Kamakura sits sandwiched between ocean and low hills, about an hour and a quarter by train from Tokyo. For a time, known appropriately as the Kamakura period, it served as the seat of power. Now Kamakura draws tourists from Tokyo and around the world. Last Saturday it drew the Idle Monkey Trainer – a frequent enough occurrence.

 

On this occasion, however, I took a stroll along the trail of the Seven Happy Gods. Starting at a small shrine and cemetery near Kita-Kamakura station, the trail leads through a total of seven shrines – one for each of the Shinto deities. Completing the trail is supposed to bring happiness and good fortune.

 

According to the website Shonan Sport Site, the trail takes three hours to complete, not including time to enjoy the quiet of the shrines or to take photographs. Thinking this to be the case, I was prepared for a walk twice the length of what was actually required. In fact, three hours was the total amount of time I took, including time to search out statues and dally a bit at each shrine.

Not all the shrines have a statue of the god to be found. The first, however, does have a tall statue of the happiness god, waiting in a cave (as the sign informs) for one to rub his belly for luck. My own belly, not as developed, is probably not as lucky.

The route wanders past the largest and perhaps most well visited shrine in Kamakura, and touches on a small island. The trail then takes to the less traveled streets and shrines.

The third shrine boasts blooming flowers year round, and even some of the trees were in on the act, despite it being mid-January.

Stop four housed a little statue of finely carved wood in a glass case, and a more easily photographed stone carving of the same god. Shrine number six on the trail featured a large green roof that (to my eye at least) resembled a turtle shell. It was then a bit of a walk to the sixth shrine.

Having gotten a later jump on the day than had been hoped for (owing to a bit of idleness in the morning), it was nearing closing time for the sixth shrine. With a few minutes to spare, however, a short statue of the god Ebisu was the reward for a trip up a few flights of stairs. In the spring and early summer this shrine opens its “trail of prosperity,” leading up the hill behind the main shrine building and through famous azalea blooms. The garden area also offers good views of Kamakura and the beach.

 

Knowing it might be too late (everything seems to close at 4:30 p.m. in the winter) a visit was made to the final shrine. Fortunately this final stop did not have an entrance gate, and indeed even the room that holds the sacred masks was still open (for a nominal fee of 100 yen).

 

As the light faded on departure from the shrine, an elderly resident of 20-plus years explained (three times) and made it understood (once) that after a few minutes’ wait, the enoden (Enoshima Train) would eclipse the shrine entrance. This, apparently, is a sight to behold and entices photographers from around Japan.

And so, idly, I waited.