Kamakura Trail Run

I am biased, but I find Kamakura to be one of the most interesting places to run in the greater Tokyo area with its remarkable combination of forested hills, spectacular temples, traditional neighborhoods, luxury homes and scenic beaches.

Sunday Martin, Keren, Yuka and I ran a 16-kilometer loop which circles around the perimeter of Kamakura.

Here is a map of our course --

http://www.mapmyrun.com/view_run.php?r=1634b496d9edb03a1a0653e618efe43a

The run starts at Kamakura station which is 50-minutes southwest of central Tokyo on the Yokosuka line.


Ten-in Trail
From the station we ran west for 2-kilometers through town and connect to a hilly trail that runs along a ridge on the west side of Kamakura, providing views of Kamakura as well as the beach town of Zushi to the east. We are in the midst of rainy season and the forest is particularly green and lush. Even though we are only an hour out of Tokyo, Keren and Martin commented that they feel like they are in the jungles of Saipan or Malaysia. The trail winds up and down past ancient caves and over huge rocks with footsteps worn into the sides from the centuries of people using these trails.







Kencho-ji
Around the 8 kilometer point the forested tail leads into the back of the spectacular 750-year old Kencho-ji Temple complex where we admired the Bodhisattva Jivo in a magnificent Zen temple with an elaborate copper roof.




Engaku-ji Temple
Martin is determined to see some of Buddha's ashes before he leaves for Afghanistan, so after touring Kencho-ji we run another kilometer to Engakuji where we enjoy the famous hydrangea flowers and monks wandering the sprawling tranquil temple grounds.










Zen-arai Benten Shrine
From Engaku-ji we run past Kita-Kamakura station, through the Jochiji temple grounds, up and down another kilometer of rolling trails, through a tunnel carved through rock and then arrive at Zen-arai Benten.
The sacred water at Zen-arai Benten is said to increase the value of any currency that is washed in it. I wash a 1,000 yen note and the Japanese girl next to me tells me to be sure to "spend it something meaningful." "How are you spending the money you are washing?" I ask her. "Oh, dinner of course" she says. I still haven't spent the money I washed myself, and am thinking to use it for the Namban Lance Armstrong marathon time betting pool, or emerging markets high-yield debt.




Kamakura Beach
We were all tired Sunday and after washing our money we decide that rather than incorporate the Daibutsu trail, we will make a beeline straight to Kamakura Beach through some quiet lanes along the west side of Kamakura town. Summer hasn't officially started yet, (believe it or not there is an official start to summer in Japan), so the beach is still empty.







Sento
We finish the run and head to a traditional neighborhood sento (public bath) to wash up. The sento is one of those wonderful Japanese institutions that is slowly dying out in modern time since nearly every home has its own bath facilities. But even in upscale Kamakura, the sento is clearly popular with a certain elderly demographic. A crowd of over dozen people, most all of them at least 80 years old, have gathered in front of the sento eagerly awaiting the 3pm opening. Yes the sento is one of those charming, culturally unique Japanese traditions to be appreciated and savored, but I have been in Japan for a long time and have grown cynical and jaded. One of the octogenarian bathers alerts me that my feet are sandy and need to be washed (before I even enter the bath house). As I rinse my feet, another old man takes the liberty of brushing the sand off my butt - which generates much bemusement among my fellow runners, and Yuka is quick to snap a rather compromising picture. I am a bit startled, but keep my head, and even thank the old man.

Soba

We find a soba restaurant in the back streets near the station where we plot the next Kamakura run. I had promised Martin we would do the Kamakura trail run again within "a month or so" right after we ran it last December. Every month I tried to find a Sunday that would work for both of us, but seven months have passed and we are only now getting back. I am hoping for good weather in late July and a beach party run.