The following pictures were taken by Kasper Smit and Werner Breitfuss, with whom I did some sightseeing in the Golden Week.
To get a bit closer to the huge Buddha statue, we took the Enoden train line to Hase. There we walked a bit on the beach and wondered about all the weird species laying on the beach. Some spiral shells of 15cm (mostly occupied by little crabs), various kinds of seaweed and pieces of coral.
and small boats of course...
Then it started to rain and we went to a small restaurant for lunch. After lunch it still rained, which resulted in a colourfull crowd at the Daibutsu.
After several unsuccessful tries, Kasper finally managed to get a shot of the Buddha without any people! Congratulations!
One of Kaspers unsuccessful tries... I thougt it was a clear view, but suddenly they popped up :-(
From the Daibutsu we followed the Kamakura Hiking Trail, which I had already succesfully walked in 2004. It offers some nice views over the city and sea.
Two birds were fighting right above our heads.
Halfway the hiking trail is a small park
The Ginkgo tree and the Ginkgo leaf motif are often seen in Japan. Ginko (without the g) is the Japanese word for bank (Nippon Ginko is the Japanese national bank). The special thing about this tree is that it is not a broad-leaved tree (NL: Loofboom) but a type on its own in between a conifer (NL: Naaldboom) and a farn (NL: Varen). You can see that the nerves are all more or less parallel, and never intersect.
The Zeniarai Benten shrine is probably one of the best in Kamakura. It lays in a small valley, has a cave where you can put your wish and wash your money (to make it give luck when you spend it) and best of all: it is for free!
I want my money to give me fortune
Lots and lots of stings mad from origami cranes hang down from the ceiling of the cave.
Close-up of a crane
A pond with carp
and a small red bridge make complete the Zeniarai Benten
To get a bit closer to the huge Buddha statue, we took the Enoden train line to Hase. There we walked a bit on the beach and wondered about all the weird species laying on the beach. Some spiral shells of 15cm (mostly occupied by little crabs), various kinds of seaweed and pieces of coral.
and small boats of course...
Then it started to rain and we went to a small restaurant for lunch. After lunch it still rained, which resulted in a colourfull crowd at the Daibutsu.
After several unsuccessful tries, Kasper finally managed to get a shot of the Buddha without any people! Congratulations!
One of Kaspers unsuccessful tries... I thougt it was a clear view, but suddenly they popped up :-(
From the Daibutsu we followed the Kamakura Hiking Trail, which I had already succesfully walked in 2004. It offers some nice views over the city and sea.
Two birds were fighting right above our heads.
Halfway the hiking trail is a small park
The Ginkgo tree and the Ginkgo leaf motif are often seen in Japan. Ginko (without the g) is the Japanese word for bank (Nippon Ginko is the Japanese national bank). The special thing about this tree is that it is not a broad-leaved tree (NL: Loofboom) but a type on its own in between a conifer (NL: Naaldboom) and a farn (NL: Varen). You can see that the nerves are all more or less parallel, and never intersect.
The Zeniarai Benten shrine is probably one of the best in Kamakura. It lays in a small valley, has a cave where you can put your wish and wash your money (to make it give luck when you spend it) and best of all: it is for free!
I want my money to give me fortune
Lots and lots of stings mad from origami cranes hang down from the ceiling of the cave.
Close-up of a crane
A pond with carp
and a small red bridge make complete the Zeniarai Benten