At this spring's Hase Ichi (Hase Market), there was a big blackboard for kids to colour all over while their parents browsed booths selling knickknacks, art, and food. I've been struggling to draw the Daibutsu, but after seeing these two chalk drawings, I think I can do it.
Jizo-San, All Lined Up
Hase Dera has a little spot reserved for praying for lost babies and children. It's a beautiful area, with a stream, candles, a spot to pray, and hundreds and hundreds of statues of Jizo-san. Jizo-san protects all sorts of people, most notably children, babies and mizuko (water children). Mizuko are babies that never got a chance … Continue reading Jizo-San, All Lined Up
Samurai Walking
Samurai like to take in the sights and sounds of Kamakura, too. These two are part of a tour guide/PR group called Iza. They take groups of tourists around town, all dressed up in old-school gear, and give them a rundown of the history of Kamakura. We've bumped into a group of them in the … Continue reading Samurai Walking
Textiles
Indigo-coloured fabric, traditional tie-dyeing, embroidery, weaving—Japanese textiles rock my socks. Both of these photos are from a little souvenir shop by Hase Dera. It's a fantastic little store full of used kimono, dishes, geta sandals, and all sorts of other knickknacks that are so tempting to buy. And the shopkeeper is just lovely.
Hiking Foxes
Last Sunday, I took three of Kamakura's hikes and crammed them all together into an epic around-the-city hiking adventure. The Daibutsu-Kuzuharaoka hike took me from Hase to Kita-Kamakura, where I took the road that runs up to the left past Meigetsu-in to join the Ten-en course. Rather than cutting out at the Zuisen-ji path, I … Continue reading Hiking Foxes
Kamakura Koi Nobori
Every year, someone flies a great long kite of koi nobori at Yuigahama Beach. It looks amazing. The other photos are just random koi nobori from around town. I wish they flew all year long.
Nighttime Nobori
Tango-no-Sekku, also known as Boys' Day, is a Japanese festival to celebrate, well, boys. Since 1948, it's been called Children's Day, but for most families, the day still revolves around sons. Tango-no-Sekku is May 5, and the festival is related to Double Fifth celebrations held in other areas of Asia. In Japan, a family with … Continue reading Nighttime Nobori
Kamakura Mikuji
Usually, mikuji (fortunes) are sold at temples and shrines. But sometimes, you can get them out of a gum machine. Because, why not?
Kamakura Daibutsu Quick Facts
A few interesting FYIs about Kamakura's most famous resident. *Kamakura’s Daibutsu is Amida-Butsu (Amitabha Buddha), of the Jodo Sect of Buddhism. *He’s designated as a National Treasure. *The original Kamakura Daibutsu was made of wood, but was destroyed in a typhoon only a few years after completion (circa 1247). *The rebuilt Daibutsu (casting began in … Continue reading Kamakura Daibutsu Quick Facts
Wisteria Season
Just as the last of the cherry blossoms fall to the ground, the wisteria vines start to bloom. While there are a few gorgeous wisteria vines in our neighbourhood, by far my favourite is the vine (are the vines?) on this house. It looks to me like the wisteria might topple it over at any … Continue reading Wisteria Season
女性専用 - Inn By The Sea Kamakura - Women's Guesthouse 