JAPAN 3: Kamakura and Yokohama

To move to Kamakura and Yokohama would use the train, so the first step was to activate our day Japan Rail Pass. We got up early and we walked to Ueno station. In the brochure was a JR Pass scheme office situation Ueno to activate it, but we struggled to find it. And to make matters worse, it was closed, not open until 9 and we had to wait almost an hour. We decided to go to the Tokyo Station by subway, from which came the train to Kamakura and had another office. 

At Tokyo Station orientation was more difficult, it was chaos corridors and hundreds of people, all in a hurry. But after many laps and ask several employees of JR, we found the holy office. The process of activating the JR Pass was simple. There we were told to get to Kamakura had to take the JR Yokosuka Line. 

Kamakura is a small city with a glorious past. The shogun Minamoto Yoritomo became the thirteenth century in the ancient capital of Japan, the title he held for nearly 200 years. Under the approval of the shogun, a myriad of majestic temples of Zen Buddhism, which are now a prime tourist attraction is founded. 

Rather than get off the train in Kamakura, we did in Kita-Kamakura, a couple of kilometers north of the main. This was a success, as this could visit some temples in this area, which are among the best in Kamakura (unforgivable that the guide "The Best of Japan" in the Lonely do not go!). On leaving the station we had the first surprise: we were approached a man on a bike and began to speak in broken English. He gave a sort of letter explaining that he was studying English and would like foreign people write letters to practice. So if someone wants to give joy to the Lord, we can give your address. 

See 3b Japan: Kamakura & Yokohama in a larger map 

The first temple we visited was the Engaku-ji, one of the most important Zen temples in Japan. It was built in the thirteenth century to honor the victims of the Mongol invasions were able to repel the Japanese. This temple is one that we liked Kamakura, surrounded by wooded hills and very few visitors. 

We entered the enclosure through San-mon, a huge two-door wood floors, built in the eighteenth century. When we pass it to the Butsu-den, an elegant temple which houses an important Buddha image. The road continued in manicured gardens, green hills and some very authentic small temple. They were the first we saw that seemed ancient temples of truth, since Tokyo had seemed to us too modern, too rebuilt ... 

San-mon, Engaku-ji 

Butsu-den, Engaku-ji 

A little later we find the Hai-dojo, the former home of the chief priest now houses distinguished guests. At that time it was full of parishioners, looked like it was celebrating a religious ceremony. Next was Myokochi lake, with amazing views of the temples that were waiting above. 

Hai-dojo, Engaku-ji 

Engaku-ji 

Myokochi, Engaku-ji 

We left the lake and entered the Butsunichi-an, for which it had to pay an extra 100 yen. Here was buried Tokimune Hojo, the ruler who built Engaku-ji. The path through the temple ends Obai-in, a nice little garden with a small shrine.