Today we took about an hour train ride south to the coastal town of Yokohama. Just outside the train station was this amazing bakery called the Little Mermaid. Here we ate pastries, cold pizza, and Japanese hot dogs. Oishii!
After eating our lunch we walked for about 45 minutes to Kamakura to the Kotokuin Temple where The Great Buddha statue is located.
The Great Buddha or Daibutsu is the second largest statue of Buddha in Japan (the largest one is in Nara which we will visit later this week). This bronze statue of Amida Buddha is about 44 feet tall (13.35 meters). It was cast in 1252 and originally located inside a large temple hall. However, the temple buildings were destroyed multiple times by typhoons and a tidal wave in the 14th and 15th centuries. So, since 1495, the Buddha has been standing in the open air.
Katie and Trevor at the entrance gate
After strolling around the beautiful grounds we headed to Hase-dera Temple down the street.
Just as we arrived the skies opened up and it poured! We waited under the shelter of the entrance for a few minutes until the cloudburst blew over and then a beautiful double rainbow appeared in the sky.
Inside this building is one of the largest wooden statues in Japan gilded in gold. It has 11 heads, each of which represents a different phase in the search for enlightenment. Originally carved around the year 720 AD from a huge camphor tree, the top half was set adrift in the sea as part of an offering to end a famine. The Kannon washed ashore in 736 and so this temple was built to house this holy relic.
The temple is built on two levels and includes an underground cave. The cave, called benten kutsu cave, contains a long winding tunnel with a very low ceiling and various statues dedicated to a sea goddess. Inside were all these really really old statues carved out of the rock face of the cave, we didn't take any pictures in here, because in Japan anything with a roof over its head is considered holy and therefore, should not have its picture taken. So, unfortunately, you will only be able to see what is out in the open!
View from the top of the temple grounds of Kamakura Bay
In the evening the temple grounds were lit up to highlight the beautiful fall foliage
The grounds of the temple are home to hundreds of small Jizō statues, placed by parents mourning offspring lost to miscarriage, stillbirth, or abortion. These statues remain in place for about a year, before being removed to make way for more statues; it is estimated that some 50,000 Jizō statues have been placed at Hase-dera since WWII.
When Shari & I visited, there was snow - no lovely maples to frame the photos. And very crowded for New Years. Very cold too - looks like your visit was a little warmer!
ReplyDelete