Bamboo Grove At Hokoku Temple - Kamakura

The Hokoku Temple in Kamakura was one place I wanted to visit on my recent Japan trip. It's also known as Takedera or Bamboo Temple as there is a wonderful bamboo grove behind the temple which was what I really wanted to see. It was a wonderful place to spend my last afternoon in Japan.

A small zen garden by the walk way into the temple area.


And yes, those are scallions growing on the other side of the walkway into the temple. We heard the same reaction in Japanese, French and English, "Oh, they look like scallions. Oh, they are scallions". However scallions are one of the five pungnet herbs which are excluded from the vegetarian diet in the Rinzai sect of Buddhism which the Hokoku Temple belongs to. And we forgot to ask why the scallions were growing there.


A figure of Jizo with red hat and bib. The bib has a more intricate knitting pattern than I've seen on other Jizo figures.


Bamboo grove. There was a stone path through the grove and many other visitors. The wind blowing through the leaves made some of the bamboo bend slightly and creak.

A moss covered rock in the midst of the grove.


Looking through the bamboo grove into a garden.


Closer view of the bamboo.


Ground coverage next to a bamboo stalk.


Yet another close up of bamboo.


Looking straight up.


I like the pattern the maple leaves make against the roof of the temple and sky.