Kamakura is often described as the most beautiful historical city in Japan. I cannot verify this, but during my trip Kamakura was indeed one of the most beautiful cities, which is why I would like to describe it in more detail in today’s article. Kamakura has many old and important temples as well as a charming old town with many small, interesting shops and restaurants. The city is located directly by the sea and is surrounded by an enchanting, mountainous landscape. It is not without reason that Kamakura was so important in the Middle Ages: surrounded by three mountains and the sea, the city was virtually impregnable. Kamakura is so beautiful that it is absolutely worth a visit. From Tokyo, you can reach Kamakura by train in just under an hour. If you are planning a day trip from Tokyo, you should definitely consider Kamakura.
Brief history of Kamakura – the historic city by the sea
Kamakura is a very old city whose history dates back to the 8th century. During the Heian period, which is comparable to the European Middle Ages, Kamakura was an important provincial capital on the east coast of Japan. The city gained great importance in the 12th century when it became the political and cultural centre of Japan, as the shogunate was founded in Kamakura. This is why the Kamakura period (1185-1333) is also known as the era of the warriors.
From this time onwards, Japan was no longer ruled by the emperor, but by the shogun. It was not the nobility but the warriors, the samurai, who held power and occupied the most important offices. The emperor still existed, but only had a representative role. During this era, new Buddhist movements developed and Kamakura became a Buddhist centre. The ancient temples and shrines from this period can still be visited today. You don’t have to travel far to visit ancient Japanese cities, as Kamakura is only an hour’s drive from Tokyo.
Temple Great Kannon Kamakura Hasedera
The Hare Kannon Temple is said to be the oldest temple in Kamakura, the old Japanese imperial city. It was built in 736 during the Nara period. In the 13th century, it was included in the canon of the holiest sites in eastern Japan in fourth place. For over 800 years, the Hasedera Temple has been one of the most important pilgrimage sites for Bodhisattva worship in Japan.
The temple area is huge. In addition to the large Kannon-do Hall, there are several small temples and shrines. There is also a temple museum and temple caves. The sculpture of the Buddhist god Kannon Bosatsu, which is over nine metres high, is particularly impressive. It is one of the tallest wooden statues in Japan. According to legend, it was carved from the wood of a sacred Indian camphor tree. There are many other important statues of gods. I would like to mention just one of them: the statue of the deity Daikoku. The god of success and prosperity is said to be the oldest and most valuable wooden sculpture in Japan. It is visited by numerous pilgrims.
Kyozo – the sutra archive
The most fascinating thing for me was the “library shrine”. It contains a huge, revolving bookshelf with scriptures. It contains the most important Buddhist scriptures, the so-called sutras. It is said that you gain the same knowledge as if you were to read all the scriptures by standing in the hall while the shelf rotates. Fascinating, isn’t it? On some religious days, pilgrims and visitors are allowed to turn the shrine. However, because it is very heavy, only a few are said to be able to do so.
Benten Hutsu Cave
On the temple grounds, there are extensive underground passages carved into the rock, which form a kind of underground temple. This is dedicated to the goddess Benzaiten. In the corridors there are numerous small niches with sculptures and reliefs of the goddess Benzaiten, also known as Benten. She is one of Japan’s gods of luck and the only female goddess of luck, which is why she is particularly revered. She is also the goddess of music, eloquence and wisdom. She is said to have once tamed a child-eating dragon by becoming its wife. However, as she is said to have been very jealous, couples should not visit the temples and shrines dedicated to Benten together.
Hasedera Temple, 3-11-2 Hare, Kamamura-shi
Kotoku In – The 800-year-old giant Buddha
The 13 metre high bronze Buddha is the landmark of Kamakura. Made in 1252, the Buddha figure consists of 30 individual bronze sections and was produced entirely without modern machinery. It weighs around 120 tonnes. The Buddha stands in the open air, without a temple. This was destroyed by a tsunami in the 15th century and never rebuilt. Legend has it that the Buddha’s curls are made up of many small snails to protect him from the sun. With so many historical sites in one small town, Kamakura is the perfect day trip from Tokyo for all tourists interested in history.
Kotoku In, 4 Chome-2-28 Hase, Kamakura
Jufuku Ji Temple – the oldest temple in Kamakura
The Jufuku-ji Temple is a real insider tip: while many visitors come to see the Hasedera Temple or the Great Buddha, this temple is an oasis of calm. There are only a few visitors and certainly no tourists. The temple is only a 15-minute walk from the centre of Kamakura and yet you feel like you are in another world. The Jufuku-ji temple is one of the most interesting sights in Kamakura, as it is the oldest temple in the city.
Hojo Masako (1157-1225), the widow of the first shogun, had the temple built around 1200 in memory of her husband. The first abbot of the temple was the famous monk Eisai. He is said to have brought the tea tradition from China to Japan. I particularly liked the temple because of its green surroundings. It is surrounded by forests and rocks, which makes the atmosphere there so atmospheric. If you walk a little way through the forest behind the temple, you will also find the oldest cemetery in Kamakura.
Jufuki-Ji Temple, 1 Chome-15 Ogigayatsu, Kamakura
The cemetery at Jufuku-Ji
My regular readers know how much I love visiting old cemeteries. So of course I also looked for them in Japan. This one was the most interesting and mysterious. It is unique, because in addition to the classic earth graves as we know them from Europe, there are also many cave graves. Due to a lack of space, small caves were carved into the rocks to bury the dead.
The tombs of the shogun’s widow and founder of the temple, Hojo Masako, and her son, the third Kamakura shogun, Minamoto no Sanetomo, are located here. I love the atmosphere of the partially ruined tombs and the caves surrounded by plants with spider webs at the entrance. The oldest tombs are 800 years old.
1 Chome-12-1 Ogigayatsu, Kamakura
The nostalgic, European side of Kamakura
I also really enjoyed the nostalgic European atmosphere in Kamakura. I know that I shouldn’t get excited about a European atmosphere when travelling to Japan. But the Japanese love the Europe of the past and celebrate it. The city sometimes reminded me of England. There are many shops in Kamakura selling European products, especially English ones. The assortment ranges from tweed clothing to old-fashioned household items and food. I would like to recommend a British museum and a wonderful, nostalgic coffee bar, of which there are many in Japan. If you miss Europe in Japan, you should take this day trip from Tokyo and visit Kamakura.
British Antiques Museum Kamakura
I shouldn’t really get excited about English flair in Japan, but I do anyway. I love the British old-fashioned style and celebrated this museum. It is decorated like an English castle or country house. There is a Victorian room, a Georgian room and a Sherlock Holmes room in the museum. It’s a piece of nostalgic England in Japan that the Japanese love.
British Antique Museum, 1-11-4-1 Yukinoshita, Kamakura
Antique café in Kamakura – Coffee Minikomu
For me, a successful day includes not only interesting sightseeing, but also good food. In Japan, I discovered the old-fashioned “Jun-Kissa” cafés for myself. Aromatic coffee is brewed by hand in a wonderfully old-fashioned atmosphere. Home-baked cakes are served on antique china. I love these small, individual retro cafés, whose owners are probably as old as the furnishings. The selection and quality of the coffees is outstanding. You can often choose from 10-15 different flavours and determine the brewing method yourself. There are many of these cafés in Japan, but they are often so small and well hidden that you have to look for them. Junkissas are a little journey into the past.
That’s why I like to recommend the “Minikomu” café in Kamakura. It is located on Komachi Street, the main street of Kamakura, and yet it is so hidden. To get to the café, you have to descend a staircase to the basement in a completely inconspicuous entrance. The dark wooden furnishings and Windsor chairs can be seen as soon as you enter. In addition to coffee from Jamaica, Ethiopia, Nepal, Sumatra, Colombia, Indonesia, Brazil and Guatemala, there are also various coffee blends, iced coffee and excellent tea.
Coffee Kyu Minikomu, Kamakura, Komachi, 2 Chome-10-4
Kamakura – the historic city by the sea
Kamakura is no longer an insider tip, as many tourists visit this city. But that is usually a good indication that the place is also worth seeing. Kamakura is such a perfect place, where everything was just right for me. Of course, the city’s location contributes a lot to its special atmosphere, as few cities can boast the sea and hilly mountains. The city centre is also wonderful with lots of interesting retail outlets, small, individual shops and a variety of interesting restaurants and cafés. The choice of gastronomy is huge. In addition to the lively city centre, Kamakura has several old temples that invite you to slow down and reflect. However, it wasn’t the most famous temples in Kamakura that impressed me the most, but the oldest temple in the city, which is hardly noticed by tourists. The old, dilapidated cemetery next to it has a mystical atmosphere.
If you have some time to spare during your stay in Tokyo, a day trip to Kamakura is a wonderful destination. However, I am also convinced that this city has more to offer than I was able to see in one day. I would have loved to spend several days here.
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