I'm going to take several American visitors to Kamakura in the early July. The article below is based mainly on the descriptions in the Guide Book.
Daibutsu-1: According to the temple tradition, it was cast in 1252 by Goro-emon Ono at the request of Shogun Yoritomo. It is a national treasure.
Original image was made of wood built in the years 1238 - 1242, but destroyed by storm in 1248.
The image is considered as one of the finest examples of the art of Kamakura period. The calm facial expression is especially admired. The image was beautifully gilded and enshrined in an impressive wooden building. But the temple building was damaged by storm in 1335 and 1369, each of which time the bulding was restored. But, it was carried away by a tidal wave in 1495 and the image has been left in the open air since then. Many of the flat foundation-stones of the temple can still be seen around the image.
The image height is 37 feet and 43.8 feet from the ground to the top of it weighning 266,520 pounds (121 tons)
In 1923 at the time the grteat earthquake of Kanto District the foundation was damaged leaving the image leaning forward. Restoration and reinforcement of the foundation adopted an anti-earthquake construction technology in 1926.
Some years later they applied a plastic reinforcement at the neck part and remodified the anti-earthquake construction at the foundation by allowing it to flict independantly from the body of the image.
The image is made of bronze. A few pieces of gold leaf found around its cheek indicate that it was originally gilded. Art-historians believe that it was cast in a mould of clay part by part in eight parts. The mould is thought to have been framed with wooden pillars and taken out after the completion of casting. So the image consists of eight parts; each joint is distinguishable by a horizonal line on it. The joining method was much superior to that adopted for the Great Buddha of Nara, so that it was not affected by the great damage done to the bemple building which had housed it.
The image is empty inside. There is a narrow step leading to a small terrace near the shoulder of the image. A small bronze image of Amida Buddha is placed behind the face of the image. It is supposed to be the miniature prototype of the Daibutsu. In 1962, repair work of the inside was carried out.
Daibutsu-2: Amida Nyorai---Amitabha literally means the "Boundless light" and is the main object of worship in Smidha Buddhism. This is a bronze image of Amida Buddha or "Enlightened One", one of the Buddhist divinities. Amida Buddhism is the lagest and one of the most vital groups among Japanese Buddhism.
According to tradition, after countless ages, he accumulated a great many merits and attained Buddhahood. Then he established the western paradise known as "Pure Land." The Priest Shinran, the founder of the Jodoshin Sect insited that a man is saved only through faith in Amitabha, and not by good deeds or rituals.
The images of Amida are characterised by the special hand symbol. According to Amidha Buddhism, there are Nene ways of having the rebirth in Pure Land. In accordance with these nine different ways, there are nine ways of arranging the hands of the images. The commonest type is the one called "Jobon Josho", in which in which the fore finger and thumb of both hands form a circle and rest on his folded lap. This hand symbol also signifies that Buddha is in meditation.
Daibutsu-3 Iconography: 1) On the head are 656 curls, all widing clockwise. 2) The round projection (lump, bump, boss) on the head symbolizes Buddha's wisdom. 3) From the curl, pure ilver, between the brows, the Buddha emits light to enlighten the world. 4) The web-like membranes between the fingures symbolize that Amida Buddha is trying to save as many as possible with his merciful hands.
Kamakura-1: pop. 120,000? Kamakura is a popular summer seaside resort and a noted residential town. Kamakura lies on the shores of Sagami Bay on the west side of the neck of the Miura Peninsula.
It is situated in a picturesque vally enclosed on three sides by evergreen hills and with fine sandy beaches on the south.
In summer the beach is crowded with people from Tokyo, Yokohama and other cities. Therefore, Kamakura is often called the Lido or the Miami of Japan.
Kamakura is also a noted residential town. Many of the inhabitans in the town are commuting to Tokyo and Yokohama everyday by train. There are frequent electric train services between Kamakura and Tokyo via Yokohama, which cover the distance in less than an hour.
Kamakura-2:Kamakura was once the seat of the government. iXγA150NΤjIt was here that the first Shogunate Government in Japan was established by Yoritomo Minamoto toward the end of the 12th century (nearly 800 years ago.)
Shogun Yoritomo ruled over the country with the administrative headquaters in Kamakura. Yoritomo was responsible for putting Japanese feudalism on a firm basis. The Emperor in Kyoto became only the nominal ruler having only the power of investing officials and conducting traditional ceremonies.΅Α―ρ· kϊ{jl a regent.· ‘ sthe Hojot regency
The Mongols that were considered a threat to the world sent a force of 15,000 to Japan in 1274, and 100,000 ten years later. However, the Japanese forces commanded by the Kamakura Shogunate totally defeated the Mongols near the landing spot in Kyushu. ΆiEOΐΜπi³j
The Kamakura Government became exhausted by the repeated Mongolian invasions. On the other hand, the Imperial court regained power and the Imperial Army commanded by Yoshisada Nitta sieged the city. Takatoki Hojo, who had held the reins of the Shogunate government, and his followers about 1,000 in number including women committed suicide at a Buddhist temple. This was in 1333.
There was a partial revival of Kamakura from 1336 to 1439, when it was made the East Japan headquarters of the Ashikaga Shogunate. But after that period the once prosperous capital city was reduced to a small village. The city was recently revived as a tourist and residential town.
The 13th century marks a significant epoch in the religious history of Japan. Together with the political and social changes which occurred during that century, various new sects of Buddhism arose in response to the spiritual demands of the people. Briefly speaking, Buddhism ceased tobe the ritualistic tuterary religion of noble families and the state, and became the spiritual basis of individual piery.
During the Kamakura period, Buddhism in Japan took on a new aspect. Till then it had devotees only among the nobles, and was too ritualistic to be of help to the common people. However, during this period, varius new sects were introduced by distinguished priests, and there were believers among farmers, artists, merchants, etc., without class distinction.
During the Kamakura period, fine arts in Japan took on a new aspect. Till then love for the gracefull and elegant was dominant in the fine arts among the bobility. However, during this period in line with the rise of the warrior class, a love of the manly, vigorous, and powerful came to fore. This will be seen in various relics of this period such as architecture and Buddhist images.
Shogun: When you read about Japan you invariably come across the word Shogun. Shogun literally means "Generalissimo." It was originally a temporary title given to the commander-in-chief of an expeditionary army. Prior to the 11th century the Imperial Court frequently sent such expeditions to Eastern Japan where the so called "barbarians" occasionally rebelled against the emperor. The title was supposed to be returned to the emperor at the end of the campaign, but the victorious commanders became reluctant to give up the honorable title with many privileges.
Later, it became a self-appointed title, and the emperor merely gave a formal consent to the inauguration. The position of Shogun first developed into the administrative head of the country through Yoritomo Minamoto toward the end of the 12th century. The emperor in Kyoto became only the nominal ruler investing officials and conducting traditional ceremonies. The rule of the Shoguns lasted for nearly 700 years from the end of the 12th century to the middle of the 19th century.
TSURUGAOKA HACHIMAN SHRINE-1:This is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the Emperor Ojin as the main deity and Emperor Chuai and Empress Jingu as subdeities. It is popularly believed to the guardian God of chivalry and worriors. The shrine was originally built at the present site by Shogun Yoritomo in 1210 (about 800 years ago.) The shrine flourished as the religious center of Kamakura under the patronage of the Shogunate when the city was the capital. Most of the present building was reconstructed in 1828 under the patronage of Tokugawa Shogunate. The shrines damaged by earthquake in 1923, but repaired immeddiately.
TSURUGAOKA HACHIMAN SHRINE-2:Belief in the God of Hachiman is popular among the Japanese people even today. Among the 90,000 Shinto shrines in Japan, the shrines that are dedicated to the God of Hachiman form one of the largest groups.
According to the Shinto tradition, the God of Hachiman first manifested Himself at Usa in Kyushu in 571 A.D. This is the origin of the Usa Hachiman Shrine, the oldest of all Hachiman shrines. It was customary for the statesmen to consult the Gods concerning important state affairs through the Shinto priests and the God of Hachiman became known for the effective oracle.
Later, the God of Hachiman became identified with the deified Emperor Ojin. Thus the God of Hachiman developed into a prominent position in Shinto Pantheon from a local god of Kyushu.
It was preached that Hachiman was an incarnation of Amida Buddha by Ryobu Shinto priests who tried to combine Shinto and Buddhism. So there were many Buddhist features such as belfry, Buddhist chapels, etc., in this shrine till the 9th century. A lotus pond near the main entrance is one of the Buddhist traces that can be seen now.
After becoming the guarding God of the Kamakura Shogunate, the Hachiman Shrine was freuently visited by the Shoguns for political consultation.
"Shinto of double aspects":Buddhism became a state religion and numerous temples were built under the Imperial patronage during the 7th and 8th centuries in spite of some opposition by conservative Shintoists. However, the requency with which natural calamities and plagues visited the country in the 8th century wavered popular belief in Buddha's protection. As a reaction the disappointed people came to show a leaning toward the worship of Shinto deities. About that time the Priest Gyoki, the leader in the contruction of the Great Buddha in Nara, arranged a religious compromise. He preached theat he had received an oracle at the Grand Shrines of Ise to the effect that the Great Sun Goddess of Shinto declaed herself to be a manifestation of Buddha Vairocana, the central figure in the Buddhist pantheon. The Priest Kukai sytematized this conception in the 9th century and developed the doctrine of Ryobu Shinto which means "Shinto of double aspects."
Japanese Buddhism thus made a shrewed and almost successful bid for the complete absorption of Thinto by declaring that the higher Shinto deities were incarnations or manifestations of various Buddhist divinities. This syncretic idea was accepted, in the course of time, by the grat majority of the people and remained most influential in the spiritual life of the Japanese through the Middle Ages down to the Meiji Restoration of 1868.
Gigantic Gingko TreeAccording to tradition, this tree marks the spot where Shogun Sanetomo was assassinated by his nephew, the chief priest of this shrine. The assassinator had hidden himself behind the trunk of this tree and waited for the Shogun's return from the shrine.
Sanetomo is said to have been a victim of the complicated family trouble of the Minamoto clan. He occupied a unique existence among the Kamakura Shoguns, known as the poet-Shogun. He was gifted with poetical talent, and his poems were later compiled as the "Kinkai-shu Collection" and are greatly appreciated even today. He was killed at the premature age of 28.
Stage for the Sacred DanceThis stage was reconstructed after the great earthquake of 1923. Shinto dance is performed on this stage during the festival days.
Main BuildingThe main building consists of two parts, the oratory and the sanctuary. In the tate-way there are two weedon figures with bow and arrow. They are the guardians of the shrine called Zuijin.
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