There are some places that need to be visited. Yesterday I discovered one. In a country that is heavily influenced by materialism in contemporary times it is a breath of fresh air too be reminded of its deeply spiritual past. Kamakura was once the capital of Japan during the Kamakura period and in 1200 was even country’s largest city. It is a city by the sea. A very pretty place with a heavy concentration of temples and historical heritage. There can be found an astounding bronze statue of the Buddha that is free standing and immense, around 40ft in height. It’s size is perhaps enhanced by the fact that it is no longer located within a structure which was destroyed by a tsunami centuries ago. 

      Of the many temples we visited the most moving was the Kencho-ji temple complex. It is a zen Buddhist temple and the most revered of the 5 located in Kamakura. A certain statue located there was especially moving for me. It was of the Buddha fasting. It showed the buddha in extreme emaciation, but still retaining inner peace and solitude. It very much struck me in the sense of enlightenment and the unimportance of ones physical state. He was complete and whole even when his external body was on the verge of death. It spoke to me in a way only certain objects can and words cannot.

     The day was filled with exploring and walking and when the day was over I can say I had a thoroughly enjoyable time in the ‘kyoto of the east’.   Visiting places like this reminds me why I like Japan so much.