Kamakura Kamakura is a very historical city in Japan.  From 1192 until 1333 Kamakura served as the capital of Japan.  In 1192 the emperor assigned Minamoto-no-Yoritomo the post of shogunate.  The shogunate was the head of the military and theorectically had control of Japan.  When Minamoto-no-Yoritomo  became shogunate he moved from the capital of Kyoto to Kamakura.  During the time Kamakura was the capital of Japan many shrines were built that are still present to this day.  Some of these shrines include the Daibutsu and Turugaoka Hachiman-gu.

The Daibutsu, or Big Buddha, is a large statue constructed of bronze.  The Daibutsu of Kamakura is the most famous (There is one in Nara and one in Chiba) of the three Daibutsus.  This one was constructed in

At the time of construction they built a wooden pavilion over it, but in 1494 a

tsunami washed over the Daibutsu and the pavilion was washed away.  The statue itself is about 35 feet tall and 85 feet across at it?s base.  It is estimated to weigh 90 tons.  The inside is hollow and you

are allowed to enter for a small price.  The Daibutsu also has some personal meaning to

me.  In 1952 my father lived in Japan and one of the few pictures he has from that time is of him in front of the Daibutsu.  When he visited me in the spring of 1998 we traveled to the Daibutsu and we

The Sake, Japanese wine, that is offered to the Gods.  Each one of those barrels is about the size of a keg.

each took a picture of each other in front of it an later compared it to his.

Above and Left: On the grounds of Turugaoka Hachiman-gu

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