Kamakura, Kanagawa

city in Kanagawa prefecture, Japan

Kamakura (鎌倉市, Kamakura-shi) is a city in Kanagawa, Japan. It is about 50 kilometres (31 mi) south of Tokyo.[1] It was the functioning capital of Japan during the Kamakura period (1203-1333).[2]

Map of Kamakura on Sagami Bay
Kamakura
Japanese name
Kanji鎌倉市
Hiraganaかまくらし
Katakanaカマクラシ
Flag
Seal

In 1250, Kamakura was the 4th largest city in the world with 200,000 people.[3] The other two large cities in Japan at this time were Kyoto and Nara.[4]

Kamakura was made a municipality on November 3, 1939.

Today, Kamakura is famous as an upper-class area for people to live. This is because of the history and because it is close to the mountains and the sea.

History

change

Tourism

change

Kamakura has many Buddhist temples. The huge outdoor bronze statue of Buddha at Kamakura is world famous.[10]

 
Crowds at the Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū shrine at Kamakura.

The city has many Shinto shrines, including

Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine is one of the three major Hachimangu located in Kamakura. It is the most popular spot in Kamakura, especially, Yabusame in September is very famous. Tsurugaoka Hachimangu was built in 1063 and became the capital and center of Kamakura Government established by Minamoto no Yoritomo. Turugaoka Hachiman-gu has many beautiful maple and ginkgo trees. In autumn, the vew at this shrine is nice.[11] In June, hydrangeas grow. Many temples have beautiful gardens of hydrangeas. The Hase temple is the most well-known of these temples.[12]

Sister cities

change

Kamakura has international sister cities.

References

change
 
"Amida Buddha," LaFarge, 1883
  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Kamakura, Kanagawa city web page". Archived from the original on 2008-04-02. Retrieved 2010-03-28.
  2. Hall. John Whitney. (1991). Japan: From Prehistory to Modern Times, pp. 86, 114.
  3. Cities, Empires and Global State Formation, Institute for Research on World-Systems
  4. Hall, p. 123.
  5. Hall, p. 359; Kitagawa et al. (1975). The Tale of the Heike, p. 788.
  6. Kate Tsubata (May 25, 2008). "The Great Buddha at Kamakura". The Washington Times.
  7. Titsingh, Isaac. (1834). Annales des empereurs du japon, p. 273.
  8. Hammer, Joshua. (2006). Yokohama Burning: the Deadly 1923 Earthquake and Fire that Helped Forge the Path to World War II, p. 278.
  9. Hammer, pp. 115-116.
  10. "Kotoku-in" ("The Great Buddha"), Kamakura Today. Archived 2012-06-07 at the Wayback Machine 2002.
  11. Yahoo Kouyou[permanent dead link]
  12. "Today". Archived from the original on 2013-07-12. Retrieved 2013-11-26.

Other websites

change

35°19′N 139°33′E / 35.317°N 139.550°E / 35.317; 139.550