Yamanouchi, Kamakura: Difference between revisions

Content deleted Content added

Inline

Revision as of 07:23, 19 July 2008

Yamanouchi (山ノ内 or 山之内）) is a neighborhood of Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. Because of the presence of East Japan Railway Company's (JR) Kita-Kamakura Station, it is better known as Kita-Kamakura. It lies within the Ofuna administrative subdivision of the city of Kamakura. Yamanouchi used to be the norther border of the city during the shogunate^[1]. The border post used to lie about a hundred meters past today's train station in Ofuna's direction^[1].

The land where the station itself stands used to be part of Engaku-ji, but it was expropriated during the Meiji period to let the Yokosuka Line pass through^[1]. The area nonetheless hasn't changed much, and is still visually an integral part of the temple. Within it, under the road next to the bridge on the Meigetsu river, was buried a famous and magical stele, the Seimeiseki (晴明石)^[1]. According to the legend, it was buried there in Heian times by Abe no Seimei as an offering^[1]. It was dug up accidentally by US military bulldozers after World War II and now it's in nearby Yakumo Jinja^[1].

Although very small, Yamanouchi is famous for its traditional atmosphere and the presence, among others, of three of the five highest-ranking Rinzai Zen temples in Kamakura, the Kamakura Five Zen Temples, or Kamakura Gozan (鎌倉五山):

Kenchō-ji. Number one of the Five Zen Temples, the oldest in Kamakura (built 1253) and one of the oldest in all Japan. The temple bell has been designated a National Treasure and there's a nice Zen garden as well.

Engaku-ji. Number two of Kamakura's Five Zen Temples, founded in 1282 to commemorate soldiers who fell fighting off the Mongol invasion the previous year. The Shariden building on the grounds is reputed to contain one of the teeth of the Buddha. The movie director Ozu Yasujiro is buried here. Detailed instructions to find his grave can be found here[1].

Jōchi-ji (浄智寺) is ranked four of the five. Technically a branch of the Engaku-ji, it's on the opposite side of the railroad tracks and just a few hundred meters away.

The three great Gozan temples were built here because Yamanouchi was the home territory of the Hōjō clan, the family which ruled Japan for 150 years.

Also of note:

The Tōkei-ji is a nunnery famous in the feudal days for sheltering abused women, who could obtain a divorce by staying here for three years. Has a large and atmospheric graveyard. Also called Kakekomidera (the fugitive temple), and famous for its hydrangeas.
The Meigetsu-in (明月院), nicknamed "Temple of Hydrangeas" (ajisai-dera).

The artist Isamu Noguchi lived and worked here in 1952. Film director Yasujiro Ozu lived near Jōchi-ji from 1952 until his death.

= Notes

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Ōnuki (2008:50)

References

Ōnuki, Akihiko (2008). Kamakura. Rekishi to Fushigi wo Aruku (in Japanese). Tokyo: Jitsugyō no Nihonsha. ISBN 978-4-408-59306-7.
A Brief History of Kamakura
山ノ内 Japanese Wikipedia
Kamakura from Wikitravel

External Links

Welcome To Kita-Kamakura Site of the Kita-Kamakura Commerce and Tourism Association (北鎌倉の商観光を考える会) (In Japanese)
Directions to Yasujiro Ozu's Grave

[onuki50-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Ōnuki (2008:50)

[1]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{nihongo|'''Yamanouchi'''| 山ノ内 or 山之内）}} is a neighborhood of [[Kamakura, Kanagawa|Kamakura]], [[Kanagawa Prefecture]], [[Japan]]. Because of the presence of [[East Japan Railway Company]]'s (JR) [[Kita-Kamakura Station]], it is better known as Kita-Kamakura. It lies within the [[Ofuna]] administrative subdivision of the city of Kamakura. Yamanouchi used to be the norther border of the city during the shogunate<ref name="onuki50">Ōnuki (2008:50)</ref>. The border post used to lie about a hundred meters past today's train station in [[Ofuna]]'s direction<ref name="onuki50"/>.
-The land where the station itself stands used to be part of [[Engaku-ji]], but it was expropriated during the Meiji period to let the [[Yokosuka Line]] pass through<ref name="onuki50"/>. The area nonetheless hasn't changed much, and is still visually an integral part of the temple. Within it, under the road next to the bridge on the Meigetsu river, was buried a famous and magical stele, the {{nihongo|''Seimeiseki''晴明石}}<ref name="onuki50"/>. According to the legend, it was buried there in [[Heian period|Heian times]] by [[Abe no Seimei]] as an offering<ref name="onuki50"/>. It was dug up accidentally by US military bulldozers after World War II and now it's in nearby Yakumo Jinja<ref name="onuki50"/>.
+The land where the station itself stands used to be part of [[Engaku-ji]], but it was expropriated during the Meiji period to let the [[Yokosuka Line]] pass through<ref name="onuki50"/>. The area nonetheless hasn't changed much, and is still visually an integral part of the temple. Within it, under the road next to the bridge on the Meigetsu river, was buried a famous and magical stele, the {{nihongo|''Seimeiseki''|晴明石}}<ref name="onuki50"/>. According to the legend, it was buried there in [[Heian period|Heian times]] by [[Abe no Seimei]] as an offering<ref name="onuki50"/>. It was dug up accidentally by US military bulldozers after World War II and now it's in nearby Yakumo Jinja<ref name="onuki50"/>.
 Although very small, Yamanouchi is famous for its traditional atmosphere and the presence, among others, of three of the five highest-ranking [[Rinzai]] [[Zen]] temples in Kamakura, the Kamakura Five Zen Temples, or [[Five Mountain System|Kamakura Gozan]] (鎌倉 五山):