We awoke the next morning bright and early, ate a big breakfast at the hotel, checked out, and headed to the JR ticket counter.  We bought the Kamakura/Enoshima Free Kippu, which would get us into the area, and then let us use the local trains there as much as we needed.  Technically it would get us back to Shinjuku, but we wouldn’t be coming back here.

Tickets in hand, we made our way to the Shonan-Shinjuku platform.  For some reason this particular line was a little more confusing.  We weren’t sure exactly which train we wanted, nor which side of the platform we wanted.  Luckily a little observation of the displays on the sides of the cars filled us in.  Unfortunately we didn’t bargain for the fact that this line left Shinjuku station and stopped at all the metro stations along the way.  This meant the train was packed.  I guess it had to happen sooner or later.

So there we were, trying to roll our suitcases around on a (highly) crowded train during morning rush hour.  We got plenty of looks that weren’t exactly pleased.  One of the locals who spoke English rather well struck up a jagged conversation with the wife, while I stood hanging onto the bar and my luggage, trying not to step on anyone’s toes.

Once we got to Yokohoma, things thinned out considerably, and we were able to sit down the rest of the way to Ofuna.  From there we jumped on the Shonan Monorail to Enoshima.  I’m going to leave a portion of this tale for later, as we had to take our bags to the hotel on the island and make our way back here to the Enoden station…

Once back at the Enoden station, (and having to purchase another ticket since *someone* left their other pass back at the hotel.  *cough*) we boarded the Enoden for Hase station, and the Great Buddha and Hase-Dera.

Getting to the Great Buddha is a semi-short walk north from Hase station.  The Great Buddha is just that, a giant statue of Buddha enclosed by a wall, and with a few shrines surrounding.  Admission to the building (your “worship ticket” lol.) is a paltry ¥200.

We walked around the statue, took some photos, dodged the school children that were camped out eating their bento, and headed back to find Hase-Dera.  Which we did.

And then we saw the stairs inside.  Quite frankly our feet had had it by this time.  Every step mattered, and after a brief discussion and a quick drink from the vending machines, we decided we’d snap a few photos outside and call it good.  I didn’t feel bad about that at all.  To quote the wife, “we’ve seen enough nature!”  Referring to the gardens within.

Next stop, was to try and find Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine in Kamakura proper.  Try being the operative word here.  We exited the Enoden station at Kamakura, and from there things went south quickly.  The signs pointed towards a market street, and a long walk up.  Fine.  We made our way to the top of the market street, and we didn’t see *anything*.  Nothing except another sign that pointed a different direction, with another long distance.

Nope.  Not going to happen.  We needed to get back to the island and get checked in properly.  Babying our toes all the way back to the station, we rode back to Enoshima, crossed the long bridge and got ourselves checked into our fantastic hotel there, the Iwamotoro.

(As we would discover later, the signs at the top of the hill at Komachi Dori must have been incorrect, as a look at the map showed we were actually at the corner of the Hachimangu grounds, and we could have turned right and been practically there.  Next time: get a map of Kamakura as well as plan for a lot more time!!!)

Related posts:

1. All About the Kamakura Great Buddha | 鎌倉大仏