JAPAN 2025 | DAY 5 | Ofuna / Kamakura / Odawara / Hakone

JAPAN 2025 | DAY 5 | Ofuna / Kamakura / Odawara / Hakone

Another long day. 4 cities in one day! We start in Ofuna. Going to Ōfuna Kannon-ji Entrance just opened. You can even see the monk in the distance who opened the entrance 🙂 More about Ōfuna Kannon-ji is in the description. 25th Anniversary of the Atomic Bombing
Completed in 1970
This memorial monument was erected here by atomic bomb survivors living in Kanagawa Prefecture, with the kind permission of those involved with the Ofuna Kannon Association, in order to enshrine and console the spirits of those who died in the atomic bombing in Kanagawa Prefecture.The memorial monument depicts the victims of the atomic bombing heading towards the Hill of Peace, with stones from the hypocenters of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, as well as personal belongings from the Daigo Fukuryu Maru, which was bombed at Bikini, placed on a bridge engraved with a thousand paper cranes.The Jizo base stone (200 kg) of this memorial monument was donated by Sairenji Temple, located at the hypocenter of the Hiroshima bomb, the bombed stone (50 kg) was donated by Urakami Cathedral in Nagasaki, and the keloid-like roof tile placed inside the monument was donated by Hiroshima Atomic Bomb Museum. A fire originating from the atomic fires of Hiroshima burns in a mushroom-formed statue. Arrived to Kamakura. Road to Tsurugaoka Hachimangū Tsurugaoka Hachimangū Purification process, before entering the shrine.
Every shrine features a water basin, called a ‘temizuya’ (or sometimes chozuya) at which worshipers are supposed to purify themselves, literally and figuratively. Wash your left hand, change the ladle to the left hand, and wash your right. Pour a bit of water in the palm and rinse your mouth. Slowly raise the ladle to an upright position to let the water rinse over the handle. “Chinowa Kuguri” is a traditional Japanese Shinto purification ritual To cleanse sins, impurities, and bad luck, and to pray for good health and protection against disasters.
Participants walk through a large ring (chinowa) made of woven cogon grass (chigaya) in a figure-eight pattern, symbolizing renewal and purification Sake Time to head to our next location. Aaaaaaaand we are in London! No, not really 😀 Sooo, Kamakura was cold and damp. Arrived to Odawara we were shocked that it was warm, almost hot weather This is our 2nd time in Odawara. Decided to visit it again to enjoy sakura Focus on my phone is acting up. Might be dirty lens 🙁 Last time we missed admission to the castle by about 8 min. This time around we are in time But decided not to go inside 🙂 Instead we went again to the viewing terrace On our way to Hakone yes, yes. Its ours 😀 Only 2 min to transfer Hakone Tozan Railway Japan’s oldest mountain railway The small trains wind themselves through a narrow, densely wooded valley over many bridges and tunnels, stopping at small stations along the way and changing directions at three switchbacks One of the switch backs It is also the steepest of railway in Japan. With many sharp turns Arrived at Gora station. Our ryokan for 2 nights While planning our trip, i decided to book this particular ryokan as it was “close” to illuminated sakura Decided to check it out before our dinner Even tho it was “close” on the map, i did not check the elevation. And it was quite s steep downhill from hotel Sakura was only about half bloom Heading back. Waiting for bus was not an option, bus was quite late and we had to be at the specific time for our dinner Taking the same stairs/road back to our hotel It was quite steep and narrow and also wet due to the rain 🙁 40 min later, we are almost there We made it in time. Our dinner course for today. Damn reflective paper! Aperitif – non alcoholic plum wine and Appetizer Sashimi Grilled pork and broccoli Tempura Hot pot Dessert: Fruit jelly and sakura mochi(mochi with red bean paste, wrapped in a pickled sakura leaf) Our room for 2 nights Already too dark to see outside Private onsen

Another long day. 4 locations, 4 cities .

Starting in Ōfuna Kannon-ji:
Ōfuna Kannon Temple (大船観音寺, Ōfuna Kannonji) is a Buddhist temple in Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. The statue stands at 25 meters/82 feet tall and weighs nearly 2,000 tons. It depicts the East Asian bodhisattva (a being that foregoes their nirvana in order to stay on Earth and help people) known as Guanyin or Kannon. Specifically, the Byakue (White-robed) Kannon, one of 33 forms of the Buddhist deity, said to prevent natural disasters, cure the sick, and assist women in childbirth.
The Kannon incorporates stones from ground zero of Hiroshima and Nagasaki to commemorate those who died in the explosions of the atomic bombs. A fire originating from the atomic fires of Hiroshima burns in a mushroom-formed statue.

Next, Kamakura. Sakura road and Tsurugaoka Hachimangu:
Tsurugaoka Hachimangū (鶴岡八幡宮) is the most important Shinto shrine in the city of Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. The shrine is a cultural center of the city of Kamakura and serves as the venue of many of its most important festivals with two museums.
This shrine was originally built in 1063

Next stop is Odawara and its castle. We already visited it in 2023, but we decided to visit it again to view sakura.
And our last stop for the day is Hakone, where we settled in our accommodation, a traditional ryokan.

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Еще один длинный день. 4 локации, 4 города.

Начинаем с Офуна Каннон-дзи:
Храм Офуна Каннон (大船観音寺, Ōfuna Kannonji) — буддийский храм в Камакуре, префектура Канагава, Япония. Статуя высотой 25 метров весит почти 2000 тонн. Она изображает восточноазиатского бодхисаттву (существо, которое отказывается от своей нирваны, чтобы остаться на Земле и помогать людям), известного как Гуаньинь или Каннон. В частности, Бякуэ (в белом одеянии) Каннон, одну из 33 форм буддийского божества, которая, как говорят, предотвращает стихийные бедствия, исцеляет больных и помогает женщинам при родах.
В Каннон включены камни с эпицентра Хиросимы и Нагасаки в память о тех, кто погиб в результате взрывов атомных бомб. Огонь, возникший в результате атомных пожаров Хиросимы, горит в статуе в форме гриба.

Далее, Камакура. Дорога Сакура и Цуругаока Хатимангу:
Цуругаока Хатимангу (鶴岡八幡宮) — важнейшее синтоистское святилище в городе Камакура, префектура Канагава, Япония. Святилище является культурным центром города Камакура и служит местом проведения многих важнейших фестивалей с двумя музеями.
Это святилище было первоначально построено в 1063 году

Следующая остановка — Одавара и его замок. Мы уже посещали его в 2023 году, но решили посетить его снова, чтобы полюбоваться сакурой.
И наша последняя остановка на этот день — Хаконэ, где мы поселились в нашем жилье, традиционном рёкане.