Pa Lu Bin Cheng: from Tokyo to Kamakura

Day 3 and also the last day using our JR Kanto Area Pass ( now known as JR Tokyo Wide Pass). And we used it on Kamakura! Had a rather heavy breakfast in Tsukiji Market before we headed out to Kamakura! Kamakura is a town not far from Tokyo about an hour train ride from Tokyo and it's a direct train, slow but direct.

from Tokyo station we took the Yokosuka line

voila Kamakura, neat quiet town not very far from Yokohama.

From the train station we walked about 45 minutes to the famous Kotochoji Temple(the Great Buddha)or one can also buy a pass called " Kamakura Free Kankyo Tegata" which allows you unlimited ride within a defined area on 5 bus and train lines that run through the most famous tourist attractions of Kamakura this way one got to see more of Kamakura. Price is 550 yen. adult and 280yen/ kid. NOTE: tickets are not sold on Jan 1, 2 & 3. Tickets can be purchase @ Kamakura Station

It was our last day in Japan and it was already noon anyway so we decided to take it slow and enjoy the walking route, it was quite pleasant and we got to see more of the town that way but fewer attractions

it's really easy to get around in Kamakura there are sings everywhere, so it's hard to get lost here

Entrance fee to see the Great Buddha is 200yen/adult

the seated Buddha, Amida Nyorai,

i remember seeing something similar in Hong Kong, Lantau Island but it's much bigger compare to this one and also the Buddha has a different hand gesture

one can also visit the interior of the bronze Buddha statue which cost an extra 20yen/pax

history about this bronze Great Buddha

the back of the Buddha statue with 2 windows,

the back part of the temple

it is a rather beautiful place to visit during autumn.

It's not a very big temple hence the 200yen entrance fee,

but a place definitely not to be missed if one is in Kamakura

It is Japan's national treasure !

good to know

Hasedera Temple just 5 minutes walked away from Kotokuin Temple

another nice temple to explore during autumn, with beautiful mixture of Japanese maples in the garden

entrance fee is 300yen/adult

cute little monk statues

bronze bell,

This bell is rung 108 times beginning around midnight Dec 31 each year to dispel the 108 suffering of humanity, It's a Buddhist tradition and this ritual is called joya no kane.

colorful joss sticks for praying

Hasedera temple is a Buddhist temples in Kamakura

legend has it that the origin of the temple was in 721 AD

the building here is the Kannon-do Hall housing a very huge wooden statue of eleven headed Kannon or more known as the Goddess of Mercy... it's really huge and beautifully carved unfortunately no Photo inside the Hall but i'm pretty sure one can find it in Google for sure!

there is also a Kannon Museum adjacent to the Kannon-do Hall but to enter the museum you'll need to pay an additional fee

view of the Yuigahama beach from the viewing area

the waves looks pretty strong here, no wonder they have a tsunami escape route

there is also a walking path up hill

better view of the beach

Mani-Guruma

Rinzo, the Buddhist sutras for the temple are kept

i'm not sure that they call this in Japan but in my Malaysian Chinese culture, it's bathing the baby Buddha ritual usually it's celebrate during Wesak Day in end of April. To bathe the Buddha is to pour scented blessed water over the infant Price statue. However this ritual comes in different forms in different country that practiced in

Daikoku- do Hall, housed an image of Daikokuten or more known as the God of wealth, luck( or more specifically, the harvest), one of the " 7 denties of good fortune" and one can rub on the wooden statue for some good fortune,

However it's a replica of the original one in the museum, which was carved in 1412, making it the oldest image of its type

entrance to Benten-kutsu cave

sculptures of Benten and other minor gods can be found in this cave

arroding to the legend, a monk carved it himseld while in seclusion, inspired by Buddha

as we progress further in the cave there is a narrow path way leading to other smaller rooms in the cave

it's quite interesting, but definitely not for those who is claustrophobic

last few photos of the gorgeous garden before we say sayonara to the place.

As Autumn tend to get dark really early we only had time for 2 temples in Kamakura which we were both really enjoy exploring. It was a relax and interesting day trip to Kamakura from Tokyo. Would definitely recommending Kamakura if one is looking for a day trip to explore towns outside of Tokyo. It's a short and easy journey from Tokyo and we even had a nice dinner in Yokohama before heading back to Tokyo.