Hase-dera Temple more than justifies why it’s considered a must-visit attraction in Kamakura (aside from Kamakura Kokomae Station and the Tsurugaoka Hachimangū Shrine perhaps!). I visited the place in winter and I honestly enjoyed myself. It had stunning views, well-maintained grounds, and a rich history that rivals a lot of the temples/temple complexes that I’ve visited up to this point.
A Winter Day at Hase-dera Temple: Experiencing Nature and Spirituality
This was the entrance of Hase-dera Temple when I visited. It didn’t seem as grand when compared to Zenkoji Temple’s Niomon gate but it still looks impressive nonetheless. The tree cutting off vision to the gate’s roof also adds contrast that makes this scene so picture-worthy.
Don't miss my new travel story!
Subscribe To Email List
We won't send you spam. Unsubscribe at any time.
Before I went inside Hase-dera Temple, I decided to read up a little on the temple complex’s history. This sign board here was a great place. It features text in English, Japanese, Chinese, and Korean. The text pretty much talks about how a Buddhist priest founded the temple after carving a pair of Kannon statues. It’s all an interesting read that I think anyone who goes here should definitely check out.
Here’s the famous lantern hanging from the main gate with Japanese text that reads Hase-dera. I’m not sure but it seems like the gate is actually as old as the temple itself. Or at the very least, it might have been built right when the main hall had undergone reconstruction. Regardless, I think that the simple design it has gives it such a classic look.
I’m not entirely sure but I think this is a picture of Kannon along with a Buddhist clergy. My guess is that this might be Tokudo, the Buddhist priest who carved the two statues of Kannon from a camphor tree. You’ll find this specific spot just before the tree (if you’re facing the gate).
After checking the area around the main gate, I proceeded to the ticket office. This is the building that’s directly to the left of the main gate. Admission is relatively affordable at just JPY400 for adults.
Here’s the map of the temple complex which shows your current location as well as all the buildings and notable attractions. The map also shows a recommended route to take to get to Kannon-do Hall where you can then get a Goshuin (ticket stamp).
With the picture of the map on my phone, I now found myself inside the temple complex. The first thing I saw was this really nice garden and a No Smoking sign. The trees here have pretty much shed their leaves and the view honestly looks picturesque.
This is Myochi pond and you’ll find it directly behind the ticketing office building. Moreover it is one of the first things you’ll see as you get past the entrance and into the temple complex.
For some reason, the pond seems to have this soothing effect on people who come here. I personally enjoyed just observing the fish as they foraged for their food.
Now you might be tempted to get whatever food is in your pocket and throw it at the fish here. Just hold that thought and don’t act on it. There’s a sign that expressly forbids feeding the fish here.
The pond is unbelievably clear at this time of the year. So much so that you’ll even get to see the trees surrounding it reflected on the water’s surface.
If you’re facing the pond and if you look behind you and to your left, you’ll then come face to face with this memorial for the writer Kume Masao. He was a popular playwright who died a couple of years after the end of World War II. More importantly, he was one of the literary figures who called Kamakura home having relocated here after the Great Kanto Earthquake in 1923.
Another view of the pond. I just noticed that the fish here weren’t as large as the ones I saw at other temples.
This is Hase-dera’s Fureai Kannon. It’s basically a Kannon that you touch before saying your prayers and worshipping (as per the text displayed on the ground). There’s also a saisen-bako where you can offer up your jozai (donations and/or monetary offerings).
This is the path to the left of Myochi Pond. It leads to this set of stairs which then lead to a path to where one of the three Ryo-en jizo are located.
I went back to the entrance and then decided to take the path to the right of Myochi pond as this was the recommended route in the map earlier. As you can see, this is also where you’ll find most of the visitors here.
As with any Japanese temple (regardless if they’re Shinto or Buddhist), you are always bound to find these chozubachi. What sets this one apart is that it looks a lot more natural as opposed to the other ones that I saw that looked more like stone basins.
Pictured here is the largest pond in this area. Also called a Hojochi or Free Life Pond, this is a fixture in a lot of Buddhist temples and it’s where fish and turtles are usually released.
The practice of releasing animals is a core tenet of Buddhist belief. The Free Life Pond is typically where people release animals who were held in captivity with the intent of saving their lives or giving them their freedom.
This is the path that leads to the temple complex’s library. While there weren’t that many people who came here when I took this photo, I still think this was one of the better areas for viewing the scenery and just relaxing.
Here’s another map of the temple complex showing our current location. Just behind me is the main gate and by moving forward is another set of stairs leading to the garden area where you’ll find the Ryo-en Jizo.
I’m now following the path straight to the stairs but before I go up, I took this picture of another angle of the Free Life Pond.
Here’s the stairs that I’ve been talking about. The saisen bako at the foot of these stairs is apparently for collecting donations to help with disaster relief after the Noto Peninsula earthquake.
I’m not sure who this memorial is for but you’ll typically see plenty of these in Hase-dera. In fact, I think saw another one or two of these just following this path.
After getting to the top of the stairs, I’m then faced with the prospect of going up another set. Thankfully I’ve managed to build up my leg muscles what with all the walking I’ve done during this whole Japan trip.
Here are the Ryo-en Jizo! Look at how happy these guys are. Anyway, the area also has a nice view of the Free Life Pond and the gardens below.
Now before this sign was co-opted by a certain Austrian-German dictator in the 1940s, the manji was and still is considered a symbol of peace and love. While I know that this pond is called Manji-ike or the Manji pond, I’m not entirely sure who the figures here are.
Further along the stairs after the Manji Pond, I then came across these Thousand Jizo statues and one of Ksitigarbha, the Bodhisattva of Suffering. The sign on the side basically provides information about these statues as well as an ad for memorial services.
Prior to the Thousand Jizo statues, you’ll come across this Mizukake Jizo. As its name implies, praying to this jizo statue will require you to pour water on it.
If you wish to participate in the memorial services for the jizo then this is where you light a candle for them. You’ll find this just opposite the Ksitigarbha. The candles cost 200 yen and once you’ve paid you can then light them yourself or you can write down the desired date you’d like to have the candles lit.
I think this vantage point has one of the best views in the whole temple complex. It overlooks a lot of the buildings below while at the same time giving you a view of these Thousand Jizo statues.
Here are more of the Thousand Jizo. You’ll find these specific jizo just behind the Ksitigarbha pavilion/Jizo-do Hall (not pictured) in this area.
After my detour to the Thousand Jizo, I decided to head back on the path to Kannon-do Hall. And from this vantage point, I can actually see it. Just another staircase or two and I’ll finally reach my destination. Before that though…
I’m going to take pictures of this beautiful view. While it was winter when I visited, I was fortunate enough that it wasn’t snowing yet.
I’ve finally reached Kannon-do Hall and boy does it look nice. I think climbing up all those stairs was really worth it for this view.
Before I proceeded to Kannon-do Hall, I had to check out the attractions surrounding it. Of these, the most impressive probably is the Shoro Belfry. From my research, this bell is struck every 8:00AM the moment the entrance to Hase-dera Temple is opened.
What’s even more interesting though is that this bell here isn’t the original. The original bell is said to have been cast way back in 1264 the one in the picture was in 1984. Right now, the original bell is instead exhibited at the Kannon Museum. This is likely to ensure it isn’t vandalized as it was designated as one of Japan’s Important Cultural Property.
Adjacent to Kannon-do Hall is the Amida-do Hall. This houses an Amida statue that is said to have been made for the first shogun of the Kamakura shogunate, Minamoto Yoritomo. Initially the main purpose of the statue was to ward off evil for the shogun and over time it came to be called the Amida who expels misfortune and evil.
In front of the Amida-do Hall is this daikoro where visitors can offer incense for JPY100. In the background, you’ll also see the saisen bako just in front of the Amida statue.
If you’re facing the Shoro Belfry’s stairs then you’ll find this monument/memorial to your left. I’m not sure who specifically this is dedicated to though.
Again, not sure who these memorials are for. That said, it does look like they’re well-maintained even though there are obvious signs of wear on them.
Like with a lot of temples I’ve visited in Japan, Hase-dera Temple has its own ema-kake where visitors and worshippers can hang their ema. This is one is pretty unique though as you’ll have to go through this torii to get to the hanging rack.
Also called the Inari-sha, this shrine is encircled by red flags and was made specifically to enshrine oyster shells or kakigara. As they’re enshrined here, these oyster shells are then said to receive Kannon’s divine guidance.
An oyster shell ema is JPY300. Once you’ve dropped this amount on the saisen bako, you can then get one oyster shell votive tablet and proceed to write your prayers and/or wishes on them.
Once you’ve written your prayers and/or wishes, you’ll just then need to hang the oyster shell ema on these racks. The New Year celebrations just finished when I took this picture so there’s understandably a lot of ema here.
I was initially surprised why there was an Inari shrine here considering they are a Shinto deity. Apparently, there’s this process called religious syncretism that results in the mixing of some or many aspects of different religions. In Japanese Buddhism, Inari was designated as a protector deity for some temples and over the years, he’s become associated with the religion.
Here’s the story of how oyster shells became associated with Kannon. Apparently, while the Kannon statue was adrift at sea, it was surrounded and guided by oyster shells. This then resulted in the people revering the oyster shells as gods and the result is this shrine right here.
This is the view of the staircase from the level of the Kannon-do Hall. Those unfamiliar with the statue might think that he’s the Buddha when in truth this is actually Hotei. Considered a Bodhisattva, Hotei is also known as the “Laughing Buddha” and one of the Japanese’s Seven Lucky Gods. He represents good fortune, abundance, and contentment.
Surrounded by the Shittenou, here we have a statue of the Shakyamuni Buddha. If you want to see a giant Buddha statue, you should go to Kotoku-in where you’ll see the Great Buddha of Kamakura. In the background is the Kannon Museum while to the left of Jikokuten (the Shittenou who is left-most in the picture) are signs pointing to the Ocean View Path, the Restaurant, and the Kyouzou.
This is a pond in front of the Kyouzou or the Buddhist scriptures repository. The pond itself is actually a bit small or at least it looks small.
Despite how small it looks, the pond seems to hold a number of large koi. These looked really nice especially the one that looks to be a Kin Showa variety (the one in the middle). Its gold scales look really spectacular when it’s hit by the sun’s rays.
Now we’re finally at the Kyouzou. As I said earlier, this is a repository of the temple’s Buddhist scriptures. Visitors who hand copy sutras can have their shakyo added to this repository and they can expect these to be stored almost indefinitely.
The sign here is detailing the two sutra holding implements in the Kyouzou. There are about 18 Mani-Guruma here and the Rinzo is what you’ll find in the center of the Kyouzou once you enter it.
A wide shot of the Rinzo and one of the doors of the Kyouzou. As mentioned in the sign earlier, turning the Rinzo is equivalent to reciting all the scriptures stored inside it. That said, you only get to turn it on the 18th of every month.
Not to sound sappy but looking at this shot of the Kyouzou with Kamakura in the background somehow makes me feel at ease and at peace. Also, this won’t be the last time we’re seeing this place. By the way, this also reminds me of Hokokuji Temple’s Bamboo Forest. I also felt peace and calm when I visited that place.
I’m currently on the stairs leading up to the Ocean View/Prospect Path. From this viewpoint in the stairs you can see the Kannon Museum near the bottom and if you turn right, you’ll be looking down on the Kyouzou.
Now if you look up the stairs, you’ll see a glimpse of the Ocean View Path. As I was taking the picture, it looked like a group of people were also going up to the area.
Just when I thought I was already at the view deck, I then saw this staircase and realized I still have to climb some more. There’s a sign saying to not smoke in this area and I chuckled at the thought of a smoker climbing up those stairs and running out of breath halfway. Joking aside, the likely reason they’re disallowing smoking probably has to do with the fact that cigarette ash is a fire hazard.
Can you believe this? I’m relatively active but even I found myself catching my breath here a couple of times. My advice, if you do plan to climb up here, make sure to rest and take it slow if you can.
The climb might have been arduous but I think all that fatigue faded once I saw the view here. It was not only nice but the fresh air made it seem like my lungs were getting refueled/replenished. I was now on the Ocean View Path and I was feeling a little more energized.
Along the Ocean View Path, you’ll come across this statue of Kannon. I think outside of the one at Kannon-do Hall and Fureai Kannon, this was the only other Kannon statue that I came across here in the temple complex.
No more stairs! The path here is definitely a lot better without those pesky stairs. I also like how close I am to nature during this walk. That said, I was kinda worried there might be snakes here. Thankfully there aren’t any!
I can finally see the ocean! Sigh, I feel like I would’ve even appreciated this more had I not gone up those stairs. Kidding aside, it does look and feel nice here.
Here’s a picture of the path in the spring/summer seasons. I must admit, I kind of want to revisit this place with the shrubs green and the Hydrangea flowers in bloom.
So the Ocean View Path actually leads down and brings us back to the Kyouzou. This was really neat and I think the path going down is definitely a lot easier on the legs.
To be honest, I’ve no idea what this monument and Jizo are for near the end of the Ocean View Path. That said, the view here isn’t that bad especially in the early morning when the sun is illuminating everything.
And with this, I’ve now arrived at the end of the Ocean View Path. Don’t worry though as there’s still a lot more to check out here at Hase-dera Temple.
I’m now headed to where the Nagomi Jizo is. I heard it’s a popular photo spot and it’s going to be the last place I visit before I go to Benten-kutsu Cave.
Oh, he’s really here! Added to the park in 2010, the Nagomi Jizo has become quite a popular attraction here. It’s said that the Jizo’s smiling face has been giving visitors peace of mind since he was brought here.
I’ve always been fascinated by sozu and how hypnotic they are and that’s why I had to take a picture of this scene.
The ema-kake here can be found on the side of Benten-do Hall and directly in the line of sight of Fudo Myo-o’s intense gaze (he’s the frowning statue in the previous image). You can purchase ema here for JPY300 and then hang them on the racks (after you’ve written your name and wishes/prayers on them of course).
I’m now at the entrance of the Benten-kutsu Cave. I was pretty excited for this as I really wanted to see the statues inside.
So the first thing I saw when I entered was this sign describing Ukatama no Mikoto or Ugajin. Much like Inari, he is a Shinto deity and here he is enshrined also as a deity of Benzaiten. He is associated mostly with fertility, wealth, and agriculture. How he managed to get here though is what I’m really curious about.
Apparently the first statue here is called Gyuba Doji, a boy attendant of horses and cattle. Much like Ugajin/Ukatama no Mikoto, he has connections to agriculture and serves as Benten/Benzaiten’s attendant.
While it was well lighted, the cave still seemed eerie though not scary. My guess is that this has to do with a lot of the statues here.
Speaking of the statues, there’s actually a guide here enumerating the statues which are actually the Sixteen Child Deities. Visitors can also purchase candles in this area for JPY200. After purchasing, they can light the candles in the nearby lamp and then bring these to their preferred child deity.
According to the guide earlier, the first child deity here is called Zai Doji or the Wealth Child/Wish-Fulfilling Child. His main deity is Daikokuten and the benefit of praying for him is that you’ll receive blessings of wealth and prosperity.
After seeing the statues of the Sixteen Child Deities, I then proceeded to this area. I think people who are claustrophobic would do well to avoid this space/area.
If you’re tall then you might have to watch your head as you go through this area thanks to the lower ceiling. Moreover, I think the place is even more eerie than the room with the child deities thanks to the lighting here.
Of course this wouldn’t be called a Benten-Kutsu Cave if it doesn’t have a statue of her. I’m not quite sure about the other statues here though as the lighting was really not the best (see the quality of the image).
Finally exiting this section of the caves. My excitement now has somewhat been tempered after all the climbing and walking we’ve done so far.
These are the cave’s collection of small Jizo Bodhisattva statues. Now these are even smaller than the Thousand Jizo we saw earlier. I was actually on tiptoes thinking I might accidentally step on one of these.
A somewhat closer view of the Jizo Bodhisattva and some other deities with larger statues. The one on the left is obviously Benten and the one on the right is a Dosojin which is a type of Shinto deity.
Another statue of Benten this time surrounded by the small Jizo Bodhisattvas. This was the probably the last statue in this area and so I decided to exit out.
Now I’ve finally finished the tour of the Benten-Kutsu Cave and I’m back at the ema-kake found at Benten-do Hall. You’d think I was going to rest now?
Well think again. I’ve still yet to visit Shoin Hall. This place held sutras that you could copy to create shakyo. With all the walking I’ve done though, I didn’t think I’d be up for doing something as copying sutras.
Instead, I checked out the Karenasui or rock garden in front of the hall and recharged my energy here for a couple of minutes.
Hase-dera Temple was equal parts fun, tiring, and disappointing. I loved the hiking and the views and was actually okay with getting tired from the activities. That said, I did kind of expect the Benten-Kutsu Cave to be much more exciting and it ended up just being okay. Of course, I acknowledge that this is entirely my fault for hyping the whole area in my head. Overall, my Hase-dera Temple experience was more positive than bad.
