Initially I wanted to go for both Kamakura and Enoshima in a day, but decided that it’d probably be too rushed for my Mom. So, considering that my Mom really does not have that many opportunities to visit temples in Japan, I decided to just concentrate on Kamakura and leave Enoshima for the next time.
We took the JR to Ofuna, then changed line to Kamakura, where we took the Enoden from Kamakura to Hase. The Enoden was a cute little train, very traditional-ish.
From Hase, we then followed Google Map and walked to Kotoku-in, where the Big Buddha is. We literally paid the entrance fee just to see the Big Buddha, because there wasn’t anything much to the rest of Kotoku-in. Nevertheless, it’s a place for you to place a tick in your check list for Kamakura, but it’s definitely not a place that you’d go again.
After leaving Kotoku-in, I led them to the next place – yet another temple, Hasedera. This is a huge temple compared to Kotoku-in, and there were naturally a lot more things to see. Very tranquail big ponds, a cave (not for tall people to explore), and a lovely hill view looking out to the sea. Now, this is a place that I probably won’t mind spending the entrance fee again to return to… just for the view.
I had scoured Google Maps months before the trip for food places, and I stumbled upon this little place with an unassuming name – Woof Curry. It was a little out of the way from the usual tourist route, and there didn’t seem to be much tourist action going on and very little English reviews anywhere, but still I took my chance with them. And oh, I’m so glad I did. THE FOOD WAS SO GOOD! It literally went above and beyond our expectations. Their serving was huge, and I still wish there was more! The owner was so friendly too, asking us where we were from and chatted a little with us before we left. I hope they remain in business for a long time, because I definitely will visit again!
After lunch, we took the Enoden back to Kamakura. I was toying with the idea of visiting another temple in Kamakura which has a mini bamboo forest, but we needed to take a bus from Kamakura and that’d make the timing a little tight, I didn’t want to tire my Mom out so we decided to just have coffee at Kamakura, and strolled Komachi Street a little before taking the train back to Ueno.
We had coffee at 5 Crossties Coffee which was next to JR Kamakura Station. The coffee wasn’t that great, but their soft serve was good!
Komachi street was just a touristy shopping street – nothing much to shout about except for some rice crackers shops which had pretty interesting flavours of rice crackers.
We went back to Ueno station and had a hard time finding dinner because 1) we weren’t that hungry and 2) it was so difficult to find a restaurant with food that my Mom would want to eat… sigh. We settled with Omurice restaurant Youshokuya Sandaime Taimeiken (洋食屋三代目たいめいけん) that’s within Ueno station. I thought I wasn’t hungry, but wut, I was able to finish the entire plate of omurice on my own… (Can’t remember the names of the dishes anymore, sorry!)
Went back to the hotel early to pack and to arrange for luggage forwarding at the hotel reception – because we are starting our Hokkaido leg the next day! Yay!
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