Blue sky, Great Buddha and us all

Given good luck inside Great Buddha

Took a good rest with a glass of wine

Enjoying cafe au lait at a charming cafe we found on our way to Great Buddha

We washed and purified some coins with the sacred water in the grotto.

At the gateway to Zeniarai (Money-washing)-Benten

Found a pair of gloves with a pattern of a cute little dog

Shopping at a shop on Komachi-dori Shopping street

In front of the main hall of Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine

The last photo of us all in front of Great Buddha

Such a beautiful afternoon with Great Buddha and the blue sky in the back

Big smiles with a plateful of special dishes for autumn at a restaurant

A girl in a colorful kimono for seven-five -three celebration was in front of us at Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine

In the bamboo forest at Hokokuji Temple

Enjoying chestnut yokan and matcha greentea at Kisenan tea ceremony house

Our first stop, Jomyoji Temple, which ranks the fifth of the great Zen Temples in Kamakura

The symbolic red lantern of Hase Temple gate

Giving Daikokuten, a happy god, a big hug for good luck

The main hall of Hase Temple, where eleven-headed Kannon statue is enshrined.

Behind us is Sagami Bay, part of the Pacific Ocean at Hase Temple.

Enjoyed cold soba noodles and ice-cold barley tea for lunch

All of us on the tour

Great Buddha welcomed us with a smile.

The water was refreshing on such a hot day.

Purifying coins with sacred fountain water of Zeniarai Benten Shrine

At Ni-no-Torii, the gate way to Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine

Zen garden in the bamboo garden

A bowl of hot matcha greentea on a very hot day was so good!

In front of the bamboo grove at Hokokuji Temple

Dropped by Masamune Sword and Blade Workshop on our way to Komachi-dori Shopping Street

Spring peonies were beautiful in Hase Temple.

Water pouring Jizo takes your bad karma away.

Great lunch time at a local seafood restaurant in Hase area

Great Buddha and the cherry blossoms welcomed us in Kotokuin Temple.

Enjoying beach walk at Zaimokuza Beach

By the graveyard of Naito family, the huge gravestones were overwhelming.

In front of the alter of the second floor of the gate

We were lucky that the gate of Komyoji Temple was open to public today.

Our tour has just started!

On top of Inamuragasaki Cape with Enoshima Island in the far back

In front of the gate of Hase Temple

Azaleas and Japanese quince were so beautiful in Hase Temple.

Touching the walls of inside Great Buddha brings you good luck!

Great Buddha together with such nice and jolly fellows

We could find a package of good greentea and matcha powdered greentea on Komachi-dori Shopping Street.

After praying in Shinto style at Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine

Great Buddha is always smiling to us all.

The blue sky and the green trees are so beautiful at Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine

Vermilion-colored Egara Tenjin Shrine is dedicated to the god of learning.

All of us in front of the main hall of Sugimoto Temple

With moss-covered stone staircase in the back at Sugimoto Temple, the oldest temple in Kamakura

Enjoying matcha greentea together with the peacefulness of the bamboo grove

At the entrance of the bamboo grove in Hokokuji Temple

Great Buddha welcomed us with the tender smile.

A good chance to see inside Great Buddha, the national treasure

With those countless small fox statues at Sasuke Inari Shrine

Under an early blooming cherry tree

At Zeni-arai (money-washing) Benten. Purifying coins in the basket with the sacred spring water

Tempura for lunch. All the fish and vegetables were nice and crispy.

Gingko nuts sold on the approach were so good!

On our way to Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine. The sky is so blue!

The last photo with Great Buddha

Amazed at those so many small statues of white foxes at Sasuke Inari Shrine

Deep into the hillside of Kamakura at Sasuke Inari Shrine

Washing and purifying coins with the fountain water at Zeniarai-Benten

Look at this! Looks so delicious!

It's lunch time! Enjoyed local lunch boxes.

After visiting the main hall of Hachiman Shrine

Enjoying beautiful chrysanthemum bonsai in the precinct

In front of the third torii gate of Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine

In front of Katase-enoshima station, the last stop

Enoshima cats (Eno Neko) are also popular.

The well known snack in this island, Octopus senbei

Those stone lanterns were donated by kabuki acters in the Edo period.

At the big torii gate of Enoshima Shrine

Enoshima Island is welcoming us.

Luckily with a rare goshuin (pilgrimage inscription) on a special day

It's lunch time!!

En-ouji Temple, or Hell Temple, probably the scariest temple in Kamakura

The round window represents the state of enlightenment, at Meigetsuin Temple

World famous film director, Yasujiro Ozu is sleeping here.

In front of Hojo Garden

At Engakuji Temple in Kita Kamakura

Together with Great Buddha with big smiles

We are now inside Great Buddha!!

With the popular local train, Enoden Line, at Hase station

Lotus floweres were beautiful in Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine

After praying to the god of learning at Egara Tenjin Shrine

In front of the moss-covered staircase at Sugimoto Temple, the oldest Buddhist temple in Kamakura

At the entrance of the bamboo grove in Hokokuji Temple

In the back of the statue is the vast ocean of Sagami Bay.

Cape Inamuragasaki offered a nice place to have a break

A lttle scholar just concentrating on the ants running around

With one of the most popular local train, Enoden, at Inamuragadaki station

In front of Hase Temple, the second oldest temple in Kamakura

With Great Buddha and such.a blue sky!

Enjoying icecream before taking a bus to Great Buddha

On our way down from the main hall of Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine

At the second torii gate of Tsurugaoka Hachiman Srine

Great Buddha and us together under the blue sky

With the 24th generation of Masamune, the great swordsmith in Kamakura

What a surprise! This happens once in a blue moon!!

Enjoyed varieties of toppings on bowls of rice for lunch

With a fortune paper of "great fortune" at Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine

Egara Tenjin Shrine dedicated to the god of learning

The oldest temple in Kamakura, Sugimoto Temple

Enjoyed matcha powdered greentea in the bamboo grove

Our first stop, Hokokuji Temple, popular as the Bamboo Temple

We met Great Buddha and ended the whole tour.

Daikoku-ten brings him a lot of good luck!

Inside the Sutra Hall at Hase Temple

Enjoyed lunch at a local seafood restaurant

He found a small crab!

The sea breeze softened the unbearable summer heat.

Starting our beach walk at Zaimokuza Beach

At a beautiful stone garden in Komyoji Temple

A Greek woman took this photo for us all.

At Nino-torii, the second torii gate, of Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine

With hydrangeas in full bloom

At Kamakura's oldest Buddhist temple, Sugimoto Temple

Enjoying the quiet and peaceful bamboo grove at Hokokuji Temple

Five of us with Great Buddha

In the popular local train on the way to our last stop, Great Buddha

At the entrance of Masamune Sword and Blade Workshop

Happy faces at a soba buckwheat noodle restaurant for lunch

Everyone drew good fortune at Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine.

Purification at a hand-washing basin at Egara Tenjin Shrine

The moss-covered stone stairs at Kamakura's oldest temple, Sugimoto Temple

Young bamboos are growing here and there in the bamboo grove.

Enjoying matcha greentea at a teahouse of The Bamboo Temple

Three of us with Great Buddha

With Tsunahiro Yamamura, Masamune XXIV

So lucky we could see the sword making in the smithy at Masamune Sword and Blade Workshop

Lunch at a local soba buckwheat noodle restaurant

Near the staircase to the main hall of Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine

With the beautiful azalea in front of the main hall of the Bamboo Temple

At the gate of Hokokuji temple

The popular photo spot of Sugimoto Temple, the oldest Buddhist temple in Kamakura

In front of the main hall of Egara Tenjin Shrine dedicated to the god of learning

Lunch at a local soba noodle restaurant in the residential area

Under the red torii gates of Maruyama Inari Shrine at Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine

With the perfect view in the back at Kotokuin Temple

With Great Buddha

Good timing at Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine

Big smiles in front of a pond and cherry blossoms

The best shot with Great Budddha and cherry blossoms

The great view spot at Hase Temple

With a weeping cherry in the back at Hase Temple

In front of a big cherry tree in full bloom at Hokokuji Temple

At the entrance of the peaceful bamboo garden in Hokokuji Temple

On the "Dankazura" walkway toward Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine

Great Buddha, cherry blossoms, and a cheerful family!

In front of a big relief of a sea goddess and a dragon at Enoshima Shrine

"The Bell of the Dragon's Love" at Enoshima Island promises eternal love.

The tour is almost over with a lot of memories.

At Kamakura station before saying good-bye

With swordsmith Mr.Tsunahiro, Masamune XXIV

The Hayama beef and the chef's performance were amazing!

Before saying good-bye at Kamakura station

An autumn-flowering cherry was in full blom.

The fresh baby sardines were great here for lunch.

Great Buddha is smiling softly to all of them.

Taking a break by the pond with doves, carp and turtles at Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine

A little bit taller than the beckoning cat!

Great Buddha, the last destination of the tour

At Hase station with the Enoden Line

Under the main hall of Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine

Great Buddha and four of us with big smiles

In front of the gate of Hase temple

The last stop of this tour---Great Buddha of Kamakura

Great Buddha is smiling to them.

All together with Great Buddha

The tour is almost over here in front of Great Buddha.

Great Buddha is always watching us.

Welcomed by Great Buddha

Nearer to Great Buddha

Purification is the first thing to do.

The sacred rope was impressive at Hetsunomiya.

Great Buddha and the blue sky, and us

At the Enoden Kamakura station before saying good-bye

The white flags and moss-covered staircase are impressive.

The first stop, Hokokuji Temple

We all enjoyed matcha greentea viewing the beautiful bamboos.

The air is so refreshing here in the bamboo grove.

At the entrnce of the elephant bamboo grove in Hokokuji Temple, our first stop

Great Buddha is always welcoming us.

The Enoden Line, Japan's most popular local train

A set of vegetarian dishes for lunch

On the walkway, Dankazura

Winter peonies were in full bloom at the peony garden of Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine.

With the main hall in the back at Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine

The Japanese apricot was awesome at Egara Tenjin Shrine.

Under the sunshine filtering through the branches of the trees at Sugimoto Temple

At the entrance of the main hall of Sugimoto Temple, the oldest Buddhist Temple in Kamakura

Egara Tenjin Shrine, where the deity of learning is enshrined

Just before saying good-bye

Three brothers with the beautiful garden in the back at Hase Temple

Inside Great Buddha

Great Buddha and the blue sky

Purification at the hand wasing basin

In front of a juniper tree at Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine

Great Buddha and all of us!

The fortunes turned out great for both of the boys!

What will the fortune tell him?

Climbing up the staircase to the main hall

At the foot of the main hall of Tsurugaoka Hchiman Shrine

Enjoying matcha green tea in the peaceful bamboo garden