Japan Travel Guide: Kamakura

Where: Kamakura Station on the I-forget-the-name-of-the-line from Tokyo (app. 1 hour)
What to do: See ancient temples and one giant buddha
What not to do: Buy anything–tourist trap alert, level orange–go to the beach

Moving out in a widening gyre from Tokyo, and in tune with the oldschool stylings of Akira Kurosawa, let’s take a look at a nearby center of traditional Japanese culture: Kamakura. The second capitol of Japan (after Nara, and before Kyouto and Edo/Tokyo), Kamakura hosts well-preserved Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines, as well as one of Japan’s two great daibutsu (big ol’ Buddha statues).

You’ve probably heard that when it comes to “traditional culture,” the place to go is Kyouto and nearby Nara; and Kamakura is often called a poor man’s Kyouto (too poor, that is, to ride the bullet train from Tokyo). Like the aforementioned cities, Kamakura was spared bombing the during the War through the efforts of a courageous art historian. The charming seaside town can be explored on foot in a day or two, and it’s probably not worth staying overnight; Japanese tourists who want to see the ocean drive up the hotel prices. Highlights include Engaku-ji (pictured above), a Zen Buddhist stronghold with Japan’s oldest cast-iron bell, and Zeni-arai Benten, where washing your money in the sacred spring causes it to multiply:

Tsugaoka Hachiman-gu, the family shrine of the Minamoto Clan which founded Japan’s first warrior dynasty:

Below you can see the daibutsu, which is about three times the height of a man and has survived fires and earthquakes that leveled all the surrounding buildings. There are vents in the back where you can climb inside:

But while Kamakura has a charming seaside atmosphere, skip the beach. Tokyo is known for having no real beach, but the best one nearby is in otherwise-unremarkable Chiba; Kamakura’s is small, crowded, and not very clean.

And for God’s sake, don’t go into the famous weapon shop near the daibutsu. Or if you must, reflect before you buy–do you really need a replica of Zatoichi’s cane sword?