breakfast and more

What a fabulous day. It all began with a beautiful breakfast by the sea at bill's in Shichirigahama with my friend Naomi. It was a gorgeous day - blue sunny sky, a gentle breeze and sparkling ocean.

Alas, Dean was with his volleyball girls at a tournament!

Our friend Nobuko then guided us through a divine day of wandering in the temples, gardens and streets of northern Kamakura.

Zuisenji Temple is a Zen temple built at the end of the Kamakura Period (1185-1333). The founding priest was Soseki Muso, who also founded the Kinkakuji Temple (Gold Pavilion) in Kyoto. He was a talented garden designer and the gardens at Zuisenji are beautiful and known for their flowers, particularly the plum blossom and narcissus. We were fortunate to experience a special ritual while we were there...
On the first Saturday of November every year, the Temple hosts a unique service called "Shashin Kansha Kuyo", that translates as "a thanksgiving and exorcising ritual for photos." People bring their old photos to the temple so they can be disposed of in a Buddhist manner. The priest chants a sutra in front of a burning pot while people throw their photos in to the flames. The ashes are then buried in the temple grounds. Fascinating!













Not far from Zuisenji Temple, along narrow quaint streets is another very beautiful Zen temple - Hokokuji. This temple is famous for its Moso Bamboo gardens. The bamboo is amazing! A very peaceful and beautiful place where you can enjoy traditional Japanese green tea and sweets served in the centre of the garden.













Throughout the day we were fortunate to see children celebrating Shichi-go-san. During November, most specifically on November 15, families celebrate a day of prayer for the healthy growth and long life of children. Shichi-go-san literally means seven, five, three; and throughout Japan, boys and girls aged three, boys aged five, and girls aged seven visit a Shinto shrine with their parents. The children are dressed in traditional clothing - the girls in kimono and the boys in haori jackets and hakama trousers. Parents buy chitose-ame (longevity candy) for the children. The candy is shaped like a stick and comes in a bag that often carries illustrations of cranes and turtles--two animals that are symbols of long life. 'Chitose' means a thousand years and is used to denote very long periods of time. The candy and the bag are both expressions of parents' wish that their children lead long, prosperous lives.













We finished the day with tea and scones and a happy recounting of our journey.....












For lots more photos of the day visit my photo page