The best part about June? Fireflies.
か is for Kamakura-gu
Kamakura-gu is one of Kamakura's newer shrines, having been founded in 1869 by Emperor Meiji. The spirit of the shrine goes back much further, however, as it was established in memory of Prince Morinaga, who was imprisoned in a cave on the property for seven or eight months before being beheaded in 1335. While the … Continue reading か is for Kamakura-gu
え is for Egara Tenjinsha
Another え... Egara Tenjinsha is in eastern Kamakura, just a few minutes from the larger and better-known Kamakura-gu. I had never been until January 2018, and had always thought it to be a rather small, minor shrine. You can imagine my surprise when I reached the top of the stairway to discover shrine grounds fairly … Continue reading え is for Egara Tenjinsha
い is for Inari
Inari, or O-Inari-san, is the Shinto god of rice. He’s often depicted with a few foxes — his messengers — so it’s not surprising that shrines dedicated to O-Inari-san overflow with fox statues and trinkets. Sasuke Inari Shrine, Kamakura’s shrine dedicated to O-Inari-san, is no different, with foxes here, there and everywhere; in every nook and cranny of … Continue reading い is for Inari
あ is for Amanawa Shinmei Jinja
Amanawa Jinja, which enshrines Amaterasu, the sun goddess, is the oldest shrine in Kamakura.
Bon Odori Summer Festivals
Japanese summers are pretty spectacular. They buzz (cicadas) and DON DON DON (taiko drums). They whistle and gong and chant (festivals). They're burning hot and impossibly humid. But if you let the music drifting from the festival grounds carry you along, not only will you make it to fall without melting into a puddle … Continue reading Bon Odori Summer Festivals
Photographer Face-Off
He wanted a photo of the new Hachimangu Dori/Wakamiya-oji sakura avenue, and I wanted a photo of Tsurugaoka Hachimangu's main building framed by a torii gate. I think mine turned out okay. I hope his did, too.
Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gu Sakura
Today, we finally made it down to Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gu, the main shrine in Kamakura. It was actually a good thing it took us so long to make it down, though, as the cherry blossoms weren't quite at 100%. Maybe later this week... They were still pretty spectacular, though. Kamakura isn't really known for sakura—the city's … Continue reading Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gu Sakura
Break Time
A hike around town on a cold day requires a few stops for snacks and warming up. Last month, Kaede and I hiked around town gathering stamps in our goshuincho. It was fairly chilly, so we stopped at the cafe at Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gu. Kaede went with Jagarico (a kind of stick-shaped potato chip, that, !!!, … Continue reading Break Time
Drivin’ the Train
We dropped by Goryojinja the other day to get a Fukurokuju stamp for our Shichifukujin (Seven Gods of Luck) stamp collection, and took a minute to enjoy the charm of the Enoden train skirting the shrine grounds.
鎌倉ペンション・Inn By The Sea Kamakura 