Description: If you follow the traditional tourist route, you’ll approach the Shinto Hachimangu shrine (entrance free) from the rear. This has its advantages, as you’ll go downhill from here rather than up the very steep stairs. You will also be able to appreciate the view longer while walking down the stairs and the long approach to the temple. Otherwise, the bottom entrance to the shrine grounds is less than ten minutes walk from Kamakura Station.
The Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine was founded in 1063 on another site but was moved in 1191 to its present location. The current huge building, however, only dates from 1828. The atmosphere here is a lot different from the more serene and peaceful surroundings of the Zen temples close to Kita-Kamakura. There are always lots of visitors to this shrine and it is common to see wedding ceremonies, especially on Saturdays. (If you get your angle right, it is fairly easy to seem to be posing as one of the wedding guests without actually intruding or being in the official photos!)
You have wonderful view of the approach to the temple when you descend down a flight of 62 steep stone stairs. The view is especially grand during cherry blossom season as cherry trees flank a 500 m long elevated walkway in the middle of Wakamiya Avenue that leads towards Kamakura station. A similar show repeats a few weeks later when azaleas bloom in the same street.
Observe the giant 30 m high ginko tree on your right when descending the stairs. In 1219 the third Kamakura Shogun was assassinated here by his nephew, the chief priest of the shrine. The priest hid behind the ginko tree and surprised the shogun on his return from a visit to the shrine. The original tree died but the current one is believed to be centuries old as well.
Continuing towards the station you cross two ponds. The one on the left, Heike, has white lotus flowers and the one on the right, Genji, has red lotus flowers. You can cross a steep red arched bridge, which in ancient times was reserved for the exclusive use of the shogun.
The area to the right of Wakamiya Avenue is full of commercial enterprises including various restaurants, coffee shops and souvenir shops.
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