and around Kamakura, which has some 60 more temples and shrines.
From the Daibutsu it is best to return to Kita-Kamakura Station by bus and take another bus out to the temples in the peaceful eastern part of town. While these temples lack the grandeur of Kamakura’s more famous temples, they more than make up for it with their charm and lack of crowds.
The grounds of Zuisen-ji (22-1191; adult/child ¥200/100; 9am-4.30pm), a secluded Zen temple, make for a pleasant stroll and include gardens laid out by Musō Soseki, the temple’s esteemed founder. It is possible to get here from the Egara Ten-jin shrine on foot in about 10 to 15 minutes; turn right where the bus turns left in front of the shrine, take the next left and keep following the road. From Zuisen-ji you can access the Ten-en Hiking Course.
The small Sugimoto-dera (22-3463; adult/child ¥200/100; 8am-4.30pm), founded in AD 734, is reputed to be the oldest in Kamakura. Its ferocious-looking guardian deities and a statue of Kannon are its main draw. Take a bus from stop 5 at Kamakura Station to the Sugimoto Kannon bus stop.
Down the road (away from Kamakura Station) from Sugimoto-dera, on the right-hand side, Hōkoku-ji (22-0762; bamboo garden admission ¥200; 9am-4pm) is a Rinzai Zen temple with quiet, landscaped gardens where you can relax under a red parasol with a cup of Japanese tea. This is one of the more active Zen temples in Kamakura, regularly holding zazen (Soto-school meditation) classes for beginners; public sessions are held Sundays from 7.30am. Take a bus from stop 5 at Kamakura Station (¥190, 10 minutes) to Jōmyōji.
Festivals & Events
Bonbori Matsuri From 6 to 9 August, hundreds of lanterns are strung up around Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū.
Reitai Matsuri Festivities between 14 and 16 September include a procession of mikoshi (portable shrines) and, on the last day, a display of horseback archery.
Kamakura Matsuri A week of celebrations held from the second Sunday to the third Sunday in April. It includes a wide range of activities, most of which are centred on Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū.
Sleeping
Kamakura Hase Youth Hostel (/fax 24-3390; www1.kamakuranet.ne.jp/hase_yh/; dm member/nonmember ¥3000/4000; ) Three beds and three minutes from both Hase-dera and the beach, and 10 minutes from the Great Buddha. Simple, but contemporary and tidy, this hostel is mostly bunk beds. From Kamakura Station take an Enoden Enoshima train to Hase Station.
Classical Hotel Ajisai (22-3492; www.beniya-ajisai.co.jp/hotel.html, in Japanese; r per person from ¥6830; ) Across from Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū, the 11-room Ajisai is a businesslike, affordable option with basic Western-style rooms and a friendly, no-nonsense host. Fourth-floor rooms have shrine views. Breakfast (¥1050) is kamameshi (rice in a hot pot; vegetarian version available).
Hotel New Kamakura (22-2230; fax 22-0233; www.newkamakura.com; s/d without bathrooms from ¥4200/11,000; ) This handsome hotel dating from 1924 is in two buildings. It has Western- and Japanese-style rooms with large windows, dark-wood floors, exposed beams and comfortable furnishings. Exit west from Kamakura Station and take a sharp right down the alley. It’s at the car park. Avoid rooms off the old lobby, which can be noisy.
Kamakura Park Hotel (25-5121; fax 25-3778; www.kamakuraparkhotel.co.jp; s/tw from ¥12,705/24,200; ) Recently renovated, this marble-tiled, Western-style hotel by the sea is glitzy and breezy. The decor still looks 1980s plush, but every room is large, with ocean views. There’s a shuttle bus to Kamakura Station (only weekdays), or it’s a 12-minute walk from Hase Station on the Enoden Enoshima line.
Eating & Drinking
Milk Hall (22-1179; most dishes ¥600-1050; 11am-10.30pm) Sweet! This quaint cafe-bar-antique shop with English menus serves light meals (small plates like boiled sausages or baked camembert), coffees and cocktails, and it features live jazz some nights. From Kamakura Station