Kamakura and Hase

For our next adventure with Rory we headed to Kamakura and surrounding area.

Kamakura is home to 65 temples and 19 shrines, hiking trails in the mountains, and Pacific Ocean beaches. Needless to say we will be back to Kamakura many times while we live here in Yokosuka. Thankfully it is only a short train ride as long as you don't get stuck in Zushi:)

Below you see the Great Buddha or Daibutsu.

This is supposed to be a representation of the compassionate Amida. The colossus is 40 feet in height minus the pedestal and weighs in at 93 tons. I don't want to get in a sumo ring with this guy:0 The features of the statue were purposely created out of proportion so that when you are standing 15 ft in front of the statue the features look proportional.

The casting started in 1252 but I am unsure of when it was finished. By 1268 historical records show that a Daibutsu Den was being built to enshrine the statue but was plagued by calamity after calamity. In the late 15th century due to numerous natural disasters the statue was no longer sheltered but has survive the onslaughts of earthquakes, typhoons, and tsunamis.

Please notice the people in the bottom left of the above picture. The child being held over the large altar is dropping in coins after which the child was directed to clap twice. This is the Buddhist custom after which you kneel as you see the person doing before the statue.

You can pay to go inside the statue which we chose not to do. As you can imagine you enter near the rear of the statue. Ok pause for a moment and think about that as if you were a worshipper. Would this disturb you? The Japanese lady giving our orientation told us about this option then said, "oh how gross".

Below is the private electric trolley - Enoden Line. We took this "trolley" from Kamakura to Hase where the great Buddha was located. The Enoden Line began operating in 1902.
After departing the "trolley" I was working on getting pictures when I turn around to this grand site! The story being Dylan pointed at this balloon hat that a Japanese man had. In my head, I can just hear the squeals of delight, curiosity and desire. At the very moment he was pointing Dylan was granted his wish as the Japanese man gave him the balloon hat.

This delightful hat soon became something for mom to carry. I did say carry not wear:)



Just wanted to give you a little dose of Engrish. I realize that at times I can be the queen of run on sentences that could bring my English teachers to tears. Never have I had a run on word such as this:) You could tell the owners were trying to go with a Mexican theme on their food choices, but oh my. It was interesting to see the combination of Japanese food items made into wannabe Mexican dishes. Once back to Kamkura we headed down a couple streets until we found one that could be the main road:) Mind you there are no AAA nor are there maps that you can read. We were trying to make it to Tsurugaoka hachinman-gu Shrine. We went the wrong way but were blessed with this view
Consulting a map I have here at the house in my book from the US, I believe this is a view of Oshima Island in the Pacific Ocean. Oshima is one of the 7 islands that make up the Izu Shichito
Heading back the other way we came to this large torii gate after passing by another just as large but gray.

I don't have a picture that does this setting justice it was quite stunning.


In case you were wondering we didn't get a chance to have s'mores:)

Journaling time:

Train Fun:

Zushi is the train station where the cars undergo maintenance. I though they detached and actually went into a maintenance shed. Oh no they work on them as they sit on the track. We found this out the hard way - the way many foreigners do:) As the train emptied we too got off since I had warned Rory about the maintenance. Needless to say, we were really confused when it didn't leave so back on we went and sat there. What we really should have done was exit cross over to the other tracks and get on that train. Instead we waited and waited until we decided this train was probably going back the way we came. They like to do that to you, pull a quick directional switcharoo. Of course, they only pull one over on those of us who can't understand what they are saying

The Shrine:

Due to the late hour that we arrived at the shrine we did not have the opportunity to fully appreciate our surroundings. We will surely return to take in all that is the Tsurugaoka Hachimn-gu especially now that we have an English print out about each section. On our next visit, I will work on capturing the stunning height - the jogu shrine, one of the many that Tsurugaoka Hachimn-gu encompasses, sits a top sixty steps providing you a view of the whole city of Kamakura.

An Experience:

Ah on to our dinner experience in Kamakura. As I mentioned above dusk had fallen and we were traveling with little man. It was time to get some sustenance and head home. Easier said than done at times - this being one of them. Being conscientious we were looking for a restaurant which seem to appeal to families. Though Dylan is a doll and well loved, he doesn't yet have the table manners or inside voice that some restaurants require. Finally we found one that was going to work. We held the elevator doors open for another family to enter. Once inside the restaurant we were thrilled to see a menu hanging on the wall with English as well as Japanese. The family we arrived with showed us were to sign in. I know my name in Kanji but don't have it memorized. It is like memorizing shapes - maybe by the time we are heading back to the states:) I wrote our name in English because would I really even recognize our name if the gentleman called out after reading in in Kanji?

As the "host/waiter" came up for the next family he called the Japanese family that came up on the elevator with us. Being so kind, they deferred to us since technically we would have been there first. We were seated, started giving Dylan his dinner and chose our meals. Then we waited, waited and waited. Two families that were behind us in line were seated and SERVED. As you have surmised the one family was the kind Japanese family who allowed us to go first the other was a couple. The woman looked Asian but not really Japanese and the man was a white guy. Maybe American maybe British but pretty much a white guy. So was it because we didn't have an Asian friend with us? Looking around the place we saw plenty of children and Dylan was behaving wonderfully. The menus had English text and we could mutely point if our waiter was scared to try and speak with us.

If we closed our menus and stack them would the server come?

Rory tried to make eye contact multiple times, yet every time the server came near he averted his eyes. Finally we received a box of chopsticks and spoons then we waited, waited and waited some more. Enough was enough. Rory was mad because his wife and child were not being fed and I really wanted to go home to the blessed US. After waiting approximately 15minutes after being seated and watching others seated after us being served their dinner we packed up Dylan and left.

Feeling dreadful we went to a nearby market and picked up random "stuff". Then the challenge was trying to find a place to sit and eat. We ended up sitting at a bus stop to eat our dinner (if you can call it that) as a steady stream of Japanese walked past. I am sure they were staring but I was beyond caring. If they wouldn't serve us in an establishment they could watch us eat in the open. Eating out in the open, on buses and trains is not really a "polite" thing to due here in Japan unless it is a designated picnic area. One of our kabobs was for sure "stuff" I would have to say it must have been organ of some kind. I can guarantee you no meat has that texture!!! I can only hope, pray and tell myself it was tofu!

Our Faithful King:

Across from the bus station we saw McDonald's. Ok so it was time to get an McFlurrie to finish off the evening. This is when the Lord sent an encouraging blessing to his downtrodden children! As we are waiting in line an elderly Japanese man engaged us in conversation. At first in my tired, jaded mind I knew I was soon going to hear him rant about horrible Americans and their nuclear powered carriers! What a blessed surprise Rory and I were given. He asked if we lived in the town to which we told him no Yokosuka. Then he smiles and says Ah American Navy? We said yes. This sent them man off with a sparkle in his eye about how Japan and US have strong bond. Good for everyone and Yea Navy (obviously not his exact words) Let me tell you he was thrilled we were American Military. I can't describe the blessing it was to Rory and I after our dinner rejection. As I was taking in this man's kind words, I realized he was of a generation that knew... He was more than likely around during WWII though I can't be sure. Think for a minute with me - how does he know Americans. Was he a soldier? Was he captured and treated with respect? If not what type of interaction did he have with Americans?

Praise the Lord that somewhere along the way he grew to love Americans and our military!

Also Praise the Lord for giving us something to smile about on our train trip home.