Taya caves (Taya no Dookutsu) (Yokohama)

 temple, sculpture, cave / cave(s), buddhism, buddhist temple, underground facility

Taya Cavern (Taya no Dookutsu) is actually in Yokohama, but is closer to Kamakura both geographically and historically. It is well worth a half-day excursion. The cavern is in the precinct of Josenji Temple, Sakae-ku, Taya-machi 1501

(take the JR Yokosuka Line two stops north of Kamakura to Ofuna Station; take a bus bound for Totsuka Bus Center (No.72, the stop is across the bridge from the station, near the entrance to the Kannon temple); after about 8 minutes, get off at Dookutsu-mae bus stop (also known as the "Radon-no Onsen" stop); the temple is just to the right of the large radon spa building), +81 (0)45 851-2392. Every day, 9AM-4:30PM.

From about the year 1200 to 1700, Shingon Buddhist monks gradually excavated this underground maze of tunnels as a site for spiritual training. You will be given a candle which you slip onto a wooden holder outside the entrance, and light at the candle inside the doorway. Damp, silent corridors lead to small, domed meditation chambers with walls and ceilings carved with fantastic creatures and Buddhist images, and on down to the spring room with a great turtle and birds carved on the walls. A small flashlight would be useful to see the images that candlelight doesn't reach.

¥400 (¥200 high school and junior high school students; ¥100 elementary school students).
Photos not allowed inside since recent time.