[Walk through the beautiful moss garden and bamboo forest at Hokokuji, a Zen temple in Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture, and enjoy a cup of matcha tea]

[Walking through the beautiful moss garden and bamboo forest at Hokoku-ji, a Zen temple in Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture, and enjoying a cup of matcha tea]

After work that day, I really wanted to soak up the negative ions of the mountain's nature, so I visited the Zen temple Hokoku-ji for the first time in a long time.
The bamboo garden and cave that I visited for a zazen session about 15 years ago seemed smaller than I had imagined at the time.
The bamboo forest, swaying with the wind in the middle of the winter early morning, was orderly and quiet, encouraging you to move forward while being aware of your own footing.
But on this sunny afternoon, the temple grounds were bustling with people chatting and taking pictures freely, and the daytime face of this temple was completely open to the secular world, hiding its strictness.
There was also a matcha cafe, which didn't exist at the time, and my visit ended on a peaceful note.

🏞️Hokokuji Temple
From Kamakura Station, take the Keihin Kyuko Bus "Kamakura Reien Shomenmae Tachiarai・Kanazawa Hakkei" or "Highland" and get off at "Jomyoji" and walk for 3 minutes
🕰️Opening hours: 8AM–4:45PM
📍Address: 2 Chome-7-4 Jomyoji, Kamakura, Kanagawa 248-0003

🏞️Recommended nearby temples
Jomyoji Temple
📍Address: 3 Chome-8-31 Jomyoji, Kamakura, Kanagawa 248-0003
Sugimotoji Temple
📍Address: 903 Nikaidō, Kamakura, Kanagawa 248-0002
Myo-o-in Temple (during cherry blossom season)
32 Juniso, Kamakura, Kanagawa 248-0001

Get off the bus to Kamakura Station
Buy German bread for tomorrow morning at Bergfeld under the snow
🍞🥨Bergfeld under the snow🥖🇩🇪
🕰️Opening hours: 10AM–5:30PM close: Mon and Tue
📍Location: 3 Chome-9-24 Yukinoshita, Kamakura, Kanagawa 248-0005

⛩️Tsurugaoka Hachimangu
📍Location: 2 Chome-1-31 Yukinoshita, Kamakura, Kanagawa 248-8588

Walk through the grounds and head back towards the station from Komachi-dori.

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