On a sunny and quiet Sunday, my friends and I decided to take a day trip to the seaside city of Kamakura. Just a little south of Tokyo in Kanagawa Prefecture, Kamakura was just about a two-hour train ride from where I live in Nerima-ku.
While two hours seems a little much, they were spent looking out the train windows at the passing nature. If you live in Tokyo, or have visited, you know that the city is not known for its greenery (besides the handful of parks). So, taking a break from the tall buildings and brights lights was a much needed relaxer.
As soon as we stepped out from the station, I could smell trees and salt water. Everyone around us was smiling and laughing and lots of children ran around. On the walk to our first stop, a Buddhist Temple, the streets were calm and beautiful, flowers planted along the sides and cute shops lining the roads.
One of my favorite discoveries was a vending machine that sold coke with the Great Buddha on it, only available in the area. There was also a large spider resting nearby and I decided to snap a picture.
The Buddhist Temple, famous for the Great Buddha, a roughly 13 meter high bronze statue that survived a large tsunami in the 15th century, was more populated with tourists but still interesting and a must see spot. We got to go inside of it and see the techniques of how it was built so long ago and why it’s still standing.
After the Buddha, we walked along the nearby streets and found a little cafe to eat that served Omurice (basically an omelette with fried rice inside and served with ketchup).
There was the cutest old lady working who was so kind and sweet to us. Hopefully, I will have the chance to visit one more time!
After we went to the beach at sun set. While the sun was hidden by clouds, the area was so beautiful and it was nice to see the Pacific Ocean after my trip to California back when I was 10ish.
My friend Abigail, had never seen any ocean before and it was so cute to see her first reaction. She touched the water the way a child would and backed up quickly when the waves would come in. We laughed so much that my stomach hurt.
This small day trip away from the hustle and bustle of Tokyo was much needed and it showed me a different side to Japan than I had seen before. I had time to reflect while walking along and it made me realize how lucky I was to be experiencing things like this.
If you have time and are visiting Tokyo, I would highly recommend taking a day away from the city and taking a trip to Kamakura for the day, maybe in the middle of your visit when you are getting tired of the city. Wear your walking shoes and bring some coins to purchase lucky charms at the Temple:)
xx. Maddie
Maddie's Travel Blog 