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Travel Reports by Scarophion view profile of Scarophion Fourteen days in Japan! previous post index next post April 8, 2011 - Kamakura and Fuji Kamakura is a beautiful tourist area full of shrines and temples. I travelled from Tokyo and discovered that the trains are easier to navigate here than initially expected. I explored Engaku-ji, Tokei-ji, and Jochi-ji before taking the wooded hiking trail over the hill to Hase. The shrines are all very picturesque with their own little gardens. I love the way that Japanese gardens are man made but designed to look like they naturally occurred. Across the hiking course I stopped at the Zeniarai Benzaiten Ugafuku Shrine, where you can wash your money at the sacred spring. Your washed money will double in value over time. I hope it works because I�fll need an ATM soon! In Hase I saw the Daibatsu bronze Buddha and Hase-dera, which has a lovely garden. Outside Hase-dera there is a music box shop selling all kinds of wind up music boxes, some in Perspex so you can see the inner workings. They had all kinds of tunes, even J-pop ones. There was a large wooden antique music box, just for display, that plays music from the Mikado. I got to Mount Fuji by bus (1700) from the Shinjuku bus terminal but got the train back because it was only 900 from Fuji-Yoshida to Otsuki and then free to Tokyo as I had a Japan Rail pass. Busses have English signs and announcements and everyone you ask is always friendly and helpful. From Fuji-Yoshida station I wandered up to the Fuji Sengen-jinja temple. It is nestled in pine forest and is very tranquil with a huge wooden torii. I then took the train two stops to Kawaguchi-ko. From the lake there I hiked up the hill for about thirty minutes to the Tonjo-zan lookup point. There are good views of Mount Fuji and the lake from there. Kamamura and Fuji are both beautiful places and made very nice day trips in my itinerary. I hope you enjoy it too. previous post index next post List of Posts: 2011/04/10 - A Few Days in Tokyo 2011/04/08 - Kamakura and Fuji 2011/04/07 - Brit in Tokyo