Temples and Shrines of Japan
Yuugen Guide is a review of temples and shrines across Japan for casual and educated travelers alike.
Jôchiji is the 4th of the Kamakura Gozan (see Kenchôji) and was built in 1283 by the Hôjô family to commemorate the untimely death of a Hôjô son. Inside are the Buddhist Trinity of Amida (Past), Shakyamuni (Present), and Maitreya/Miroku (Future).
For the casual: 5. For the educated: 5.
Jôchiji is a great little temple to visit not too far from Kenchôji and Engakuji, and is in a quiet little area. The people there are extremely nice.
Number 3 of the Kamakura Gozan (refer to Kenchôji), Jufukuji is not like most temples. Originally the ancestral home of the Kamakura Period founder Minamoto no Yoritomo, it was converted into a temple by his wife Hôjô Masako after his death. The first head priest of the temple was Eisai, the monk who is noted for formally introducing Japan to Zen Buddhism. Though her husband had passed, Masako was a guiding figure behind the Kamakura leadership from her residence in Jufukuji until she passed. She, along with her son Sanetomo (see Tsurugaoka Hachimangû) were buried on the temple grounds.
For the casual: 5. For the educated: 8.
Jufukuji holds a special place in Kamakura history because of Masako and Eisai, but the temple does not hold the same level of visual prowess that other temples in the area do. Jufukuji is well noted for its long walkway to the temple, but the temple looks like the house that it really is. Also, visitors are welcomed to the temple to collect Goshinchô (see Goshuinchô tab) but entrance to the temple is for private members only. That being said, the walkway and the front garden are beautifully maintained and the monks are very nice.
Jomyôji is the fifth of the Kamakura Gozan (refer to Kenchôji for description of the system). Founded by the Ashikaga Shogunate, Jomyôji used to be much bigger than it is today. It used to be a massive complex, but fires and earthquakes have ravaged this temple leaving only its historic main hall standing from the original structures. The main hall is dedicated to the Shakyamuni Buddha (the historical Buddha) and to the left of the main hall is a tea house with a pristine rock garden. The quiet styling of Jomyôji is such a welcome contrast to the hustle and bustle of the tourist areas of Kamakura.
For the casual: 7. To the educated: 7.
If you want to find a great place to go that's away from the typical tourist spots, Jomyôji is one of the places to go. Check Google Maps or whatever you want and find some places. For those interested, try searching for all of the Kamakura Gozan since three of the five are quiet off-the-beaten-path sorts of places despite their significance in Japan's spiritual history.
Hase-dera is a beautiful temple built on the hillside of Kamakura, and it is considered one of the most important temples in Kamakura let alone Japan. Within its main hall, Hase-dera houses a 30 foot gilt wood statue of the Compassion Bodhisattva, Kannon. The story goes that in the 8th century, a famous monk of the time was walking through the woods looking for a proper tree to make a statue of Kannon out of. He came across a tree so big that he would be able to commission two statues. The first statue was made of the lower half of the tree (the smaller of the two) and was kept in Hase-dera in Nara (about an hour and a half south of Kyoto), while the second statue from the upper half was tossed into the sea with a prayer that it would return to shore where and when the people needed its help most. Several decades later, the second statue washed up on shore not far from Kamakura, radiating light. And so, a second Hase-dera was constructed to house the second of these sacred Kannon statues.
For the casual: 9. For the educated: 9.
Hase-dera is a temple of delights. Bamboo groves, a small cave to Benzaiten, koi ponds, and a hillside trail full of flowers, Hase-dera is a visual wonderland. The statue of Kannon is awe inspiring and the view of the ocean matches the status of the temple. Though often crowded with tourists, it is a great place to spend time and enjoy the beauty of land and of buildings.
"KAMAKURA HASEDERA." KAMAKURA HASEDERA. Accessed October 12, 2015. http://www.hasedera.jp/en/about/.