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- Destinations
- Asia
- Japan
- Tokyo
- Kamakura
Kamakura
The city of Kamakura, about 30 miles (50km) southwest of Tokyo
at the base of the Miura Peninsula, was the political powerhouse of
Japan in the middle ages and the seat of government for most of the
13th century. Because of its historic importance Kamakura boasts
numerous monuments, temples and shrines of interest to tourists. As
an added bonus the city sports some sandy beaches and good hiking
trails in the nearby wooded hills. Kamakura's many sights are too
numerous to detail individually, but most important of them all is
the Great Buddha. This bronze statue of the seated Amida Buddha is
located in the grounds of the Kotokuin Temple, and standing at
almost 44ft (13,35m) high, it is the second largest Buddha statue
in Japan after that found in the Todaiji Temple in Nara. The
Kamakura Great Buddha was cast in 1252 and was originally contained
in the temple hall. A tidal wave (tsunami) washed away the temple
in the late 15th century, but the Buddha prevailed and since then
has stood in the open.
Information & Facts
Language
Japanese is the official language. Most Japanese people
will have studied English at school, but few can speak it well or
understand what is said to them.
Money
The currency is the Japanese Yen (JPY), which is equal to 100
sen. Major credit cards are accepted in the larger hotels and
stores, but most Japanese operate with cash. Cash and travellers
cheques can be exchanged in banks, post offices and currency
exchange bureaux. Banks are usually open Monday to Friday 9am to
3pm. Travellers cheques offer the best exchange rate and are best
taken in US dollars. ATMs do not accept all credit and debit cards;
only the international ATMs in post offices, airports and some
major stores.
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