Kamakura - Kamakura

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鎌倉 市
prefectureKanagawa
Residents
172.929 (2020)
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Tourist info webKamakura City Tourist Association (map)
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Kamakura

Kamakura(Japanese: 鎌倉 市) is a city in the Japanese prefecture Kanagawa, southwest of today's capital Tokyo. In the Middle Ages, the place was the seat of the shogunate, until after the civil wars in 1333 the seat of government again Kyoto was relocated.

background

Overview map, with traffic routes and the "seven passes."

Kamakura is located on Sagami Bay. Traditionally one speaks of "seven passes" that lead through the surrounding mountain ranges into the village. There are numerous shrines and temples in the city, which is why Tokyo is a popular destination for day trips and can accordingly be overcrowded. At the time of the Kamakura shogunate, it was practically the center of the country until the 14th century. At that time, supported by the now ruling samurai class, new Buddhist schools emerged here, those of "Kamakura Buddhism." One of the most important main temples of the Rinzai Zen sect is the engakuji.

Numerous buildings are recognized as part of the world cultural heritage, for several more the inclusion has been applied for, even if the attempt to protect the whole city was given up in 2013. A visit to the place, which is very rich in temples and other cultural assets, should be a must for every traveler to Japan, also because a stay of two days is an absolute minimum, but it is by far not enough to simply visit the attractions of Hakone, the Fuji and the Izu Peninsula can be easily combined.

getting there

By plane

See the relevant section too Tokyo and Narita Airport.
From Haneda Airport When coming, use the airport buses or the trains of the Keikyu Line Airport Expressエ ア ポ ー ト 急 行 to Shin-Zushi or Kanazawa-Bunko to the main station. Yokohama. There in the JR Yokosuka-Change the line.

By train

From Tokyo Central Station and major train stations on the Yamanote Shinbashi Line (新橋 駅) and Shinagawa (品 川 駅) over Yokohama with the JR Yokosuka Line, Journey time approx. One hour. Coming from the western part of the capital, it is a good idea to take the private one Tōkyū Tōyoko Line(東 急 東 横線) from Shibuya to Musashi-Kosugi (武 蔵 小 杉 駅) and change there to the Yokosuka Line.

For passengers of the Shōnan Shinjuku Line, those from the areas of Utsonomiya, Ōfuna, Ōmiya, Odawara (小田原) or Shinjuku (60 min.) Come the Kita-Kamakura stops (北 鎌倉) and Kamakura. Especially from the former, some of the more important sights are easily accessible.

The alternative approach with the is attractively priced Odakyu-Line from Shinjuku to Fujisawa initially. There you get on the old "trams" of the Enodes(江 ノ 電) that goes to Kamakura. The total travel time is significantly longer at around 90 minutes, but you will get a good view of the island while driving along the coast Enoshima rewarded (break in the journey and sightseeing advised). The im

1  Odakyu Sightseeing Service Center (Ground floor of Odakyu-Shinjuku Bhf.). Open: 8 am-6pm.Price: For ¥ 1470.

available Kamakura-Enoshima Free Pass (Route network) allows the return trip as well as all-day use of the Enodes. This card also gives you small discounts at 16 locations in the village.

From western Japan (Kansai) Coming you go with the Tōkaidō Shinkansen and can change trains in Yokohama or Odawara (50 min.).

In the street

There are long-distance buses directly to Kyoto (Reservation: ☎ 0466-24-2714).

mobility

Dynamic cards Dynamic cards
  • map
  • Environment map
Not only at temple festivals but also on New Year's, in summer and on weekends, the more important complexes can be overcrowded.

The Kamakura Welcome Guide Association organizes free tours only for foreigners in English, unfortunately not German (reservation, 7 days in advance: ☎ 0467-22-3516). These take place on Fridays from March to the end of October. Groups are also accepted at other times with advance notice. The meeting points are at the various train stations.
The group also offers similar events Kanagawa SGG Club.

Kamakura is a little too big to explore on foot, especially if you only come for a day visit. The western district is under the name Hare known. The 1.8 km long Wakamiya Ōji is the central and cultural axis in the center, which ends at the great shrine, the Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū.

Enodes operates three sightseeing bus routes that depart from stop 3 in front of Kamakura Station. The company also sells day tickets for its line network at a price of ¥ 700 (2018). There are city buses from this company in the local area.

Nishi Kamakura西 鎌倉 駅 you can also take the suspension railway of the Shonan Monorail which runs between Ōfuna and Shōnan-Enoshima in 14 minutes.

Taxi companies also offer the possibility to book tourist tours lasting several hours, the price is variable. Whether and to what extent drivers with foreign language skills can be booked should be asked at the tourist information office at the train station, which also acts as an intermediary.

Bike rentals

Kamakura can be explored excellently with e-bikes, as the place is generally quite hilly.

  • 1  Grove, 2-1-13 Yuigahama (from the station forecourt to the right to the traffic lights after the underpass. On the street side with the gas station a good 80 m.). Tel.: (0)467 23 6667. Open: 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. (closed on Wednesdays).Price: ¥ 2500-3000 / day.
    rents mountain bikes.
  • 2  JR Bustech, 1-1 Komachi (From the station exit over the forecourt.). Tel.: (0)467-24-2319. Open: 8.30 a.m. - 5.00 p.m.Price: per day: ¥ 1600-2000, eBike: 2150; (comparatively more expensive hourly rates).
    There is another branch in the district of Hase.
  • Kita-Kamakura Rental Bike, 761 Yamanouchi (山 ノ 内 761) (3 min. From the west exit, 西 口, of the Kita-Kamakura train station). Open: Weekends and bank holidays only: 8.30am-6pm.Price: per day: ¥ 1000 (single bikes).

Tourist Attractions

On September 1, 1923, most of the buildings were destroyed by the great Kanto earthquake. The reconstruction took several decades, so that real historical buildings, like everywhere in Japan, are rare.

Temple in Kamakura
Entrance to the Hasedera.

temple

The Daibutsu, a 11 m high portrait of the Amida Buddha.

There are too many outstanding temples in and around Kamakura to cover all of them in detail, and almost all temples charge 300-500 yen for parts of their facilities, such as gardens, treasure houses, or temple museums.

Daibutsu
The symbol of the city and known worldwide is the statue of the "great Buddha" (Daibutsu) in the 1  Kōtoku-in (To the local train station Hase. Or bus 1 or 6 from the main station to Daibutsu-mae). This statue from 1252, eleven meters high and weighing over ninety tons, is unusually outdoors, but was originally in a temple. This building was torn away by a tsunami in 1495, and the image has been in the open since that time. The statue shows its most haunting effect from a distance of approx. 5 meters, it was obviously designed for a closed building. You can go inside the statue for 20 ¥ and discover that the bronze statue was cast in a total of eight layers, but otherwise you can't see much inside.Open: 8.00 a.m.-5.30 p.m., inside 4.30 p.m.Price: ¥ 200.
Hare-dera
Garden in Hasedera.
2  Hare-dera. In 721 a monk discovered the area Nara a huge camphor tree, from the trunk of which he carved two statues of an eleven-headed Kannon Buddha figure. One figure he set up in the Hasedera temple near Nara, the other was thrown into the sea as an offering. Years later this figure appeared here on the Miura peninsula, it was brought to Kamakura and this temple was built in her honor.[1] Today belongs to the Jōdō sect. The Kosoku-ji borders in the north. To the south, near the railway line, stands the Goryō Shrine.Price: ¥ 300.

A three-day lantern festival takes place in the first week of August. The most important buildings (halls) of the temple are:

  • the Kannon-do, in which the Hase-Kannon statue stands with a height of 9.18 m, is next to it
  • the Amida-do Hall, in which there is a 2.8 m high statue of an Amida Buddha, a little below
  • the Jizō-dō. She is surrounded by thousands of small figures that represent unborn children who have died.
    • the Daikoku-do houses one of the Japanese gods of luck, Daikokuten.
    • the Benten-kutsu Cave is down near the entrance. In it, the deity Benzaiten and her children are carved out of the rock face. Beware: the cave is dark and a bit low even for the Japanese. The numerous small statues put up are of women who have drifted away (which is not a sin according to Buddhist understanding) or who had stillbirths to give them help to cross the river in the realm of the dead.
    • the Kyōzō-Sutra archive. It is called a huge prayer wheel Rinzo, in which Buddhist sutras are kept. If you turn the Rinzō, you have read all the sutras once.
    • The museum, the Hōmotsukan and a beautiful garden complete the temple complex. From above the temple you have a wide view over the bay.
Ennō-ji
3  Ennō-ji (At the foot of the park that surrounds the Kenchō-ji. Less than 600 m to the north along the main road 21 from Hachiman-gū.). Known for the representations of the "ten world judges" a concept that was adopted from Chinese Taoism. The chief administrator of the law of karmic is Enra[2] originally as Yama a figure of Indian mythology.Price: ¥ 300.
Tōkei-ji
4  Tōkei-ji, (1367 Yamanouchi. Until 1902 there was a nunnery here, to which women could withdraw if they wanted a non-consensual divorce. After three years in Tōkei-ji they received the corresponding paper even without the consent of the man.[3] The then 34-year-old Zen monk Shaku Sōyen took over the temple for this school in 1902, he was to become one of the most important teachers of his generation.Open: 8.30 a.m. - 4.30 p.m.Price: ¥ 200.
Zuisen-ji
5  Zuisen-ji, 710 Nikaido (Bus 4 from the main station to Ōtōnomiya. At the T-junction at Kamakura-gū to the right, the next left, 10-15 min. Uphill). Secluded on a mountain top. The beautiful gardens are said to go back to the temple founder Musō Soseki.Open: 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.Price: ¥ 200.
Tombs in the area of ​​the Hokkedō.
Yofukuji

Yofukuji temples, 6  Hokkedō (法 華堂 跡) with the graves of Minamoto no Yoritomo and Hōjō Yoshitoki as well as the 7  Toshō-ji, The site of the collective suicide of the defeated older line of the Hōjō clan in 1333 is only preserved in remnants. This also applies to the villa of this once powerful clan: 8  Hōjō-shi Tokiwatei.

Bamboo forest in Hokokuji.

In east Kamakura

The facilities in the east are somewhat more secluded and quieter:

  • Sugimotodera (杉 本寺; 903 Nikaidō; Bus 5 to Sugimotokannon). Located on a mountain. There are two flights of stairs up, the newer, left one is the steeper one. According to legend, founded in 734. Known for his statue of an 11 person Kannon. With impressive guardian statues.
  • Shakado Kiritoshi(釈 迦 堂 切 り 通 し). Located about 15 minutes from the aforementioned on the mountain so that it is enclosed on three sides, the fourth opens to the sea. Access is through narrow gorges and tunnels carved into the rock in the Middle Ages (Illustrated description only yep).
  • 9  Hokokuji (報 国寺), 2-7-4 Jōmyōji. Open: 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.Price: Park: ¥ 200.
    is mainly because of its bamboo grove (therefore also Takedera) famous full of cicadas. In the back there are some graves in open caves and a small rock garden. The older art treasures have been given to the Kamakura Museum.

Zen temple

As "the five great Zen temples" 禅寺 鎌倉 五 山 to summarize:

  1. 10  Kenchō-ji, 8 Yamanuchi (山 ノ 内 8). Zazen: Fri. and Sat. 5 pm-6pm (appear 15 minutes in advance). Founded in 1253, today the oldest still active zen temple. The temple bell dates from this time. The hall Butsuden originally stood in Tokyo and was brought here in pieces in 1647. There is a juniper grove in the area. The temple founder supposedly brought the Sami with him from China.Open: 8.30 a.m. - 4.30 p.m.Price: ¥ 300.
  2. 11  Engakuji (圓覺 寺), 409 Yamanouchi (山 ノ 内 409) (Follow the crowds from Kitakamakura station). One of the main temples of Rinzai Zen. Founded in 1282, the oldest original building is the reliquary hall Sharids from the 16th century. The bell, high on the hill, is the largest of any temple in Kamakura. You can go public Zazen (Meditation sessions; absolute punctuality and silence) participate: 2nd and 4th Sunday from 9.00 a lecture, 10.00 a.m. sitting. Every Saturday: 1.20pm-2.20pm. Otherwise daily 5.30-6.30 in summer, one hour later in winter.Open: 8 am-5pm, winter 4pm.Price: ¥ 300.
  3. Jufuku Zenji (寿 福 禅寺)
  4. Jōchi-ji (浄 智 寺; 1402 Yamanouchi; ¥ 200).
  5. Jōmyō Zenji (浄 妙 寺; 3-8-31 Jōmyōji) 100 yen. In the tea garden you can enjoy the bitter Japanese powder tea from 10.00-16.30 Matcha[4] Serve (with sweets ¥ 600-1000).

Shinto shrines

  • 12  Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū, 2-1-31 Yukinoshita. Created by order of Minamoto Yoritomo in 1191. In the run-up, large ponds overgrown with lotus plants. The temple festival takes place 14.-16. September. The activities of the “Kamakura Festival” from the second to third Sunday in April are also concentrated in the area around the shrine. This is located in the rear of the system Kamakura National Treasure Museum (Tue-Sun 9.00-17.00, ¥ 300) with a great collection of Buddha images from the 12th-16th centuries. CenturyOpen: 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.Price: Treasury ¥ 200.

Museums

Literature museum from the garden (2008).
  • 13  Kaburaki Kiyokata Memorial Art Museum (鏑 木 清 方 記念 美術館), 1-5-25 Yukinoshita (From the train station direction north up the Komachi-dori. Turn left into the street after St. Michaels Church. A total of 7-8 minutes on foot.). Open: 9 am-5pm (closed on Mondays).Price: ¥ 200.
    In a traditional house that the artist had lived in since 1946.
  • The Kawakita Film Museum (川 喜 多 映 画 記念 館; [1]; ¥ 200) can be reached from the exit of the aforementioned straight through the alley (under 100 m). This is also in the former home of the namesake, with a small cinema.
  • Kamakura Museum of Literature 文学 博物館
  • The Museum of Modern Art, Kamakura & Hayama(立 近代 美術館 鎌倉) has three locations that show changing exhibitions. The addresses are: 2208-1, Isshiki, Hayama (a place south of Kamakura, on the beach); in the park of Hachiman-gū: 2-1-53 Yukinoshita, Kamakura and nearby the "Annex:" 2-8-1 Yukinoshita.
  • 14  Kitchoan Art Museum, 小 町 2-9-1 (Over the station forecourt to the north, about 150 m, on the right.). Open: 10.00-17.00.Price: ¥ 600.

activities

There are two hiking trails that take you from temple to temple away from the crowded streets. For each of the paths, literally over hill and dale, you should plan a good 90 minutes (excluding the temple visits). The more important one is Daibutsu Hiking Trail, the one from Kita-Kamura over the Jōchi-ji to the Daibutsu, or if you descend halfway through the shine over the Zeniarai-benten (entrance through a pedestrian tunnel; you wash your money in a cave so that it doubles) with the hamlet of Hase connects.

A "samurai experience" is promised in the

15  Shisoan (梓 想 庵), 6-1-23 Fueda (笛 田 6-1-23). Tel.: 81 467-39-6412. Price: By reservation only: ¥ 3800 Samurai disguise; ¥ 1100 half-hour archery lesson.
beaches

The not very beautiful beaches, consisting of dark lava sand, are used for swimming and surfing. The “official season” ends on September 1st, during which it can get very crowded with day visitors from Tokyo. Beach cafes close at 8 p.m. at the latest.

  • 3  Yuigahama (由 比 ヶ 浜) (Not far from the local train station of the same name.). Surfboards are rented from ¥ 5000 per day.
  • 4  Shichirigahama (七里 ヶ 浜) (A few hundred meters southeast of the local train station of the same name.). Not particularly suitable for swimming.
  • 5  Inamuragasaki (稲 村 ヶ 崎) (Not far from the local train station of the same name.). Beautiful sunsets.

shop

Next to the station is the Komachi-dōri shopping street, where you can find restaurants and shops such as a Ghibli store or a bakery. Like almost all Japanese shopping streets, the shops here also close their doors by 7 p.m. at the latest.

The local specialty advertised as a souvenir is Hatosabure(鳩 サ ブ レ ー), a biscuit baked in the shape of a dove. Every visitor has to decide for himself whether the other sweets baked in the shape of the great Buddha are good or bad taste.

1  Chōzumeya (German butcher shop) (腸 詰 屋), Kamakura Nishiguchi (鎌倉 西 口) (Behind the smoking park at the passage to the underpass through the train station). DLG award-winning German-style sausage.Open: 10.00-19.00.last change: Aug. 2018
2  Kanaya brush shop (か な や 刷子), 2-12-26 Komachi (right on the Wakamiya Ōji). Specialist shop for all kinds of brushes and paintbrushes. Toothbrushes (as souvenirs) made of horsehair (medium hard) or pork braids (hard), which cost from 350 yen each, should serve for a bright smile.Open: 9 am-5pm.last change: Aug. 2018

kitchen

Very interesting variations of Donburi - something in a bowl on rice - offers, if one can take the pictures of numerous B celebrities in the shop window as proof

1  Bowls Donburi Café, 2-14-7 Komachi. Open: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m., 5 p.m. - 10 p.m.Price: ¥ 900-1700.

The Kitchoan-Museum is located 100 m in the direction of the city center on the other side of the main street.

Imo-no-kichikan, Komachi-dōri shopping street. Here you can enjoy sweet potato ice cream (!).Open: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.Price: ¥ 295.
2  Yoshimoto (From Komachi-dōri under the second sign spanning the street with this name (coming from the train station), in front of the Sembei-Load (rice cookies) left. Almost 80 m to the bridge on the brook shortly before the end of the alley, on the left). There is no menu. Lunch is eaten whatever the kitchen has to offer. This is a full menu with specialties that are rarely served in Japan. The operating retired couple is happy to provide explanations about the dishes in rudimentary English. Excellent for the price.Open: from 11.30.Price: Lunch menu ¥ 800.last change: Sep. 2018

The

3  Bonzo, 3-17-33 Zaimokuza 材 木 座 3-17-33. Open: 11.30 a.m.-3 p.m., reservations required in the evening from 6 p.m.-9 p.m. (closed Thursdays).Price: ¥ 500-1800).last change: Sep. 2018

does not sell "flat television, "But simple Japanese buckwheat noodles (soba) in such a quality that it was at least enough for a Michelin star in 2013-6.

nightlife

accommodation

(Prices summer 2018.)

View over Kamakura Bay.

Cheap

  • 1  Kamakura Guesthouse, 273-3 Tokiwa (1 min. From Kajiwaraguchi station). Tel.: 81-467-67-6078. Bike rental ¥ 500.Open: Check-in: 14.00-20.00.Price: Dormitory: ¥ 3000.
  • 2  Kamejikan, 3-17-21, Zaimokuza (From the main station, stop 7: Bus 12, 40, 41, about 10 minutes to Kuhonji.). Price: Dormitory ¥ 3500, Double 4500. Breakfast ¥ 500.
    A 90 year old house that was converted in 2011. Only three rooms, space for 12. 250 m to the beach.
  • 3  Kamakura Central Guesthouse, 2-22-1 Yuigahama (10 minutes down the straight main street from the station forecourt.). Tel.: 81-467224529. The well-traveled and therefore integrally speaking operator has converted the upper floor of a residential building into two dormitories with 10 or 6 beds. There are no keys but the owner reaches out in the style of a curious pariser Concierge. The barely average quality speaks less for the hostel than the proximity to the beach.Price: ¥ 3100.

medium

security

Large parts of Kamakura are below the ten-meter mark, which is considered safe during tsunamis. In these local areas there are numerous height markings and signs embedded in the sidewalks for the direction of escape and removal instructions, also in English.

health

Hospitals

  • Shōnan Kamakura General Hospital. Tel.: 81 (0)467 461717.

Practical advice

Area code: ☎ 0467

A post office is located on the station forecourt.

trips

  • Enoshima, the famous rocky island in the sea, accessible with the tourist train Ekiden from Kamakura central station.
  • Yokohama, as an intermediate station from / to Tokyo.
  • Fuji, the highest and most famous mountain in Japan.
  • Hakone
  • Odawara, with the only "real" samurai castle (rebuilt since 1961) in this part of the country.
  • Izu Peninsula, from here to the south.
  • 16  Ōfuna Kannonji (大船 観 音 寺), 1-5-3 Okamoto, 〶 247-0072 (Directly at the Ōfuna train station, not to be overlooked). Central is the 25 m high, rather grotesque concrete statue of Kannon, built in 1929-60.Price: ¥ 300.

literature

The place will be in everyone Travel guides to Japan treated extensively.

  • Barth, Johannes; Vol. 1: History of a city and an era; 1969. Vol. 2: On the way to the most important places of worship in and around Kamakura; 1970. Tokyo (Japanese-German Society.) Even today the basic work in German.
  • Hüther, Christel; Engakuji - the past and present of a Zen temple; Aachen 1997 (Shaker); zgl. Dissertation Munich 1992

Web links

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  1. ↑Text of the corresponding legend in German translation: “A Samon manufactures, accumulating merit, Buddha images; the end of his life is approaching, miraculous signs are making themselves known. "(zggr. 2018-09-08)
  2. ↑Further: Realms of the dead and hells: Enra and Jizō (zggr. 2018-09-08)
  3. ↑see chap. 9 in: Ruch, Barbara; Engendering faith: women and Buddhism in premodern Japan; Ann Arbor 2002; ISBN 1929280157
  4. ↑For the cult driven around tea drinking see "Zen words in the tea room" (zggr. 2018-09-08).