On Sunday the kids and I went to a new temple...
(we went to the blob at the upper right corner of the red "you are here" rectangle)
...with my friend Amanda, her daughter Bridget, and her husband Nate.
This temple is the hydrangea temple and is a short train trip from our home.
We hopped on the train at Jinmuji station.
We got off the train at the next stop, Shinzushi Y130.
Took a short walk to the Zushi JR station and boarded the JR train.
We went two stops to the Kita-Kamakura stop, Y160.
There, we crossed the tracks to a very small and manned ticket gate (vs the automatic ones) to a small road.
We walked about 5 minutes until we reached this sign:
We were on the right track.
We kept walking, past beautiful houses and a few restaurants.
This bridge is someone's drive way.
Dishes sitting outside a restaurant.
Someone's home.
Steps leading down to the stream.
This stream ran along side the small roadway.
Hard to see, but a huge spider web.
These spiders get to be about the size of a plum.
We finally arrived at the temple!
The cost was reasonable to enter the temple area,
Y500 for adults and Y300 for Jr High & Primary students.
I have a sneaky suspicion that this temple,
which was first built in the 1100's
was built in the year of the Rabbit.
There were Rabbits everywhere!
Oddly enough, Lori decided to bring her bunny with her this day!
And! I was born in the year of the Rabbit!
When we entered into the temple grounds we first
went through a beautiful flower garden.
In this flower area I started taking photos of Bridget.
After putting her hair up, Bridgie insisted on having a flower on her bracelet.
While I was busy taking Bridget pictures,
Lori decided to take a moment to sit and draw.
We moved onto the next area, which had several interesting items:
Inside the building behind the picture of the kids.
We walked along and finally started see tons and tons
of hydrangea.
Most of the first hydrangea we saw were just starting to develop color.
But, as we headed up the hill on old wooden steps...
...we found beautifully coloring blooms.
We also found different kinds of hydrangea,
kinds I have never seen before.
As we walked around the path we saw several caves, trails...
...and more flowers.
About the mid-way point, in the cool shade was a wonderful little sitting area.
At the top of the hill, we found a temple building.
Again, there are many interesting things residing around this building.
The most interesting thing around this building...
...the Arhat cave.
Bridgie was DONE!
After a short nursing...
...under an amazing canopy with a slight breeze...
...everything was all better.
Past this smaller area, we walked into a large area with a large building (that I didn't take a picture of)
with a charming set of circular windows leading onto another garden.
A thing:
I love visiting Buddhist temples!
We kept wandering through the grounds....
...and found...
...more flowers.
...an old wooden gate.
...with a....?
...rabbit hutch.
(on rockets?)
That is Bridget-sign for bunny!
...old stone stairs.
...a bamboo garden.
Finally, it was time to leave.
I had taken more than 3G's of pictures
and
the kids were all done...
including the large-male one!
I took some great family shots.
Several Mommy & Bridgie shots were wonderful.
My kids weren't really interested in having their pictures taken,
but I was able to get a few.
There is nothing like a Daddy and daughter moment.
And some shots, were just stunning.
Where as others...
...just make you laugh!
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Kisses!
