|
Kamakura | Yokohama | Chichibu | East Kanto: Nikko | Boso
The Great Buddha in Kamakura |
Yokohama Bay Bridge |
Kamakura
Japan's capital during the Kamakura Period (1185~1333), Kamakura is just an hour from Tokyo but a visit
is like a step back in time. The first seat of the Shogunate,
Japan's military government, at its height it was a prosperous
city. But now it is a tranquil residential area with many temples
and shrines in a mountain setting. The main attractions are signposted
in English and can be seen in a day.
South of Kamakura station: near Hase station on the Enoshima Dentetsu
(Enoden) Line, Kamakura's most famous sight is the 100-ton, 13.5m-tall
Daibutsu (Great Buddha), located in the grounds of Kotokuin temple. Cast in 1252, the Daibutsu was originally housed in a
temple building, which was washed away by a tidal wave in 1495.
For a mere 20 yen, you can take a quick look inside, though there's
not much to see. Nearby is Hasedera Temple, which houses a 9m-high, 11-faced statue of Kannon, the Goddess
of Mercy. The statue was carved from a single camphor log in 721AD.
North of Kamakura station: Tsurugaoka-Hachimangu shrine was founded in 1063 although the existing building is
a more recent reconstruction. Dedicated to the god of war, the
shrine is set on a hill and overlooks Kamakura. At the base of
the stone steps leading to the shrine is a gingko tree, behind
which the priest Kugyo is said to have hidden before he assassinated
the third Shogun in 1219. The shrine is located at one end of
Wakamiya Oji street, which runs down to Yuigahama beach. Kamakuragu is the only shrine in Japan to have been established by an emperor.
Noh plays are performed here under torchlight in September. Money
washed in the spring water that flows through the cave at Zeniarai-Benten shrine is believed to multiply. True or not, the shrine is always
busy. The beautiful Kenchoji temple was founded in 1249 and is considered the greatest of
the Gozan, the five great Zen temples of Kamakura. The site was selected
by the great Zen monk Enni, who, with the monk Eisai, introduced Zen Buddhism to Japan in the 13th century. Another
one of the Gozan, Engakuji temple dates from 1282 and is the headquarters of the Rinzai
sect of Zen Buddhism. Following the coast west from Kamakura brings
you to the popular Shonan beach, always full of sun-worshippers and surfers. Nearby is
the small island of Enoshima. Although a popular resort, the island is actually a holy place.
Yokohama
Yokohama is Japan's second-largest city and largest port and is
located just 30 minutes from central Tokyo. The city has a cosmopolitan
image but was only a small fishing port until it became Tokyo's
port for international trade in the mid-19th century. It is home
to a large Chinatown district, the beautiful Sankeien garden, the Foreign Cemetery, the futuristic Minato Mirai 21 waterfront area, the Bay Stars professional baseball team and F. Marinos J-League soccer team. From Kannai station on the Keihin Tohoku
Line, you pass the 30,000-seat Yokohama Stadium to get to the bustling Chinatown, or chukagai. There are over
100 restaurants, large and small, to choose from and many sell
dumplings and other snacks on the street. Passing through Chinatown
brings you to Yamashita Park on the waterfront. This popular spot
has been overshadowed recently by the nearby Minato Mirai 21 development,
which is home to the Landmark Tower, the biggest building in Japan, several hotels and shopping malls.
Until recently the world's largest big wheel is located in the
Cosmo World amusement park. Boat and helicopter tours of Yokohama Bay are
available. In a posh residential area known as The Bluff, there's
the Port-Viewing Park (Minato-no-mieru Oka-koen). The nearby Foreign Cemetery is the
final resting place of some 4,000 of Japan's early foreign residents.
Further east, about 20 minutes by bus, lies the 20-hectare Sankeien,
opened to the public in 1906. The beautifully landscaped garden
is built around several ponds and also houses historic structures
moved here from other areas, such as a villa and teahouse from
the earliy 17th-century. Ships arriving in Yokohama bringing vistors
from the Trans-Siberian port of Vladivostok pass under the Yokohama Bay Bridge, opened in 1989. A viewing platform under the bridge affords
an excellent view of the waterfront skyline and, if you're lucky,
Mt. Fuji behind.
Chichibu-Tama National Park
Located close to Tokyo but mountainous enough to feel remote,
this national park is an ideal place to get away from the bustle
of the city. Mt. Takao is located at the end of the Chuo Line, which runs west from
Tokyo station. It has several easy hiking routes and is especially
beautiful in autumn. Continuing down the far side of the mountain
brings you to Lake Sagami. Trains branch off the Chuo Line to the Okutama part of the park,
while the Tobu and Chichibu Lines from Tokyo's Ikebukuro station
provide routes to the Chichibu part. Other popular hiking destinations
include Mt. Mitake, Shosenkyo Gorge near Kofu and Hatonosu Valley. The rural town of Chichibu holds an all-night festival on December
3rd that attracts around 200,000 people each year - three times
the town's population.
|
