There's a place by my work that sells regular udon and soba noodles in huge bowls. The place is always jam-packed at lunchtime so I can never get in. I went tonight for dinner when it wasn't too crowded. Here is my kitsune (fried tofu) udon bowl. It was pretty good, but not the best I have had.

Kamakura (鎌倉)

Below are pictures from my day trip today to Kamakura. Kamakura is a little over one hour southeast of Tokyo proper on the train, past Kawasaki and Yokohama. The city is very small, as evidenced by the fact that there is only one private train line that operates within the city itself, to shuttle tourists back and forth. One can also rent a bike for a day or do a walking tour, since most of Kamakura is easily visited with a little foot power.

The main attraction of Kamakura is the Great Amida Buddha Sculpture (大仏) in the tiny city subdivision known as Hase. Please don’t confuse this Great Buddha with the Great Buddha I posted pictures of earlier from the city of Nara. In addition to the Great Buddha, there are various temples and pagodas that one can see in Kamakura as well, the most famous being the Great Kannon Temple, a short walk from the big guy’s viewing plaza.

Tons of mom & pop food joints and souvenir shops line the tiny streets that lead up to the main tourist attractions. Kamakura seems to have dubbed itself “mountain food capital of Japan.” Thus, I had the “five mountain peaks” buckwheat soba sampler platter at a nearby restaurant. It was very good, if not very overpriced. The table in front of me was populated with three absolutely gorgeous young Japanese girls (they looked to be sisters – at least two of them). They were my age, but each had an accompanying boyfriend. Their parents seemed to be there as well. The parents weren’t exactly what you’d call eye candy, so their beauty must be a genetic anomaly.

Since I was zoning out and staring at the vixen table in front of me, the waitress had to ask me three times if I wanted more water until she finally got my attention. The last time she switched to English because she thought I didn’t understand. Nah, I was just captivated by pure beauty.

The sky was overcast today but it was still at least 90 degrees. I ended my trip to Kamakura with a swing by the famous beach. To my surprise, I was back in Cabo, Mexico. Shirtless Japanese kids and bikini clad Japanese girls danced to thumping techno music with a beer in one hand, and a cigarette in the other, underneath a tent with the words “Maniac Beach” written in blood red English.

The beach seemed like a really fun place (assuming you had the appropriate buds and beers in tow that is). I, however, was by myself at the time and panting like one of those red-furred Japanese fox dogs due to the heat. Maybe next time, when Carson Daly hosts MTV’s Spring Break 2007 live from Kamakura.

B.E.W.

The front gate to the Kamakura Great Buddha viewing area. Somehow I expected the gate to be a bit more grandiose.

A pair of white lions guard the entrance gate leading to the Daibutsu.

One of two lotus and lily pad sculptures in front of the Great Buddha.

Healing incense, from the Buddha's heart to your lungs.

Hey, even the big guy needs to eat.

This is the Great Amida Buddha (Daibutsu) of Kamakura, Japan. Built in 1252 AD, the statue is 13.35 meters tall and weighs 121 tons. For comparison, the Dainichi Buddha of Nara was built in 749 and is 15 meters tall (making it the largest Buddha statue in the world). Unlike the Nara Buddha, the Kamakura Daibutsu is completely out in the open, and susceptible to sun, storms, and snow. The Kamakura Daibutsu once had a surrounding temple complex, but the area was completely destroyed by a massive tsunami in 1498.

If this giant Buddha and the giant Buddha in Nara got in a fight, who would you put your money on? I guess Buddhas don't really fight huh?

The Daibutsu was last repaired in 1960-61. During that time, the neck area was strengthened and the base was redesigned to be more tsunami proof (though I think the phrase tsunami proof is an oxymoron).

The Great Buddha from the side.

Here is the Buddha's backside. The giant vents on his back remind me of the old Hamburglar play cage at my local McDonald's that I used to play in when I was really young. They should do the same thing here - let kids climb up inside the Buddha's belly and peer out through the windows!

Lotus flower pedals around the Buddha, complete with mantras.

Here are the Buddha's sandals. These are definitely cool, but I really like the 2006 Air-Buddhas with the built in pump better.

Sorry to end on a whimper, but here is a small building behind the Daibutsu. My guess is that it is a treasure store house, but I don't really know.

The other main attraction in Kamakura is the Great Kannon Temple (a short walk from the Daibutsu). Here is the main gate to the temple, with an annoying Japanese lady who wouldn't leave the frame of my picture. The lantern reads "Hase Kannon," with "Hase" being the area in Kamakura where the shrine is located.

Here is the Great Hase Kannon Hall that houses the giant Kannon image. I thought all the different roofs were neat because they seem to point off in all different directions.

Small statues of Kannon (left) and Jizo (right). These two guys are believed to represent the two moods of one Bodhisattva. Kannon is the stern, but just disciplinarian, while Jizo is the kind and forgiving parent-like figure.

Here is a holy image of the benevolent Bodhisattva Kannon. This small image is NOT the main attraction that makes the temple a giant tourist attraction. The main Kannon statue is 10 meters tall and decorated in gold leaf just like this one. Sadly, pictures were prohibited in the main Hase Kannon Hall, so you're stuck with the little guy.

Another view of the Kannon image.