Hasedera Temple (Kamakura)

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History & Origins

The founding legend says that in 736 (the 8th year of Tenpyo), one of two Eleven-Faced Kannon statues carved from the same camphor tree as the one enshrined at Hasedera in Yamato (present-day Nara Prefecture) drifted across the sea and washed ashore in Sagami Bay. It has deep ties with the Kamakura shogunate and has been revered by many warlords and literary figures. The grounds are divided into the 'Upper Grounds' and 'Lower Grounds,' with the temple buildings spreading across a site overlooking the sea.

Highlights

The principal image, the Eleven-Faced Kannon Bosatsu, is one of the largest wooden Buddhist statues in Japan, and its elegant gold-leafed form is overwhelming. On the 'Hydrangea Path,' opened around June, you can enjoy many varieties of hydrangeas in white, blue and pink, and from above see the Kamakura townscape and the sea. The observation deck on the grounds also overlooks Yuigahama and Zushi Beach.

Visitor Guide

About a 5-minute walk from Hase Station on the Enoshima Electric Railway. Admission is 400 yen for adults and 200 yen for elementary school students. Hours are 8:00-17:00 from March to September and 8:00-16:30 from October to February. Allow about 1-1.5 hours. During the hydrangea season (around June), a timed-entry reservation system may be introduced because of crowds.

Best Season

The hydrangeas that bloom around June in the rainy season are the most famous, and the Hydrangea Path on the grounds is crowded with worshippers. Autumn foliage (late November to December) is also beautiful, and in winter the clear air makes the view from the observation deck exceptional.

Blessings

Annual Events

• January

  Mando Kigan-e (Ten Thousand Lanterns Prayer Service)

  A prayer service held with the lighting of many candles, wrapping the grounds in a dreamlike glow.

• June

  Ajisai-michi Opening (Hydrangea Path)

  The Hydrangea Path on the grounds is opened during the blooming season (admission fee; reservations by time slot depending on the period). Hydrangeas of many varieties, white, blue, pink and more, are in full bloom, a hallmark of early summer in Kamakura.

• June

  Amida-e and Kakigara Inari Taisai (Amida Service and Kakigara Inari Grand Festival)

  An annual event held on June 1. It consists of a memorial service for Amida Nyorai and the grand festival of the Kakigara Inari shrine on the grounds.

Travel Plan

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