Kamakura

On Monday we took an excursion to the Shinto and Buddhist Shrine area called Kamakura.

In the morning we went through this Torii gate to the Shinto Shrine. basically all Shinto Shrines have Torii Gates, or so we have learned. By walking through the gate your mind is purified. Then they have a water sink where Shinto’s can purify their body.

This week is a special to get married. So this couple was entering to get married. We saw the ceremony while we were walking around. Notice the outfits and especially her headpiece. We were told this is to cover her horns!!!!

There was a garden as part of the shrine. This included several flowers like iris and peonies. Probably others that weren’t in bloom. I could include many other photos.

Then we went to lunch. I can promise I didn’t gain any weight. But I did try most everything. The spinach. carrot and a peapod were good. The salmon was good. But the lotus and tofu weren’t good. We did have a bowl of sticky rice that isn’t in the photo. I can’t even explain much of the stuff in the photo nor would I want it again. I did ask for a fork which is in the photo. So are the recommended chopsticks.

In the afternoon we went to the red lantern Buddhist Temple. This temple has the biggest Buddha in Japan. I really enjoyed the architecture and landscaping more than the Buddhas. But you have to see it anyway.

Again it was pretty crowded but not as bad as most days while in Japan. Of course the Japanese all have to go to work tomorrow.

Pretty much all of the shrines and temples have ponds. Many have fish especially what we call koi. The Japanese call these fish carp which they think are great fish. I knew that Koi were in the carp family. But I think of carp as the fish that live in muddy icky rivers. Koi are beautiful and live in clean ponds. Once upon a time while we lived in Pennsylvania we had a Koi pond in our back yard. I enjoyed feeding them most every night.