Jason Halayko 
(©Jason Halayko)
With the influx of tourism in Japan, and especially Tokyo, these last few years it seems more and more people are looking for ways to get out of the hustle and bustle of the city. They seek to enjoy some of the smaller more reserved areas that have been off the radar of the average tourist. One such place that has been steadily gaining popularity is the area of Kamakura.
Only an hour out of Tokyo by train, visitors to Kamakura can enjoy many shrines and temples, a beautiful beach, as well as countless little cafes and shops. As I live only a stone's throw away from Kamakura, I decided to visit on a rare day off from my regular commitments.
For my quick day trip, I decided to see the Tsurugaoka Hachimangu shrine, easily the largest of the shrines in the area with a rich history. Hokokuji, a small temple with a beautiful bamboo forest, was next on my list.
I also wanted to get some images of the world-famous Enoshima Electric Railway (Enoden) trains that start/end in Kamakura and cut their way through the local town on the way to and from Fujisawa Station.
Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine
When I first arrived, I was quite surprised by just how many people from Japan and abroad were also visiting Kamakura that day. The area just outside the station was bustling with activity. Many people were making their way up the main shopping street, which leads directly to Tsurugaoka Hachimangu.
I don’t particularly enjoy the large crowds, so I opted to pop over a couple of streets. There, I found the main walkway to the shrine lined with cherry trees all the way to the shrine.
Once arriving at the shrine, I again found a very bustling, almost festive atmosphere. Making your way through, you will come to a large staircase that leads up to the main buildings of the shrine. Once atop you are greeted with a great view of the Kamakura area, but on this particular day, I was also greeted by a plethora of other visitors.
Like any touristy spot, I highly suggest coming early if you want more alone time, but I unfortunately didn’t take my own advice on this day. And although it was a little too busy for my taste, it was still worth the visit.
Hokokuji Temple
Not wanting to spend all my time there, I quite quickly made my way back down and started off to my second destination, Hokokuji. I used to love to visit the bamboo forest in Kyoto back in the days when I lived there so I was excited to see what Hokokuji had to offer.
After about a 20-minute walk through the local backstreets, I found myself at the unassuming entrance to Hokokuji. There is a bamboo forest inside the temple, but you may walk right past and miss the whole thing, so be careful if you decide to visit.
The entrance fee is ¥400 JPY, but there is also a tea house inside the garden. If you want to have some hot green tea while sitting and enjoying the bamboo that will cost ¥600. The tickets for this are also sold at the entrance so make sure to pay when you enter.
Go Slow
Once inside, you are quickly greeted by the bamboo forest. It is obviously much smaller than the bamboo forest in Kyoto, but the light coming through the bamboo, the sound of the wind, and the infinite shades of green were still very impressive.
There were not so many people visiting, so I had lots of time to take both pictures and videos. If you go there to take videos and photos it's always best to go as slow as time allows because you will notice many small moments you may miss if rushing through.
I was lucky to meet two nice Japanese women who were wearing kimonos on this day. I love kimonos so I was quite excited to see them walking through the bamboo. The colors of their garments, the light, and the shades of green bamboo all made for amazing photos!
After enjoying my hot green tea and getting a much-needed boost of energy, it was time to head back to the Kamakura station area to see what I could get from the Enoden and local area.
Enoden
I am not normally a train photographer but it was interesting to look for spots where the train line cut through the local community and see how it influenced life in Kamakura.
I am sure if you grew up in the Kamakura area, these Enoden trains become such a part of everyday life you barely notice them. For visitors, it's a pretty cool sight to see them squeeze through the local streets.
During my walk, I also got some nice images of the local people as well. As I always say, it's good to have a plan when out shooting, but it's also important to keep a lookout for unexpected moments. You never know what you will come across when wandering these smaller areas of Japan.
After a quick stop by the beach, which was entirely too cold and windy to enjoy photography, it was time to jump on one of the Enoden trains and make my way back home. With luck, I was able to see a decent evening sky as we passed by Enoshima, which made a great finish to an afternoon of photographic exploration.
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Author: Jason Halayko
Jason Halayko is a professional photographer specializing in action sports and portrait photography. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram.
