Kamakura is a place where visitors can feel Japan’s long history treasures as well as beautiful nature.
Kamakura is a coastal city in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, 1.5 hours from central Tokyo and 40 minutes from Yokohama city by car. About more than 800 years ago, the shogunate established here and became the political center of that time.
Today, Kamakura still preserves and preserves many temples and pagodas bearing the identity of the era. Visitors can admire the streets full of ancient Japanese traditions.
Although located next to major cities like Tokyo and Yokohama, but nature in Kamakura is still rich. When spring comes, cherry blossoms and many different types of flowers bloom in the middle of the ancient streets, creating a poetic scene.
Spring flowers bloom in Kamakura. Photo: Shutterstock.
Referring to Kamakura, many people will immediately think of the great Kamakura statue. The Buddha was built about 750 years ago and is worshiped in the historic Kamakura Daibutsu-den Kotoku-in temple. The statue’s official name is Amida Nyorai Sitting Buddha. The statue is about 11.3 m high and weighs about 121 tons. Although not as large as the Nara Todaiji Great Buddha, this is one of the large statues representing the revered Buddha and long-standing Buddhism of the Japanese people.
Visitors can enter and visit the inside of the statue. As it is increasingly difficult to visit and admire the large Buddha statues, coming to Kamakura, visitors will have a valuable experience here. Visitors will see firsthand, feel the ingenuity and difficulties of the craftsman who created the Buddha statue at that time.
The Great Buddha of Kamakura is the symbol of the old town in Kanagawa. Photo: Shutterstock.
Normally, when you visit the Buddha, you will not be able to point your camera at the Buddha statues in the temples. However, the Great Buddha Kamakura is placed outside, so you can take many photos with the Buddha image amidst the clear blue sky of spring and cherry blossoms in full bloom in the grounds.
Along the path leading the pilgrims to the Buddha statue are Some-yoshino white cherry trees and many canopy of willow cherry blossoms in full bloom. The time to see the most beautiful cherry blossoms is from late March to early April. If you come here at this time, you can save precious moments with Buddha and spring.
The combination of the Great Buddha and the cherry blossoms create a unique setting of the Japanese springtime. Photo: Shutterstock.
Coming to Kamakura, visitors visit the Kenchoji Temple with a long history. Kenchoji was founded in 1253 (about 770 years ago) during Japan’s Kamakura era. Inside the temple, including the main gate of Sanmon, the Butsuden Buddha temple and Hatto tower … are designated as important cultural assets of the country.
Kenchoji Temple is about a 30-minute walk from Kamakura Station. In spring, cherry blossoms in full bloom around the main gate of Sanmon of Kenchoji Temple, visitors can admire an impressive and romantic scene.
The flower color as the background makes the space around the magnificent Kenchoji temple three-door gate suddenly become peaceful. Photo: Shutterstock.
Spring in Japan, apart from cherry blossoms, is indispensable with beautiful plum petals. Zuisenji Temple is known as a temple of flowers in Kamakura. Visitors can enjoy the beautiful natural scenery during the four seasons all year round here.
In mid-February, elegant plum blossoms bloom to color the path leading to the temple. In particular, plum blossoms give off a stronger floral scent than cherry blossoms, so the entire surrounding area is covered in the scent of plum blossoms. That seductive fragrance makes you feel the full breath of spring as it is approaching.