Kamakura

There is something magical about the city of Kamakura. I do not know if it is the old temples that dot the landscape, or the small little streets lit by the lights of warm and welcoming shops, but something about the town makes me feel very at home. Soojeong and I arrived in town just in time to get into to the temple to see the giant statue of the Buddha (Daibutsu) before the temple grounds closed. The statue itself is supposed to have been completed somewhere around the year 1252, and is very large and well crafted. It is made of bronze and you are able to go inside for a small fee. We did not have time to since the temple was about to close, but I am sure that inside is interesting.

After we visited the Daibutsu, we headed off for a little walk around town. We stopped in a few cute little shops to look for souvenirs, and to just browse around. One thing that Japan is famous for is kind people, and all of the shop attendants were no exception. We enjoyed conversing with the different people as we went around town and it really made me feel welcome. Nightime took us to the most famous shrine in Kamakura; Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gu, and it was very beautiful. The shrine complex itself is very large and includes water gardens, bridges, and lanes lined with trees. After browsing there for a while we headed back to a restaurant we had seen earlier so that we could get some dinner. We ended up eating tonkatsu (friend pork cutlet) before catching the train that would take us back to Tokyo and the airport.