What to Expect
Do you know a Japanese word, "Bushido" or samurai spirit? Its origin was in Kamakura. About 800 years ago, Kamakura was the capital of Japan. The leader of samurai warriors (Shogun) established samurai's domination over the country putting an end to the previous aristocracy in Kyoto, and Kamakura became the center of the first samurai military government. Samurai warriors were totally different creatures from the aristocrats. Having their main workplace in battlefields, the warriors were those who never had a fear of death. They didn't cling to life. They willingly devoted their lives to their jobs. How come they could get that extreme mindset? The secret was Zen Buddhism. It was the basics of Bushido. Zen was widely received in the Kamakura Period and deeply influenced the entire Japanese culture eventually. Let's find Zen culture through visiting iconic Zen temples, Zen gardens, and experiencing Japanese distinctive beauty of so-called Wabi and Sabi world in this ancient capital city.
read more