Buddha's Birthday

Tea in a bamboo forest

Hokokui Temple

Hokokui Temple

Great Buddha

Great Buddha

Gree tea and chcolate ice cream

Hasedera Temple

Hasedera Temple

Hasedera Temple

It's raining, what will this do to the cherry blossoms? Yesterday, they started to fall and looked so pretty floating in the sunshine. Time to dig out the rain jacket and get going. We are on our way to Kamakura an ancient city by the sea, about 50km from Tokyo. We are old hands at the trains now, time to snooze. Oops, this is where we get off, wake up Catherine. 

First stop is Hodokuji Temple, maybe this is why it is wet today the bamboo forest looks amazing in the rain. Yuriko-san takes us to the back of the temple and we have sweets and green tea with froth on top. She also instructs us in how to drink the tea, turn the bowl and wipe afterwards. More insights into the complex rituals of Japan. Sitting amongst the bamboo with the rain pattering down it feels like we are shrouded in green and very calming. 

Alas we have to move on, camera at the ready we arrive at the Great Buddha. At 13.35 metres high he is an impressive site. He has been sitting here for 765 years and has survived numerous typhoons and tsunamis. Originally clad in gold and we can still see a bit of gold on his left cheek. Yuriko-san asks if we want to go inside, I am confused and then realise we can. So yes please, in the side entrance and up the very narrow stairs we go to cram in with the rest of the visitors. He is made of bronze and we touch his belly from the inside. Back out to jostle with umbrellas and get a few more photos and we are done. Am liking this getting taken to all the best bits with just the right amount of time for photos.

Time for some lunch, another local delicacy this time vegetables in tempura with udon noodles. Followed by green tea and chocolate ice cream. Yum.

It's Buddha birthday today so all the shrines are open and we can do extra rituals like drink special Mancha tea and pour tea on Buddha. We have one more on our tourist trail, it's Hasedera Temple, with views of the ocean, amazing gardens and a fun way to read the sutras quickly. Though I am not sure my enlightenment levels increased. The best bit is the golden eleven-headed statue of Kannon, the goddess of mercy. 

On the way home Yoriko-san explains a bit about the vending machines that are on every street and station.  She shows us how to see if it is a hot or cold drink, the number is in red or blue. Obvious really but I had not noticed. Now she shows us how you need a Taspo card to prove you are over 20 to buy cigarettes or alcohol from the vending machines.