Japan (Mar 2013): Day 5 Kamakura + Yokohama (Part 1 Kamakura)

Brief Itinerary:
0700: Breakfast at hotel.
0803-0840: Took train from Tsurumi to Kamakura station, transfer at Ofuna (450yen)
0848-0853: Took train from Kamakura to Hase station (190yen)
0858-0920: Great Buddha
0929-0934: Took train from Hase to Kamakura station (190yen)
0935-0950: Walked from Kamakura station to Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine
0950-1015: Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine
1015-1030: Walked from Tsurigaoka Hachimangu Shrine to Kenchoji Temple
1030-1115: Kenchoji Temple + viewing platform
1120-1125: Bus from Kenchoji to Kita-Kamakura station (170yen)
1125-1133: Missed my bus stop, so had to walk back to Kita Kamakura station.
1142-1214: Took train from Kita Kamakura station to Ishikawacho station, transfer at Ofuna (380yen)
1220: Arrived at Yokohama Chinatown
1300-1330: Lunch at Chinatown
1400-1420: Left Chinatown and took train from Ishikawacho to Shin-Yokohama station, transfer at Higashi Kanagawa station (210yen)
1430-1515: Ramen Museum near Shin-Yokohama station
1529-1547: Shin-Yokohama to Tsurumi station, transfer at Higashi Kanagawa station (210yen)
1550-1610: Bought snacks and early dinner at Tsurumi station to buy back to hotel room.
1620: Arrive back at hotel. (Reason for returning early was because there was a forecast of heavy thunderstorm in the region and the sky was looking extremely dark by this time. And indeed, it started to rain not long after I arrived at the hotel. Tokyo area had something close to a typhoon on this day. Extremely strong winds and rain)

My expenditures:
- 100yen: Bottled water from vending machine at Ofuna station platform
- 450yen: Train from Tsurumi to Kamakura
- 190yen: Train from Kamakura to Hase
- 100yen: Metal plate souvenir from Hase station
- 200yen: Admission fees for Great Buddha
- 190yen: Train from Hase to Kamakura
- 300yen: Admission fees for Kenchoji
- 170yen: Bus ride from Kenchoji to Kita Kamakura station
- 450yen: Train from Kita Kamakura to Ishikawacho station
- 100yen: Bottled water from vending machine at Kita Kamakura station platform
- 1050yen: One Piece handphone strap
- 200yen: 2 packets of keropok (prawn crackers)
- 980yen: Set lunch at Chinatown
- 210yen: Train from Ishikawacho to Shin Yokohama station
- 250yen: Admission fees for Ramen Museum (discounted rate due to coupon)
- 210yen: Train from Shin-Yokohama to Tsurumi station
- 720yen: 1 box of Castella from Tsurumi station
- 60yen: 1 potato croquette from Tsurumi station
- 450yen: Katsudon from Katsu-ya shop near Tsurumi station
- 800yen: Bought advanced tickets to Anime Fair from Lawson's convenience store.
- 264yen: Bought cup noodle and a packet of choc crisp snack from Lawsons

Go back to Day 4 Kawasaki /

Go next to Day 5 Kamakura + Yokohama (Part 2 Yokohama)

Had early breakfast at the hotel. Considering that this is a business economy hotel (at 4500yen a night), I was pretty satisfied with their food variety. I had meatballs, fried chicken karaage, shiumai, tamagoyaki, miso soup, and rice.  

Checked weather forecast and weather for today is not too good (cloudy in the morning, thunderstorm in the afternoon). So I headed for Kamakura in the early morning to try to squeeze a quick visit before the rain arrives.

From Tsurumi station (where my hotel is located at), I had to take the JR Keihin-Tohoku line to either Yokohama or Ofuna, then transfer to the JR Yokosuka line to Kamakura. There is toilets onboard the Yokosuka line, not sure about the Keihin-Tohoku line since I wasn't at the last cabin for that train so can't verify. Anyway, this journey took about 40mins, costs 450yen.

At Kamakura station, I had to transfer to the Enoden train to get to Hase station (5mins journey, 190yen).

Note that there is selective door opening at certain stations for certain trains.

Enoden

Hase station

There's this metal plate souvenir machine at Hase station. I got 1 for myself. (100yen).

The different designs

Hase station

From Hase station, it's just a short 5-7mins walk to the Great Buddha.

Walking towards the Great Buddha

200m to go...

Arrived at the Great Buddha. Admission fees are 200yen. 

Great Buddha.

Admission ticket

It was an extremely short visit to Great Buddha since I was still worried about the weather. So I left after spending just 20mins here. 

Walked back to Hase station, and saw a small shopping area near Hase station. 

Shops near Hase station

 From Hase station, I took a short 5mins train ride back to Kamakura station. (190yen).

Hase station. Waiting for train.

Train schedule

Newspaper vending machine at Hase station

Lockers at Hase station

Took this train back to Kamakura station

 Arrived at Kamakura station. Dropped my e-book reader unknowingly while crossing the zebra crossing (shown in pic below). Had a bus driver and a few other Japanese walking by called out for me to inform me about this. Thank you. :)

Then, it's a 10-15mins walk from Kamakura station to Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine.

Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine

This walkway would be so pretty during cherry blossom season. Too bad I was about 1 week early.

a bank building at Kamakura

Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine

Sakura blooming nicely at Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine.
Bear in mind it was only 18 March 2013 on this day, extremely early for Sakura season.

Another Sakura tree

From Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, I decided to walk towards Kenchoji Temple. It was a 15mins walk.

Met an Australian couple along the way and 3 of us walked together, trying to find our way to Kenchoji.

Finally arrived at Kenchoji Temple. I would advise people to take bus instead of walking since it's mostly up-slope walk for the 15mins. 

And then, I headed for the viewing platform. 

There were many steps and I was so out of breath when I finally arrived at the viewing platform.

 I would have liked to venture a bit higher to the other higher platform that's about 5-10mins more away, but winds were starting to pick up and I see clouds getting darker. So I just spent awhile taking some photos here, and quickly headed back down.

Yeah, there's another Observatory about 5mins away. But since Japanese's 5mins equates to my 10mins, and there's another long stretch of stairs...so I decided not to continue, and headed back down.

Supposed to be able to see Mt Fuji on a clear day. But since it's cloudy today, so no luck.

Hansobo Shrine at the viewing platform

 After leaving Kenchoji Temple, I took a short bus ride (5mins, 170yen) to Kita-Kamakura station. I missed my stop so had to walk back to the station. Grrr....

From Kita Kamakura station, I took the JR Shonan-Shinjuku line to Ofuna, then transferred to the JR Keihin-Tohoku line to Ishikawacho station (30mins, 450yen), which is the nearest station to Chinatown in Yokohama.

Go back to Day 4 Kawasaki /

Go next to Day 5 Kamakura + Yokohama (Part 2 Yokohama)