2.18.2008

Kamakura Amida Buddha

Kamakura (鎌倉市, Kamakura-shi) is a city located in Kanagawa, Japan, about 50 km south-south-west of Tokyo



Kamakura is mostly known for its temples and shrines. The most visited temple in Kamakura is the Kōtoku-in, with the huge statue of Amida Buddha. This statue was once inside a temple but a 15th Century tsunami destroyed the temple, the statue survived and has remained outdoors ever since.


There are way too many interesting historical sites in Kamakura so if you are only going to visit for 1 day read up and select the sites that you would like to see the most, I found this page with a lot of great info on historical facts and sites in Kamakura .


Visit “ A guide to Kamakura” at : http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~qm9t-kndu/



How to get there:


The fastest way in is by JR Yokosuka Line from Yokohama or Tokyo Station (55 minutes from the latter, ¥890). The JR Kamakura-Enoshima Free Kippu (¥1,110 from Yokohama, ¥1,970 from Tokyo) gets you a round trip to/from Kamakura (local trains only) plus unlimited use of Enoden and Shonan Monorail lines.

A cheaper alternative is to take the private Odakyu line from Shinjuku to Fujisawa, then change onto the rattling old Enoden (江ノ電) half-train/half-streetcar line that terminates in Kamakura. The longer (about 90-minute) travel time is compensated for by views of Enoshima island and the Shonan coast. The Enoshima-Kamakura Free Pass (¥1,430) will get you a roundtrip from Shinjuku and unlimited use of the Enoden line for one day.

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