Kamakura:Hase-Dera Temple

This temple is said to be the most popular of all the kamakura temples. According to the story, in 721 a priest stumbled upon this tree with a huge trunk. He then had fashion two eleven-headed Kannon statues. One was enshrined in Nara, the other was throw into the sea near Osaka with a prayer that it would return. Apparently, it did fifteen years later and then a temple was built to honor the statue that had returned. That temple is the Hase-Dera temple. Here is the first pic. 

The temple compound itself is huge made of various smaller temple or halls with a walk way covered in flowers, a cave and a compound covered in jizo statues. Examples:

Here are some more modern ones, I think. Are they not they adorable.

The main hall is, of course, the Kannon Hall which holds the returning ocean statue. The statue is apparently 30 feet tall, as for the elevan heads: there are three in the front, left, and right then plus one at the top and the last on the back. Each face has a different expression. I don't know if it is true, I couldn't check. Now Kannon is known as the Buddhist of Mercy, and a Bodhisattva. 

Here are two images of the outside of the Kannon Hall. I couldn't take any pictures of the inside since it wasn't allowed, sorry. But the staute was huge because of the gold leaflets, the great care it has been in, and the darkness of the hall made it look like it was made of gold. 

Here are some pictures of around this hall:

There were some other hall I went to, also but my favorite place on the grounds was the cave.

The hall, which is like a cave hall, is call Benten-do the cave Benten-kutsu. Inside the walls are carved with a number of Buddhist, and small pools of water in-between the pillars. The hall and cave are has a small statue of Benzaiten who is a sea goddess and the only female of the seven lucky gods.

This is the hall.

This is the entrance to the cave, which has a really low ceiling. I was walking on my knees for a little part of it. However, I am 5'9' so one who is more of the 5 feet persuasion might not have any problems.

The multiple statues in cave- hall are probably the other Lucky Gods, I have no idea though.

This is the sea goddess, who always has temples near some form of water; i.e the pools of water and the  view of the sea.

This statue is the one just outside the cave, who knows what buddha/god he is.

 This is the end of the Kamakura section of this blog, probably. Anyway thanking for tuning hope to see you next time.
On that note before I went home I went to the beach because it was nearby. Take that A.J.
The next episode is a surprise.