Side Trips from Tokyo - Tokyo - page 270

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Murder & Betrayal at Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine

As you ascend the 62 steps to the vermilion-painted shrine, note the gingko tree
to the left that's thought to be about 1,000 years old. This is supposedly the site
where Yoritomo's second son was ambushed and murdered back in 1219; his
head was never found. Such stories of murder and betrayal were common in feu-
dal Japan. Fearful that his charismatic brother had designs on the shogunate,
Yoritomo banished him and ordered him killed. Rather than face capture, the
brother committed seppuku. When the brother's mistress gave birth to a boy, the
baby was promptly killed. Today, the lotus ponds, arched bridge, pigeons, and
bright vermilion sheen of the shrine give little clue to such violent history.

Kamakura and one of its most popular attractions. It was built by Yoritomo and dedi-
cated to Hachiman, the Shinto god of war who served as the clan deity of the Minamoto
family. The pathway to the shrine is along Wakamiya Oji, a cherry tree-lined pedestrian
lane that was also constructed by Yoritomo back in the 1190s so that his oldest son's first
visit to the family shrine could be accomplished in style with an elaborate procession.
The lane stretches from the shrine all the way to Yuigahama Beach, with three massive
torii (traditional entry gate of a shrine) set at intervals along the route to signal the
approach to the shrine. On both sides of the pathway are souvenir and antiques shops
selling lacquerware, pottery, and folk art. (I suggest you walk to Kamakura Station via
Komachi Dori, a fun pedestrian shopping lane that parallels Wakamiya Oji to the west,
and return via Wakamiya Oji.)
At the top of the stairs, which afford a panoramic view toward the sea, is the vermil-
ion-colored shrine with its small shrine museum, not worth the ¥100 admission. How-
ever, you can get your fortune in English for ¥100 by shaking out a bamboo stick with
a number on it and giving it to the attendant. You can also buy a charm to assure good
luck in health, driving a car, business, or other ventures. Shrine grounds are always open,
free to the public.
Although it's a bit out of the way, it might pay to visit Zeniarai-Benten Shrine
( & 0467/25-1081 ), about a 20-minute walk west of Kamakura Station. This shrine is
dedicated to the goddess of good fortune. On the Asian zodiac's Day of the Snake, wor-
shippers believe that if you take your money and wash it in spring water in a small cave
on the shrine grounds, it will double or triple itself later on. This being modern Japan,
don't be surprised if you see a bit of ingenuity; my Japanese landlady told me that when
she visited the shrine she didn't have much cash on her, so she washed something that
she thought would be equally as good—her credit card. Fittingly, admission is free. Open
daily 8am to 5pm.
AROUND HASE STATION To get to these attractions, you can go by bus, which
departs from in front of Kamakura Station (take any bus from platform no. 1 or 6 to the
Daibutsuen-mae stop). Or, for a more romantic adventure, you can go by the JR Enoden
Line, a tiny train that putt-putts its way seemingly through backyards on its way from
Kamakura Station to Hase and beyond. Since it's mostly only one track, trains have to
take turns going in either direction. I suggest that you take the bus from Kamakura Sta-
tion directly to the Great Buddha, walk to Hase Shrine, and then take the Enoden train
back to Kamakura Station.

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