--- date: 2023-04-22 --- ![](../../media/content/kamakura/maple.jpg){style="max-height:300px;object-fit:cover;object-position:0 63%;"} I call this one "trip zero", because it was very much a trial run for me. The effects of having just moved to Japan for the year were still fresh and I altogether didn't feel like exploring quite yet. Kamakura being a common day-trip from Tokyo, I took the train from my home near Asakusa past Yokohama which only takes 1.5h. The weather was pretty meh, very cloudy and it looked like it would rain any moment. The main sight in town (according to most guide books at least) is the big Buddha[^buddha]. Naturally I wanted to get that out of the way first. [^buddha]: ??? I had left the house earlier without breakfast, so off I went to the next Lawson to get myself some. For some reason I decided to get a Katsu-Sandwich[^sando], which is out of character for me - I usually go for Onigiri - and then to have it on the beach nearby. Seeing as i was the only person eating anything there should've been hint enough. As soon as I sat down to take a bite, something comes dashing down past my head. I am obviously startled but not prepared for the bird to come back to actually pick the sandwich out of my hand this time around. [^sando]: ??? There were a few birds (crows in my interpretation) circling overhead just waiting for me to unwrap more food. To have my breakfast in peace I just walk off into town again. Staying away from open spaces for a bit 😄 On my way back to the centre of town, I find a bucket of see-through plastic umbrellas [^umbrella] outside what looked like a beauty saloon, with a sign telling passer-bys to take one (in Japanese ofc). I guess the visibly imminent rain made the shop keeper put them out there for tourists (conveniently helping him get rid of *what was probably left behind by his own clients*). Naturally I picked one up: This umbrella would be with me for the next months. [^umbrella]: ??? There isn't really that much to say about the big Buddha, in the end it's just a large statue (that you can go inside of for a fee). Despite the weather there was a surprising amount of tourists and I wanted to get out of the bustle, so I followed the street that had let to the temple area. A bit further I came to some stairs next to one of the tunnels that lead out of the Kamakura city area, that cut through the surrounding hills. OrganicMaps told me there was a hiking path up there, which I could take to circle back towards the train station.