Zen temple with a bamboo grove of 2.000 stalks, one of the most serene images in Kamakura; bamboo admission 300 ¥.
The Hokoku-ji temple, nicknamed the "Bamboo Temple of Kamakura" (Take-dera), is one of the most photogenic and serene spots in eastern Japan: a grove of 2.000 stalks of moso bamboo that rise vertically up to twenty metres tall, filtering the sunlight into diffuse rays that turn the forest floor into a mosaic of light and shade. The temple was founded in 1334 by the monk Tengan Eko of the Rinzai school and belongs to the Ashikaga clan. Beyond the bamboo grove, the precinct includes a rock garden of volcanic stone of the Zen gardening school, with moss, ponds and sculpted pines. The Kyukoan, a small tea house within the bamboo, serves matcha and wagashi (Japanese sweets) for 600 ¥, which turns the visit into a complete meditation experience. The outer precinct has free access; admission to the bamboo grove costs 300 ¥. Hours: 9:00-16:00. It is reached by bus from Kamakura station in 10 minutes (towards Kami-Kita-Kamakura). The best time to photograph the bamboo is first thing in the morning, when the side light penetrates between the stalks.
