Kamakura: The land of too many temples!

While we were shopping at mid-town we discovered a huge restaurant that was having a Xmas special. International buffet with some delicious food on offer. So, as is Japanese custom, on Xmas Eve we went out for a romantic dinner to Roppongi. The restaurant was quite busy and we had to wait about an hour before we got a table! The wait was well worth it. They had sushi, chinese food, Spanish, Italian, roast pork etc etc, and a fine selection of desserts to choose from too!

This is one of Japan's most famous pop singers, Ayumi, doing a McDonalds promotion

Cam's breakfast shoes!

CHRISTMAS DAY! Pay day! SHOPPING!!

With the rain pissing down we went to Shibuya to meet Dave and Eri for dinner. We ate at a little Okonomiyaki place, and the food was amazing. We ate Okonomyaki from Hiroshima, Osaka, and Tokyo, not a lot of difference between them except that Hiroshima's style comes with noodles! American James' sister was visiting for a week or so, so we convinced them to come to Unit in Daikanyama to see M.A.N.D.Y. play. Unit is a small club, with not much in the way off décor or design. It's basically just a rectangle with the DJ playing at the front. MANDY's tunes were OK, but nothing special. Although he did entertain by having a beer fight with the DJ that came on after him.

Kamakura: The place of a million temples!

A student of Sophi’s, Koji, had offered to take us to Kamakura with him as our tour guide. So at the crack of dawn on December 30^th we headed to Kita – Kamakura. Really, who could think that a country could have so many temples EVERYWHRE!

Kamakura Station (8am!)

ENGAKUJI (#2 Zen temple)

So many graveyards!

ENGAKUJI: the usual grand entrance!

Surrounding giant Japanese forest

TOKEIJI (womens shelter)

You can imagine the trees would be gorgeous when it's not winter!

Sadly bare trees!

Some special tree?

Stone hashi

On the streets, traditional stylin'

JOCHIJI (#4 zen temple)

Another grand entrance - Miniture size

How Zen.

It's not Japan if there's no vending machines

What a welcoming

TSURUOKA HACHIMANGA SHRINE

The biggest shrine in Kamakura and is a symbol for the area, dedicated to the god of was and protector of the Minato clan. Its is said that the shogun was murdered on the fame entry steps.... maybe by a ninja? (Japanese history is long and complicated so I won’t bore you with details that I don’t even know!)

The grand walkway leading up to the shrine.....the entire street length

Awwww.... cute little pussy-dog!

Koji san! Sophi's student/guide for the day...... so many prayers behind him!

More wishes and prayers

Never get sick of the architecture

Another massive tori gate entrance

The infamous stairs where the shogun was assassinated

The famous tree next to those stairs..... bare as a babys bum....

.... this is what it looks like in autumn

OLDEST TEMPLE

HOKOHUJI (zen temple with famous bamboo garden) was unfortunately closed! As we ever so smartly went to Kamakura on Decemeber 30^th, so some of the temples were closed to prepare for the huge event the next night

As the afternoon grew colder and windy we decided it was time for a feast. So we headed to Enoshima for some seafood.

ENOSHIMA

ENOSHIMA is an island near Kamakura, where we sighted our first beach since being in Japan. The beach was big, dark and deep, definitely not a paradise beach! The winds were ghastly and we slowly made our way across the bridge by foot against all odds. Quite crazy actually, the waves were splashing on the bridge and we were blinded by the wind, but we made it! We feasted on some seafood chosen by Koji, then walked around the front part of the island. Due to time restrictions we were due to leave shortly after.

Narrow paths that all lead uphill to the centre of the island

The entrance to shrine.... we never made it in there

Piglet

New marble statues through another shrine

Beach view from the island..... where's the white sand?

SO many lanterns

Tradition of entering the new year, looks almost like equestrian

Massive money bag everyone praises at...... guess what for

Island beach........ very choppy!

Crazy statue outside the spas

Another lantern..... nice and new

Sadly due to running out of time, and being plain templed out! We missed HASDERA (the buddha with 11 faces and is the largest wooden statue in Japan),

Sculptures we're still yet to see

KOTOKUIN DAIBUTSU: The Giant Buddha (only one of the most important places in Kamakura!!) – So a trip back to Kamakura is well due in the future to see the giant Buddha and to relax in the gorgeous Enoshima spa – a must do later on.

The most famous thing in Kamakura..... still to see!

NEW YEARS EVE : Japan Style.......hmmm.....

On the note on NYE IN JAPAN

Quite the opposite in so many cases is Japan. Of course NYE is of no exception either. Forget the balmy summer nights of dancing on the beaches and lazing around in the heat, drinking till your hearts content, to any hour of any day. Tokyo is cold and deserted! Yes deserted, the traditions of a Japanese New Year is NOT of big count downs, parties and fireworks. It’s the time to be spent at home with your family, and if they’re lucky some of them may catch the countdown on the TV. After the ceremoniously running NYE TV: the dance off show. So in order to spend time with their families everyone leaves Tokyo to go back to their home towns.

We mustn’t forget either the ever 'exciting' event of the fact that it is tradition for the Japanese to go to the shrines/temples on NYE. For those who wish to miss the long waiting queues which can range from a 1hour – 7 hour wait choose wisely to go on the following day. Sounds like fun.

NYE: Coin Bar + Womb

Us being good ol’ Aussies we went for the traditional ‘lets get loose’ style. As usual, we got well loose. We started off the night at coins bar for some cheap pre drinks before heading to LaFina (where we were to meet Dave T and Eri).

Hana chan and her lovely ladies

Usual mischief

NYE crew

Awww.........

The Florida bro and sis

The actual countdown was pretty much delayed! The TV was on in the bar but the timing was ALL out!! So of course we celebrated will skulling champagne, tequila anything!

After countdown we headed to lafina. At this point in time we were feeling well wasted! People were coming out of the place saying how shit it was and that it was too crowded blah blah blah, so we after waiting an hour in line, to head to Womb and meet up with Mel and stuff.

Womb seemed like a much better choice and we ended up spending most of the night with a random from oz.

Our new best friend for the night

The Random

Getting messy

Yeh, you tell her Mel.. outta the way!

Whoever this guy is, he's loving it

Of course.... Sleeping Japanese. What a winner of a spot

After Cam starting to get a little crazy taking photos of ciggie packs and bottles on the ground (weird), it was obviously time to leave!

????????????????????

So we headed out of the club and managed to reunite with Shinji (our flatmate) after major language barriers on the phone trying to find his whereabouts! Eventually it proved easier for him to just meet us and we went to an izakaya and drank. Not much though as cam passed out pretty much straight away! We rocked home in mid morning and carried on drinking!! Welcome 2008 – a full year of Japan ahead!

More of a statement than a paper bag I guess

Ohayo 2008!

Keep on chugging bubba