Kamakura, Japan

Kamakura is a coastal town in Kanagawa Prefecture, less than an hour south of Tokyo.

Kamakura became the political center of Japan, when Minamoto Yoritomo chose the city as the seat for his new military government in 1192.  The Kamakura government continued to rule Japan for over a century.

After the decline of the Kamakura government in the 14th century and the establishment of its successor, the Muromachi government in Kyoto, Kamakura remained the political center of Eastern Japan for some time before losing its position to other cities.

Today, Kamakura is a small city of under 200,000 but it remains a popular tourist destination among Japanese and foreign travelers.  Sometimes called the Kyoto of Eastern Japan, Kamakura offers numerous temples, shrines, and other historical monuments.  Kamakura is also known among Buddhists for being one of the cradles of Nichiren Buddhism in Japan.

We had a great time in Kamakura and spent the majority of our time at 2 locations – The Great Amida Buddha & Hasedera Temple.  Hope you enjoy some of our shots from these 2 memorable sites.

Canon 24-105L @ 28mm 1/60 f9.5 ISO 100 w/Tiffen Polarizer & 2 stop Grad ND filter

Canon 24-105L @ 105mm 1/45 f8 ISO 100 w/Tiffen Polarizer & 2 stop Grad ND filter

Canon 24-105L @ 35mm 1/90 f4 ISO 800 w/Tiffen Polarizer

Canon 24-105L @ 105mm 1/90 f4 ISO 800 w/ 2 stop Grad ND filter

Canon 24-105L @ 45mm 1/45 f8 ISO 100 w/Tiffen Polarizer & 2 stop Grad ND filter

Canon 24-105L @ 73mm 1/60 f8 ISO 100 w/Tiffen Polarizer & 2 stop Grad ND filter