Kamakura（鎌倉）

We will go to Kamakura on Saturday, May 16.  I heard that there would be fourty-five CAs (Campus Assistans) to assist you to go around the Kamakura area. You will go with a small group, it means that you can choose places to visit.

I hope that you had sometime to research about Kamakura (maybe not), but for people (maybe many of you!) who have no idea where you will go and what you will do on Saturday, I would like to give you some links for the last minutes information before Saturday -  tomorrow.

Most of Japanese know "Kamakura" as a capital of "Kamakura period" (1185-1333).  Before the Kamakura period, the centre of the Japanese politics was mainly "Western " part of Japan (Kyoto).  The "Heian period" (794-1185) - just before the Kamakura period -  was ruled by Emperor but after Kamakura, the military government ruled the Japanese politics.

At the beginning, please click the following links provided by the Kamakura city tourist association.
http://en.kamakura-info.jp (English)
http://www.kamakura-info.jp/about/(Japanese)

There are rather too much information on this website, but I advice you to spend at least one hour to research about Kamakura before 9am tomorrow (this is your meeting time).

Then you might think that you need to see the Great Buddha (Kamakura no Daibutsu).  - this is the most famous sight seeing spot in Kamakura. Click the following link to learn about it.
http://www.kotoku-in.jp

Whenever I go to Kamakura, I also visited  "Tsurugaoia Hachimangu".
http://www.kotoku-in.jp

You may be very curious about this big red gate. This is called "Torii (鳥居）".  In English, you may see "Torii gate" as a translation.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2059.html

Since traveling was restricted by the Tokugawa regime during the Edo period,  it was almost impossible for Chonin (町人）to travel even if they are getting wealthy.  Kamakura was close to Edo and the process for getting the permission for traveling was relatively easy - the local government dealt with this type of permissions - Kamakura became popular among "Chonin （町人） - people who live in a certain section of town to provide services to the samurai.

I don't remember how many times I went to Kamakura in the past,   but I always had a wonderful time with my friends, so I am sure that you will have a fantastic time there.

At the end of the day, I usually went to the beach.  I always walked along the beach with my friends and got wet and regretted that I did not have a towel to dry my feet.  Well, this time - for the first time - I have a plan to have a towel in my bag.

Have a wonderful day!