Neil Island, Andaman

Friday 23 June 2017

Diabutsu, Kamakura


  • Take direct train from Tokyo to Kamakura. Alight at Kita-Kamakura which is one station before the last and start walking. You will find shrines and treasures worth the walk.
  • Yuigahama beach was a disappointment. Rather take a seat on one of the sea facing restaurants or bar and take a meal.
  • Diabutsu is the highlight of this area. The Great Buddha in green surrounded by green is remarkable. Walking around is preferred although tiring.

It always makes sense to visit the nearest beach-town on a sunny weekend and that is what we planned during our stay at Tokyo. Yuigahama Beach is an hour away from Tokyo. There was a direct train from close to our hotel to Kamakura and a 15 min walk from Kamakura station to Yuigahama. On the way we got feedback from a friendly lady on how wonderful the walk is from Kita-Kamakura to Kamakura. It was a good idea. The series of temples and a garden dedicated to the hydrangeas were delightful.

Daibutsu, Kamakura

We visited Meigatsu-in which is a temple of Kannon Bodhisattva, deity of compassion. There were newly blossomed hydrangeas filling the entire garden. The whole garden is designed in levels and ends with a statue of Lord Buddha himself. We spent half hour and then started moving to Kamakura. The walk to Kamakura and then to Yuigahama was long although made comfortable by an easy sea breeze.

Meigatsu-in, Kita-Kamakura

Yuigahama was a thorough disappointment. The beach is unkempt, has a sewage running right in the middle of it and has minimal basic amenities, forget about shacks, pubs or beach-side eating joints. We settled at a beach-facing restaurant which was offering American Menu. Run by an ever-efficient Japanese lady in her 70s, the food prepared for us was just perfect - toast & hot coffee followed by an exquisite dessert. Filled up, we started moving up to the giant Buddha statue know as Diabutsu (meaning Great Buddha in Japanese).

Yiugahama Beach, Kamakura

The first glance of giant bronze statue of sitting Lord Buddha among the green landscape is exhilerating. We took some time to adjust to the size and then started taking pictures in a frenzy. After the disappointment of beach, this was our highlight of the day. People were flocking the place but we found a spot and just sat there for a while looking at the statue. It was now time to go back to Tokyo.

Diabutsu, Kamakura

A bus took us to station and then a direct train to Tokyo. We were back to hotel early and hence planned a visit to famous Shibuya area.

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