Kamakura Half Day Excursion Thursday, August 31, 2017 Kamakura is a beautiful seaside city with a great sense of history. It is surrounded by with old shrines and temples. Most of them were built centuries ago when a warrior named Yoritomo Minamoto seized political power and established his shogunate government in Kamakura back in 1192. History and historic sites of Kamakura: http://www.kcn-net.org/e_kama_history/ Kamakura Welcome guide: http://kamakura-info.secret.jp/kwga/ Kamakura free Wi-Fi spot map: http://www.city.kamakura.kanagawa.jp/kankou/documents/wifi_spotmap_rist.pdf Due to Kamakura having narrow roads and limited parking spaces, those taking part in the excursion will be divided into 3 separated groups. Each group will visit a different site and rotate through all of the locations in turns. Afterwards, all groups will assemble at the hotel for banquet. Groupe 1 Group 2 Group 3 13:30 Dep. Shonan Village Center 13:30 Dep. Shonan Village Center 13:30 Dep. Shonan Village Center Kotoku-in (Kamakura Daibutsu) Hase-Temple Tsurugaoka-Hachimann-Gu Walk to Hase-Temple Walk to Kotoku-in Kotoku-in (Kamakura Daibutsu) Hase-Temple Kotoku-in (Kamakura Daibutsu) Walk to Hase-Temple Tsurugaoka-Hachimann-Gu surugaoka-hachimann-gu Hase-Temple 18:00 Arr. Kamakura Park Hotel 18:00 Arr. Kamakura Park Hotel 18:00 Arr. Kamakura Park Hotel
Tsuruoka-Hachimann-Gu Kamakura Sta. Kotoku-in Hase -Temple Kamakura Park Hotel Tel: 0467-25-5121 10 minutes by car from JR Kamakura Station. 12 minutes walk from Hase Station on the Enoden Line. 800 m
Tsurugaoka-Hachiman-Gu http://www.tsurugaoka-hachimangu.jp/ Tsurugaoka-Hachiman-Gu ( 鶴岡八幡宮, Tsurugaoka-Hachiman-gū) is Kamakura's most important shrine. It was founded by Minamoto Yoriyoshi in 1063, and enlarged and moved to its current site in 1180 by Minamoto Yoritomo, the founder and first shogun of the Kamakura government. The shrine is dedicated to Hachiman, the patron god of the Minamoto family and of the samurai in general. The deified spirits of the ancient Emperor Ojin who has been identified with Hachiman, Hime-gami and Empress Jingu are enshrined at Tsurugaoka-Hachiman-Gu Shrine. Komachi Street Komachi Street ( 小町通り ) spreads from the rotary in front of Kamakura station to the north toward Tsurugaoka- Hachiman-Gu. According to legend, it started as a market opened in front of the shrine. Today, the street is lined with over 250 restaurants, boutiques, fancy cafes, Japanese-style sweet cafes, and stores selling souvenirs and sundry articles unique to the ancient city. Many side streets branch off from both sides of Komachi Street. Stepping into narrow alleys, you will find old Western-style houses with a historic atmosphere as well as hidden traditional stores. Enjoy discovery while walking around.
Kotoku-in (Kamakura Daibutsu) http://www.kotoku-in.jp/en/ The Great Buddha of Kamakura ( 鎌倉大仏, Kamakura Daibutsu) is a bronze statue of Amida Buddha, which stands on the grounds of Ko-tokuin Temple. With a height of 13.35 meters, it is the second tallest bronze Buddha statue in Japan, surpassed only by the statue in Nara's Todaiji Temple. The statue was cast in 1252 and originally located inside a large temple hall. However, the temple buildings were destroyed multiple times by typhoons and a tidal wave in the 14th and 15th centuries. So, since 1495, the Buddha has been standing in the open air.
Hase-Temple http://www.hasedera.jp/en/about/ Hasedera ( 長谷寺 ) is a temple of the Jodo sect, famous for its eleven-headed statue of Kannon, the goddess of mercy. The 9.18 meter tall, gilded wooden statue is regarded as one of the largest woodensculpture in Japan and can be viewed in the temple's main building, the Kannon-do Hall. According tolegend, it was carved from the same tree as the similarly tall Kannon statue worshiped at the Hasedera Temple in Nara Prefecture.