Some students from Azuma Elementary School wanted a picture with a Westerner and to practice their English...they sent this to me three months later!
Forced myself out of bed around 11:30 and dragged myself across the street to the train station to go down to Kamakura on a noonish train. Bought a sandwich at a kiosk and ate that on the way down as I needed something (why did I drink Tequila shots last night!) Got down to Kamakura a little before 1, got some tourist info from the desk at the train station, and started walking over to the Kotoku-in for the Daibutsu (Great Buddah statue). First stop on the way…Starbucks!
Over the next five hours, I walked around Kamakura visiting Kotoku-in and the Daibutsu, Hase-dera Temple, Yuigahama Beach (I have never seen so many surfers on one beach before!), Wakamiya Oji, Tsurugaokahachimangu Shrine, Kencho-Ji Temple, and Engaku-Ji Temple.
Meigetsu-in was closed already when I got there, and after Engaku-Ji, I decided to just hop on the train back to Shinagawa rather than try to hit Tokei-Ji and Jochi-ji, as they were probably closed already (it was close to 6PM already). Kencho-Ji is one of the centers of Zen Buddhism in Japan, and relaxing on the deck behind the Hojo (Main Hall) overlooking the garden was the most peaceful part of the day.
The weather was not so bad, a little hot and humid, which was good as I managed to sweat out whatever alcohol affects I had from the night before, coupled with quite a few hits to the vending machines for water and replenishment drinks (Pocari Sweat, Aquarius, etc.)
Got back to Tokyo, had dinner at a Yakitori place in the Wing shopping area across from my hotel, then went to sleep
All in all, another good day!
