A Day Trip to Kamakura's Temples (2)πΏ
Meigetsu-in Temple on Fugenzan: There's an incredibly small karesansui (dry landscape garden) right at the entrance of the main hall (p1). π’π The temple grounds are a national historic site and include the tomb of Uesugi Norikata. πΊπIn June, it's famous for its hydrangeas, and the garden is quite beautiful. If there are no flowers, it might not be worth the visit. πΏ Engaku-ji Temple on Zuisan: A famous spot for autumn leaves and also features a ceiling painting of a dragon (p2). π’π It's the second of the Kamakura Five Mountains, founded by Tokimune Hojo, and Natsume Soseki once practiced Zen here. There's a non-public Buddha's tooth relic pagoda. π² πΊπAfter leaving, I took a train from Kita-Kamakura Station back to Kamakura Station to eat at Komachi-dori. It was packed at noon, so I went to Ginza Kado and tried the Kamakura-exclusive matcha ramen (it was actually a chicken broth with a sprinkle of matcha powder, but it wasn't bad) (p3). π’π Then I took a bus to Hoko-ji Temple on Koshinzan. The highlight here is the small bamboo grove, which would probably look great in the morning light. π I headed back to Kamakura Station and walked 2 km to Zeniarai Benzaiten Shrine. On the way, I enjoyed a cup of Honduran pour-over coffee and bought some beans. π’π The path to the shrine includes a short uphill climb. After passing through a tunnel, I arrived at the shrine and spent a little money on the "coin-washing" package, which includes incense, candles, and a bamboo frame. πΊπ I followed the example of others and washed paper bills with spring water βit was quite fun! π #Kamakura #TempleTour #JapaneseCulture ππΏ
