Enoshima
  
(L) The interior of the Excellent Express 30000 trains (M) The express
train arriving at the Katase-Enoshima terminal station
(R)The exterior of Katase-Enoshima station
Enoshima is a small offshore island, about 4 km in circumference,
at the mouth of the Katase River,
which flows into the Sagami Bay. Administratively, Enoshima is part of
the mainland city of Fujisawa.
It is linked to the Katase section of that city by a 600-metre-long bridge.
  
(L) A gateway to Enoshima island (M) Enoshima is linked with Katase by a bridge put on the shallows.
(R) Torii represents the entrance to Enoshima island.
  
Enoshima shrines
Enoshima Shrine consists of three separate shrines that are located in
different places around the island.
The main complex includes an octagonal building that houses one of Japan's
three most venerated statues
of Benten, the patron goddess of Enoshima. Since Benten is also the goddess
of wealth, some visitors
will wash their money at the shrine's pond.
  
(L) Temizusha, purification through a hand-washing basin (M) An offertory
box in the form of drawstring bag (R) Nakatsugu shrine
  
(L) Suikinkutsu: a water cave which creates a special sound when fall water
drops, in a Japanese garden
(R) Italian restaurant, iL Chianti Cafe: On the entrance door, it shows
a genuine Italian no-smoking sign.
  
(L) Enoshima Daishi and observation tower (R) Okutsugu shrine
  
The southern coastline of Enoshima is made up of jagged cliffs that fall
steeply towards the ocean below
before they suddenly level out just at the waterline, forming wide stone
plates where people gather
during low tide to enjoy sunbathing and fishing.
  
(L) Iwaya caves and Buddhist statues (R) The cave and a wooden bridge to
lead the caves in the period before the World War $B-6(B.
A map of the Iwaya Caves
Benzaiten, the goddess of music and entertainment, is enshrined on the
island. The island in its entirety is
dedicated to the goddess, who is said to have caused it to rise from the
bottom of the sea in sixth century.
Enoshima is now the center of Shonan, a resort area along the Sagami Bay.
Enoshima was the Olympic harbor
for the 1964 Summer Olympics. Enoshima will also be the sailing venue for
the 2020 Summer Olympics.
Enoshima in the Sagami Province painted circa 1830 by Hokusai, a famous
artist during the Edo period.
Pilgrimage to the Cave Shrine of Benzaiten, Enoshima, painted by Hiroshige
circa 1850.
Kamakura
Kamakura is one of ancient cities where Japan$B!G(Bs central governments used
to be located. In the late
12th century, the warrior class came into political power. Its government
was formed by warriors,
called Bushi or Samurai.Minamoto Yoritomo, the commander-in-chief, located his headquarters here
at Kamakura and this was the beginning of Shogunate. The Bushi class was
not only involved in
politics but also engaged in developing Bushi culture represented by the
spirit of simplicity and
fortitude. They welcomed Zen Buddhism as a form of mental discipline. The first Zen temple in
Japan was founded in Kamakura in those days. The culture created by the
Kamakura Bushi has
influenced Japan$B!G(Bs society up until modern days.
Bird's eye view of the Hase temple complex
Hase-dera$B!!D9C+;{(B
Hase-dera, commonly called the Hase-kannon is one of the Buddhist temples
in the city of Kamakura,
famous for housing a massive wooden statue of Kannon. The temple originally
belonged to the Tendai
sect of Buddhism, however; it eventually became an independent temple of
the Jodo-shu sect.
 
(L) A rickshaw man is waiting for a guest in front of Hase (R) Chozubachi
of a temple
  
(L) Smoking is prohibited on the entire precinct. (M) Belfry (R) Hase Kannon-do
Hall
Hase Kannon
  
(L) Kannon-do: The mail hall (R) Kyozo
  
(L) Torii at the entrance to the cave Bebten-Kutsu (M) Benten-kutsu cave
stature (R) A new, clean public toilet
Gokurakuji Temple$B!!6K3Z;{(B$B!!(B
Gokurakuji Temple is a Buddhist temple. It is located on Gokurakuji Pass
of Kamakura. It is built in 1259
by Hojo Shigetoki, and located in the two-minute distance from Gokurakuji
Enoden station.
 
(L) Gokurakuji Enoden station (R) Gokurakuji Temple
The great Buddha in Kamakura$B!!9bFA1!!JBgJ)!K(B$B!!(B
The Great Buddha of Kamakura is a bronze statue of Amida Buddha, which
stands on the grounds of
Kotokuin Temple. With a height of 13.35 meters, it is the second tallest bronze Buddha statue in Japan,
surpassed only by the statue in Nara's Todaiji Temple.The statue was cast
in 1252 and originally located
inside a large temple hall. However, the temple buildings were destroyed
multiple times by typhoons
and a tidal wave in the 14th and 15th centuries. So, since 1495, the Buddha has been standing in the
open air.
  
(L) Nio guardian's stature (R) Chozubachi of a temple to purify hands before
worshiping
  
(L) Chozuya, a water-filled basin (M) Tsubaki' giant tree (R) A front close
view of the Great Buddha
 
The great Buddha of Kamakura
  
(L) A view of the back of Buddha stature (M) The entrance to the inside
of the great Buddha stature
(R) The internal hollow of the stature: There is a study that the material
of Buddha could be made by the cast Chinese copper coin.
However, it has not been finalized.
 
The explanation panel, showing that the Buddha was built in the Kamakura
Period, 750 years ago.
Stature was cast in thirty separate stages. A completely unique and ingenious
was employed to
connecting the pieces from the base to the top of stature.
 $B!!(BThe Great Buddha of Kamakura
The great Budda of Kamakura
The Great Budda was built about 750 years ago, in the middle of the Kamakura
Period.
The method was to build connecting iron parts from the base to the top
of stature.
This is one of the places of a visit in Kamakura, out-shirts of Tokyo.
Goryo-junja Shrine$B!!8fNn?@
The Shrine is dedicated to the soul of an extraordinarily brave samurai
with great physical strength who
had lived here before the Kamakura Period (1185-1333). This shrine has a quiet tranquil atmosphere,
except for during this special Ajisai season. Goryo-jinja is situated in
the middle of a residential area near
Hase Kannon Temple.
  
The entranceway to the shrine (M) Chozuya, a water-filled basin of Goryo-jinja
(R) The approach to the shrine
 
(L) Goryou-jinja Shrine (R) Akusejo ( Goshuin ) of Goryou-jinja Shrine
 $B!!(B
(R) Enoden train is passing in front of 'torii' of the Shrine. (R) Goryou-jinja
Shrine viewed from the railway track
  
(R) A railway track extending to the Gokurakuji Tunnel (M) An Enoden train is entering in the Gokurakuji Satation after it passed
Gokurakuji Tunnel.
(M) A railway track of Enoden extended to the west-side from Gokurakuji
Station.
(R) A railway track, that is extended to the east-side from Goryou-jinja
$B!!(B Goryou-jinja Shrine ( In Japanese )
Ryukoji Temple$B!!N68};{(B
Ryukoji Temple is Nichiren Buddhist temple located in Fujisawa. It was
built in 1337 by Priest Nippo.
In 1271, Priest Nichiren was just about to be executed here, but he was
survived. Later, Nippo the
students of Nichiren, found out that this is the sacred spot because Nichiren
survived from the disaster.
  
(L) A stairway to Rukouji Temple (M) Chozuya, a water basin to wash and
clean hands before a worship (R) A bell tower of the temple
Tsurugaoka-Hachimangu Shrine$B!!Da2,H,H(5\(B
Tsurugaoka-Hachimangu is the most important Shinto shrine in the city of
Kamakura. The shrine is at the
geographical and cultural center of the city of Kamakura, which has largely
grown around it and its 1.8 km
approach.Tsurugaoka-Hachimangu was for most of its history not only a Hachiman shrine, but also a Tendai
Buddhist temple, a fact which explains its general layout, typical of Japanese
Buddhist architecture.
At the left of its great stone stairway stood a 1000-year-old ginkgo tree,
which was uprooted by a storm
in March 2010. The shrine is an important cultural property.
 
(L) The stone-bridge lead to the Tsurugaoka-Hachimangu shrine (R) On the approach road to the Hachimangu, cherry blossoms began
to bloom.
 
Tsurugaoka-Hachimangu, the Kanakura's most important Shinto shrine
 
(L) A souvenir photography on the back of sake that is dedicated. (R) Maiden
of Tsuruoka-Hachimangu shrine
$B!!(BFujiya restaurant ( In Japanese )
Enoshima Electric Railway
Enoshima Electric Railway is a private railway which connects JR Kamakura
station with JR Fujisawa station.
The route is 10 kilometers long. It is single-track; however, five of the
route's fifteen stations are equipped
with,allowing for the operation of bi-directional traffic. Included in the route is a short section of street
running between Koshigoe and Enoshima stations.
Enoden route map ( Wikipedia )
Original 500 series photographed in 1992 ( Wikipedia )
  
Kamakura Station ( JR railway on the right ) and narrow railroad-track space
  
(L) It's common to go through the narrow space. (M) Hase Station
  
(L) Entering to Gokurakuji Tunnel (M) Gukurakuji Station (R) Approaching
to Hase Station
  
Shichirigahama and Enoshima seen from Enoden tram cars
$B!!(BEnoshima Electric Railway ( In Japanese )
  Enoshima and Katase $B9>$NEg$HJR@%(B
1940-1950$BG/Be$H$NHf3S$7$F2?$,$I$&JQ$o$C$?$+(B
 $B!!(BMount Takao
 $B!!(BOdakyu Railway
 $B!!(BHakone-Tozan Railway
 Cat-tram
 $B!!(BUsui Pass
 $B9>$NEg!&3yAR(B
 2016$BG/(B3$B7n!!<9I.$*$h$S
$B!z(BThis Web site is link-free.
This information was provided by the Smokefree Hotel and Travel.
The article was written, and photographs were taken in March 2016, and
added an information in April 2019, by Junhaku Miyamoto, M.D., PhD.
Copyright (C) 2016 Junhaku Miyamoto, PhD. All right is reserved.
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