Engakuji

On my last day in Japan I was following once more the footsteps of Lafcadio Hearn and the first stop on my "pilgrimage to Enoshima" was Kamakura.
Once the seat of the Kamakura shogunate and therefore literally the capital of Japan, Kamakura offers a rich cultural heritage with many famous shrines and temples to visit.
Only a short distance from Kitakamakura Station I passed what remains of the White Egret Pond "byakurochi" and climbed up the stairs through the gate and so from everyday life into a sacred world.
It was too early on monday morning for the crowds of visitors and, although a little dull, I enjoyed my stroll through the large wooded grounds immensely. Engakuji is one of the finest examples of Zen-buddhism with a beautifully laid-out symmetrical design and impressive structures of reed covered roofs and untreated wood. The massive nailless Sanmon shows great craftmanship as does the beautifully carved Karamon. The Butsunichian mausoleum which offers matcha tea appropriately bears another literary reference as the setting for the scene of Yasunari Kawabata's novel, A thousand Cranes "Senbazuru". Climbing a long flight of steps I reached the belfry of the famous bronze bell, which chimes only once a year on the evening before the New Year. A group of young school children surrounded this national treasure, posing for pictures gestureing and laughing loudly. I took a short rest to look down through the woods. before descending again.