Today I decided to go to Kamakura. It was on my sort of original itinerary, and today seemed like a good time for a day trip. Really my last chance.
I went to get melon bread for breakfast, but they don`t open until later, so I just got on a train and headed out. This one took some figuring out. Google maps is sometimes a bit cryptic in how it gives train schedules. So this one was like get on this train line, stop at Tokyo station, stay on train to Kamakura station. So I did that and everyone got off at Tokyo station except me. And I sat there. And sat there. Finally I stood up and looked around to try to read a sign, and some nice dude came up and in English asked if I was trying to get to Chiba. I said no Kamakura, and he`s like oh, you need to go up the stairs, go down the other side and take that train. This is this trains last stop which is why nobody is on it. Thanked him profusely and got on the right train that took me there.
Kamakura was the best idea. So its so quiet, even though there`s a good chunk of visitors. There`s very little big business, its built on being a formal capitol of Japan and hosts many very fine temples, shrines, and historical markers. It was a beautiful day, hit around 61 and the sun made it feel warmer, light breeze, no clouds.
First order of business was breakfast. I went to a Family Mart, they`re 1/3 of the convenient store trifectum along with 7-11 and Lawson`s. I gave their chicken a go. Loser. I`m never going to Family Mart again. But it filled me up a bit and I turned my journey to Kotoku-in, a temple famous for its 2nd largest bronze Buddha statue (first one being bag at Todaiji back in Nara). On the way I stopped at a bakery and picked up 2 things that looked good for later. I made it to the temple, all the while walking around empty backroads by houses with nice scenery of the hills. The Buddha statue was very cool. I liked it a lot more than the Todaiji temple if only because it was easier to tell the scale, and being outdoors on a beautiful day really made it. For 20 cents you could go inside the buddha, so of course I did. Its pretty neat, and would make a great clubhouse (no girls allowed!). It even has windows in the back of the Buddha. I took a walk around the path outside the temple and had a picnic with my bread items. One had a honey glaze on top and tasted kind of like popovers. The other was a cream filled bread, very tasty. I had some lemon water left over from the previous day with me.
Next I went to Hasedera temple. This was another just beautiful temple. It had a garden below and stairs you climb up to the main temple. Inside is a large wooden Bodhisattva Kannon with gold leaf on it. The origin of both the carving and the temple is this:
A monk in the Nara region in 751ad found a large sacred camphor tree in the Nara region and commissioned two sculptors to carve two Kannon statues out of them. One was kept in Hasedera temple in Nara, and the other was thrown into the sea with a prayer that it would reappear to save the people. 15 years later it washed ashore at Nagai Beach near Kamakura. The statue was brought into Kamakura and a Hasedera temple in Kamakura was built.
Pretty neat. The temple also had an outcropping view a good portion of the beach and surrounding islands. I spent a good bit applying some sunscreen and sipping my drink while watching the wind surfers. By the way there`s a new drink in town called Pepsi J-style. The J is for Japan, and its pretty awesome. I liked it, though it may be too mature for the readers back home. Having experienced quite a few vending machine sodas I can appreciate the adult flavor that is..."J-style".
After touring around I went to the base again, to discover a little cave. Just about anybody would have to duck for the entrance, but there was a shrine inside a twisting cave. It had a dedication shrine where you could place a little plastic figure among the others for presumably a reason. At this point I didn`t have to duck any more, but those other tall tourists all had their heads and backs bent down like idiots. Ha, it sure must suck to be normal height! haha..ha....
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Once I was through the tunnel I started heading to another temple, and noticed most of the crowds dying off, not that it was ever that crowded here. I was about to turn for it when I found that I was at the beach. Since it was so nice I decided to skip more temple seeing at least for now, and take a walk. There was a path above that twisted around the coast line. The beach ended and was replaced by jack style wave breakers. There were tsunami warning signs that were a little cut off, as though they had been damaged by some sort of large, possibly wattery impact. All this while I was having a great time. Popped in an earphone to listen to some funky beats while I walked along. Also random thing I did, I put on the Godzilla theme song, and it really felt like he would pop up and destroy the city, it was that kind of view.
Up ahead I got to park on a hill overlooking a west beach, vs east from the other. Supposedly from here you could make out Fuji on a clear day, and it was clear so I was looking. I don`t think it came through in a photo, though I tried, but with my sunglasses on I could see Mt Fuji, towering over all the other mountains. The white from the snow blended in with the sky so much that it was the blue outline, and upper rim that were easiest to spot. Without my sunglasses I could juuuust barely make out the top. I tried to even put my sunglasses over my phone camera to see if that would work, doubt it did though I`ll check in a bit.
I sat there for a good hour just enjoying being away from the city and the great view. I finally got up and started walking back. I did stop by Joju-in, the shrine I had originally started walking to. It also was home to a great view, and a very pretty graveyard. I took the photo opps and a few other people were there doing the same, and headed back.
My trainride back had a bit of shenanigans as well. Google maps once again was like "stay on the train" at Tokyo station, so I did. I noticed after 3 stops that I was going East very very quickly, and got off. Sure enough headed the wrong way. I got back in the other direction and got off at Tokyo station. Instead of getting another train north I figured I`d grab food and walk, it was only 30 minutes away or so. I looked at local places to try and tick one of my boxes. Across the street was a well reviewed conveyor belt sushi place. They had a ticket system to get in line. I waited for about an hour and a half but I got inside dangit.
The girl sitting next to me I noticed had gotten through like 3 plates, and she had been there 30 minutes before me. W/e, I started in. I got through 7 or 8 plates, I`ll have to consult the picture, but it was pretty darn good. The chefs were very lively, loudly welcoming any guest and proclaiming what they were about to serve. I didn`t eat anything particularly unusual I don`t think, but did try a couple random fish with onions on them, tasted great.
After I had my fill I headed back to the lodge, full of fishy energy. Downside of the wait was I got here at around 9. All the blankets were taken :( I asked if they had more but he said sorry nope. Ah well, sleep in clothes night and I have my sleeping bag liner at least.
Tomorrow is the last day here, which is crazy. The trip seems both long and short at the same time. I got stuff done every day, with the lightest being when I was waiting for the nightbus. Tomorrow I`m going to look for a cheap luggage thing and spend the rest of my money I random stuff. I don`t have all that much left, but I can probably get a bunch of candy. Also I want to find my Wagyu A5 beef tomorrow so there`s that. I`ll see what I can do!
