Kamakura is a city about an hour by train outside of Tokyo.  It's probably the closest place to Tokyo that looks like old Japan of the type you might see in the movies.   I really don't know anything about the history of Kamakura but I would be glad to hear about it if you feel like telling me.

The Saturday before I left Japan I went to Kamakura with my friends Natsuko and Scott.

We took the green car.  On trains that go a significant distance they often offer what's called "the green car".  A ticket for a green car costs more then a normal ticket but usually you are guaranteed a seat and usually a very nice seat.   This can be pretty nice on a long trip.  On the way to Kamakura though it's only about 20 minutes that you get these nice seats before you switch to another line without the nice green cars.

There are several places to visit in Kamakura.  We went to only three of them.   Here we have just arrived at our first stop.

I'm going to let these pictures speak for themselves.

A couple of the statues seen in one of the pictures above.

One of the trees just starting to blossom in early spring.

I'm not sure what kind of plant this strange but cool specimen is.

Anybody know what kind of bug this is and if it's dangerous?

Next we went on too a larger city.  I'm not sure if this is the modern city of Kamakura or not.

There are of course the tourist shopping streets 😊

We walked to one temple area on the north side of town.

I'm not sure what all this sake and beer is for.  Maybe a really big party?   Actually I'm assuming it's a kind of offering.

My understanding is that the rope around this tree marks it as a kind of a special like the guardian tree of this forest or the sacred tree spirit.  I'm not sure the exact meaning can be translated.  There's a tree like this in My Neighbor Totoro

Here is the view looking back toward the town.

I believe this are all wishes or prayers to the gods.  They may also be fortunes that nobody wanted.

A wedding was taking place as we left.

Next we went to visit what is probably the most famous part of Kamakura.  The big budda.

And here you can see the little budda wondering why he's leaving Japan.

I really do miss Japan quite a bit.  I hope that someday I'll get to go back for an extended period again.