Near and dear to my heart—since we live two to four minutes away, depending on whether you get caught by the train or not—Hase Station sits fourth on the Enoden Line from Kamakura to Fujisawa. As the bigger train stations on the busier lines get updated and re-built, it's nice to still have quaint little … Continue reading Photo of the Day: Hase Station
This is one of my favourite characters on Yuigahama Dori. He is the mascot for a ramen shop, which is kind of morbid since, well, pork is often one of the ingredients in ramen. Piggy doesn't seem to mind, though, for he stands guard—chin up, chest out—day in and day out.
Red torii gates are the best torii gates as far as I'm concerned, and if they have kanji engraved on them, so much the better. This gate is from a small shrine just around the corner from where we live. We walk by the steep steps leading to it every day, but it wasn't until … Continue reading Photo of the Day: Torii Close-up
Kamakura isn't just temples and shrines. Being surrounded by the ocean and thickly forested hills—the same reasons that made it a good, strong capital—make it a good, strong choice for outdoor enthusiasts. Those without equipment can rent and/or take lessons from various outfitters and water-sport schools in the area. Of course, not all activities require … Continue reading Photo of the Day: Windsurfing
Clearly, I was playing around with filters with this photo. But I just couldn't capture the je ne sais quoi of the station with my iPad mini and unskilled hands. And filter apps are just way too much fun sometimes. As suggested by the title, this is the Enoden Line's Kamakura Station, taken towards JR's … Continue reading Photo of the Day: Kamakura Station, Enoden Line
Hatsumode (first shrine visit of the year), hatsuyuki (first snowfall of the year), hatsuyume (first dream of the year), hatsuhinode (first sunrise of the year), hatsu...wakame (first wakame harvest of the year). Sure, why not? A neighbour knocked on our door just before 7am Friday morning to give us a bundle of fresh, shiny brown … Continue reading Photo of the Day: Hatsuwakame
A bit of flashback Friday for today's photo, taken back in the fall. The morning after Typhoon 19 (Vongfang) blew through, I snuck out to snap a few pics of the weather clearing. Good weather after a typhoon is called "taifu ikka", and the sky post-19 didn't disappoint.
This fellow had his photo taken during our first snowfall of the year, January 1st. He lives just up the hill from us at Joju-in (Joju Temple), famous for its hydrangeas in June and July. Joju-in sits at the top of a hill, and is accessible by stairway from both the top and bottom of … Continue reading Photo of the Day: A Frog’s Life
Yuigahama Beach might not be overflowing with exotic seashells of curious shape and astounding size, but it is home to a delicately beautiful shell named for cherry blossoms. Sakuragai (sakura=cherry; gai/kai=shell) are found only along Kamakura's small stretch of beach, and honest-to-goodness look like the petals. More than once, I've bent down to pick one … Continue reading Photo of the Day: Pretty in Pink
Komyo-ji is just shy of two kilometers from Kamakura Station. The distance means that it's off the beaten track and a little quieter than some of the better known temples. Don't let the distance discourage you, though, as it's worth the hike out - unlike many of the other temples and shrines, visitors can actually … Continue reading Photo a Day: Komyo-ji
女性専用 - Inn By The Sea Kamakura - Women's Guesthouse 