29. Kamakura

Another day trip took us to Kamakura and Hase. Kamakura is historically important, but I didn't like it as much as some of the other historical centres like Nikko and Nara. I think Kamakura is too close to Tokyo, so it feels more suburban and was lacking the natural setting for most of its sights. It has lots of historical temples, but they're scattered around the city and we had to walk through too much suburbia between temples, so it breaks the illusion of being back in time, although the ladies at left helpfully wore kimonos to try to bridge the gap for us.

While the emperor and his court were firmly ensconced in Kyoto, the shoguns almost always held actual power. The Fujiwara, who you may remember from the Nara discussion, were the first shogun family, but as their power waned, a huge civil war between two rival families, the Minamoto and the Taira raged throughout the country during the 12th century. When the Minamoto emerged victorious, they made their base in Kamakura, which became the de facto capital until 1333. None of the palaces and castles remain, but there are plenty of temples to while away the day.