We ventured into Kamakura today (two train stops from home), which is a great place to experience some of “old” Japan. The town is full of shrines and temples (just look at the map), still has some traditional style houses, and is home to the second largest statue of Buddha in Japan (we didn’t see him today—will head out that direction another time).Today we tackled the main street, which runs from Hachimangu Shrine at one end to Yuigahama Beach at the other. This Shinto shrine is the most important one in Kamakura, and was built in the 1100s. The street leading to the shrine is lined on either side with countless shops and restaurants, and is spanned in three locations by tremendous torii gates. Near the train station, about 10 minutes walk from the shrine, the street becomes divided by a large median which is actually a pedestrian pathway bordered by cherry trees (this will be gorgeous in the spring). The path is always busy, but was especially so today because of the Shichi-Go-San (Seven-Five-Three) ceremony being held at the shrine. This is a special day of prayer for the healthy growth of young children, specifically for girls who are 3 or 7 years old, and boys who are 3 or 5 years old. Though traditionally held on November 15, it is not a national holiday, so ceremonies are often held on the nearest weekend. We just happened to be in the right place at the right time! The children usually dress in formal kimonos and their proud parents snap lots of photos. After the ceremony, where prayers for health and long life are offered by priests, parents often purchase “chitose-ame” or thousand-year candy for the child. This long red and white candy comes in a bag which may be decorated with plum, bamboo, turtles, and cranes, all symbols of health, good luck, and long life.
Many Japanese couples get married in the fall, and we were lucky enough to see two traditional Shinto wedding ceremonies being performed on the grounds of the shrine today. Each bride was beautiful in her shiromuku (ceremonial white kimono), and the nervous grooms wore montsuki haori hakama. The guests were clad either in kimonos or their best Western-style clothing. We couldn’t really hear (not that we would have understood anyway) the actual ceremony, but it was apparent that everything, right down to the sake drinking, was precisely choreographed.
Stay tuned for future trips to this delightful city. There is so much to see and do here—a definite tour stop for those of you planning to come visit us in Japan!
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