Kamakura

Kamakura

It was certainly the best weather we had during our two week stay in Japan. The sun was out, it was warm (for Tokyo standards) and all the leftover fall colours made it absolutely breathtaking strolling down the old streets of Kamakura.

Kamakura

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We started the day at Shinjuku Station where I met Yuka and Junko before boarding a train to Kamakura. The ride took about an hour, and we were chatting about everything from Arashi to HK films. Later along the way we met Masako, then finally Eri at Kamakura Station. They had already planned the route for the day, so I let them lead the way.

It was really warm outside as we strolled in Kamakura. I was still wearing my winter coat, but I had to take it off after walking for 30 minutes. We made our first stop at the Daibutsu. I was really excited to finally see this symbol of Kamakura, but when I got there I found out how small it actually was! (Considering it was built in 1252, it must have been a feat in its times!) We walked around the building and even went inside the Daibutsu. Then of course we took a few photos before leaving.

Kamakura

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Afterwards it was nearing lunch time, so we headed back to Kamakura Station. It seemed like we were in and out of the station a lot during the duration of the day, so I kind of forgot where everything was in relations to another. Hehehe. However, Junko was right on top of things, and I was glad to have a tour guide around Japan for a change. =)

On our way to the restaurant for lunch, we passed by Kamakura beach and I snapped a few shots. The beach was sooooo beautiful. I think I could have spent the entire day there if we didn’t have such a full schedule!

Kamakura

Kamakura

We finally made our way to the inn(?) for lunch. It wasn’t exactly an inn, but not exactly a restaurant either. It sort of resembled a house. The inside had enough room for 5-6 tables, while the outdoor patio served another 7-8 tables. The restaurant is located off a side street in a quiet residential area. It’s one of those places you’d never find unless you knew to look for it. However I was surprised at how popular the place was, because the lineup outside was huge. But since Junko is so meticulously organized, she already made reservations in advanced. =)

Kamakura

I learned quickly that the place is a popular soba house. Everything on the menu was soba. (Well, not like I could actually read the menu, but it seemed like all the options Yuka listed were soba. Heehee.) I ordered a duck soba since I’ve never tried it before. When it came I was surprised at how fresh and chewy the noodles were. (By chewy I mean chewy in a good way.) I was very impressed by how well the duck went with the soba. For 1,800 yen a bowl, it was pricey, but well worth what we paid for.

Kamakura

Kamakura

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After lunch, we headed off to the next attraction on our list, Enkakuji. The Buddhist temple was huge in comparison to the ones I’ve been to before. There were lots to see when we got onto the grounds, so we started following several trails to see the buildings. I ended up taking a lot of pictures inside. Later as we were heading out, we decided to see the final attraction – the Great Bell, which is the largest temple bell in Kamakura. Unfortunately, it is situated up a hill, which meant climbing a huge staircase to get to the top. I was already getting tired at the halfway point, but I made it to the top. It really had a gorgeous viewpoint from above. I ended up getting a fortune slip (おみくじ) and I must have been really lucky cause I got the best fortune! 大吉 Daikichi!!

Kamakura

Kamakura

Afterwards, we made our way to another temple nearby, Meigetsuin. It was about a 20 minute walk away, but the weather was still sunny, so it was another leisurely stroll to the temple. Meigetsuin is a lot smaller in size than Enkakuji, but it was still beautiful inside. Meigetsuin is also famous for its hydrangeas, so in the summertime the entire temple will bloom with them. I think I will have to visit that spot again in the future!

Kamakura

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We ended up strolling down the main shopping street in Kamakura. It was so lively everywhere we went! There were vendors selling a variety of things in the market. I was greedy and wanted to try everything, so we ended up in line for Japanese sweets. =P

Kamakura

The last attraction we visited was Tsurugaoka Hachimangu, which is a Shinto shrine in the heart of the city. There was a huge torii gate at the entrance and the whole area was bustling with activity. There were also many kids dressed in kimonos, as it coincided with Shichigosan. We toured the inside and I snapped a few shots before we headed off in search of food again. Heehee.

Kamakura

Kamakura

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Junko reserved a spot for us at a traditional Japanese teahouse. Apparently the teahouse was formerly owned by a famous Japanese author named Osaragi Jiro. We were seated inside with a full view of the courtyard. The sun was starting to set, so it seemed like a perfect way to wind down the day’s activities. We all ordered traditional tea, which was served with these beautiful, hand-crafted sweets. The tea was soooooo bitter, but the sweets helped even out the taste. The lady who served us was surprised to see foreign visitors in the teahouse. She ended up taking a picture of us which is now displayed on their homepage. =)

Kamakura

Kamakura

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The teahouse was the last thing we did in Kamakura. Afterwards we all headed back to Tokyo for dinner. I told Yuka I wanted to try oden, so she took us to a very casual sit-down restaurant right by Tokyo Station. I was a little surprised by oden. I mean, if you really think about it, all that it is is food that’s been left sitting in a soy-flavoured broth all day. I’d categorized it as ‘iffy‘. However, if you stick with daikon and fish cakes, it was relatively safe to eat.

Anyway, after dinner we decided to grab a coffee so we could chat a little longer. Eri had to go since she lives in Nagoya, so we said goodbye to her at the station. The rest of us walked around the underground shops in Tokyo Station were they sold merchandise from all the TV stations. Afterwards, we managed to find a Starbucks that was still open, but I was seriously starting to fall asleep by that time. However, I had to stay awake because Yuka and Junko were translating some Arashi articles for me from the magazines that Yuka had purchased. (Yuka is sooooo sweet! She even dropped off a couple magazines as a present for me at my hotel before I got to Tokyo!)

It seemed like the night was drawing to a close afterwards. I think everyone was starting to feel exhausted from all the walking we did in the morning. So we all bid farewell at the station and went our separate ways.

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I am so grateful to all of them for taking the time to plan and organize everything in Kamakura. They were all so meticulous with the details. I didn’t have to do a single thing! (Well, not like I could have helped with much anyway, LOL!) I know I would have never found any of the restaurants by myself if they hadn’t done the planning beforehand. I’m going to have to pull twice the effort if they ever come visit me in Toronto! (Luckily I don’t think Toronto is high on the list of tourist attraction spots.) Heehee. Once again, Yuka, Junko, Eri, Masako and Yumi

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