Japan Photos 12

This is the main gate to the Kenchō-ji Temple. It cost Ľ300 to get in. Since I'd just paid that to get into the grounds of Engaku-ji, I didn't really see the point. Besides, I was starting to figure out that a lot of these things sort of look the same anyway.
A monk on his way to work.
This is one of the gates leading into the Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine. You can tell the difference between the Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines by their gates. Buddhist temples have those big gates like at Engaku-ji, and Kenchō-ji. Shinto shrines have these torii gates, which are usually painted red.
This is a chōzuya, a trough of water with ladles you use to purify yourself before entering. Basically you just pour the water over your hands.
I think these were some old alters. I'm not sure since it was part of a museum exhibit I didn't enter.
There's the shrine and a woman going to worship.
There are a lot of hawks in the area. I do like the zoom on my new camera.
The shinto temple buildings sure are colorful.
Aw, look at the happy Jappy newlyweds.
A street in beautiful downtown Kamakura.
I was walking on this median walkway behind a gaggle of schoolgirls. I don't know what they were doing out in the middle of the day.
Vote for me or I'll punch you right in the throat.
Since I hadn't really eaten much Japanese food except for snacks and beverages, I thought I'd give it a try. I got some meat on a stick. The meatballs were pretty good. The hunks of meat were okay.
The first floor of this department store was all food. It's where I got my skewered meat pieces.
Just an average neighborhood in Kamakura.
I think everyone has probably seen a picture of this fella before. He is Daibutsu or Great Buddha. The amazing thing about this photo is that I got it without any other people in it.
The bronze statue of Amita Buddha was cast in 1252. It was once inside a great temple, but it was washed away by a tidal wave in 1498 leaving only the foundation stones. The statue has been exposed to the elements for the last 500 years. It stands (or sits) 13.35 meters tall and weighs 121 tons.
Ever wonder what the inside of Buddha looks like? Well there it is. It costs Ľ50 to go inside.
Hasedera Temple. I didn't enter here either. Just more of the same.
This is obviously a newer building. It looks like it could be in the Japan Pavilion at Epcot.
The Shū Genji temple. It was formerly the residence of Shijo Kingo (1224-1296). After he died it was remodeled into a temple as a holy place of the Nichiren sect.
A peek inside the temple.
This is the Hase station on the Enoden Railway. The Kamakura Enoshima Free Kippu I bought from JR East allows for use of the Enoden system as well as the JR trains.
I took this train down to the shore of Fujisawa and Enoshima Island.

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