Japan - Day 2 - Kamakura

Joel & Robin Japan 2001

Day 2: Day Trip to Kamakura

Our second day of sightseeing took us to Kamakura, a short trip by train south of Tokyo. It was Japan's capital from 1185 to 1333. First stop there: the Great Buddha.

Joel and Robin by the Great Buddha

The buddha was cast out of numerous pieces of bronze, in 1252. It's 44 feet tall. For 100 yen (just under a buck), you can go into it. It's just like going into the Statue of Liberty, except for being a bit smaller and more than five times as old.

Inside the Buddha, with hordes of schoolkids

Then we went to a lovely Zen temple, Hokoku-ji.

Hohoku-ji temple building

We had a fake tea ceremony (just the tea and sweets, not the hour of kneeling and trying to appreciate the aesthetics of every single action. Then we wandered through the garden, tranquilly.

View of the garden at hohoku-ji in Kamakura.

Back in Tokyo, we went briefly to a Kabuki performance, then did some shopping on our own.

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