Autumn (Tokyo Studio)

Sometimes when you try to seize the day, the day eludes you. Twice we have been discouraged from our planed walk in the river valleys of the West: first by weather (mis)forecast and today by a problem on the train line. A friend had previously recommended Kamakura as a good day trip, so we headed South.

Kamakura is south of Yokohama in Kanagawa prefecture, on, what is known as, the Shonan coast. It was briefly the capital of Japan from early 12th to early 14th century. In addition to many temples and shrines, it has the Great Buddha of Kotokuin and beaches to attract tourists. On a good day, you can see Mount Fuji – but not today.

Perhaps because we live in a seaside town in Australia, I was curious to visit one in Japan. What a better time than a cold winter day? Everyone goes about their everday business during the off-season. Fishermen were doing maintainance on their boats and gear; retirees dropped a line or two into the ocean to pass time; a group of elderly hikers examined every monument they passed; mother groups took the children to wade in the salt water; other mothers and grandmothers cleaned sand off the kids’ feet; a sports team jogged on the beach; a photoshoot for a car advertisement was underway; a bridal photoshoot was about to start; the school bell rang -and it was time to go home.