Myohon-ji is an absolutely gorgeous temple, just ten minutes on foot from Kamakura Station. The funny thing is, most people don’t even know it’s there.
You first know you have come to a special place when you begin walking up the long narrow road that leads to the steps that will take you up to the temple grounds: You are in the middle of a deep, dark forest setting. Trees soar above you to the right, and you feel the mysterious peace that you also experience in the mountains when you are alone with nature and with God. Pause to take a deep breath of cool fresh air. Listen to the birds sing. Take in the swath of green pine. Can you believe that you are only minutes away from the center of a bustling little city?
When you come to the steps, you actually have two choices. Go straight up the steps where you will come to the main gate. Or continue up the narrow road. This will bring you onto the right side of the temple grounds where there are some very old gravestones, moss covered walls and statues. They are all incredibly beautiful in their own right, and depending on the time of the year and time of the day, look different, depending on how the sun shines on them or what kinds of shadows they are hidden in.
No matter which way you have chosen to enter the grounds, the main temple building now stands before you. It is large and majestic. Go closer and you will find that the steps and porch that circles the temple are made of old, beautiful wood. You don’t have to be a carpenter to appreciate the beauty of this wood. Dark and deep-grained, it shows its age with both dignity and pride.
Take a seat on the porch, close your eyes and relax for ten minutes or so. Or sit and chat with whomever you have come with. You will not find a more tranquil place in all of Kamakura. If you are lucky, a temple cat will join you, purr for you and keep you company.
Whoops! What’s that noise? If it is a large group of tourists, do not fear and do not leave. Now is a good time to walk up the steep steps to the cemetery that is nestled into the side of the hill to the left of the temple as you face it. I was lucky on one occasion to be here during an early morning snow. The cemetery, surrounded by trees and covered in white, was absolutely silent. It was magical, and I expected fairies or foxes to come bounding out of the trees at any moment. From high up looking down, the roof of the temple, also covered in snow was also beautiful.
One of the oldest Nichiren sect temples in Kamakura, the temple’s construction was the direct result of treason, blood and mayhem, so common in Japan’s samurai days. It was dedicated to those who died in a tragedy too complex to explain here, but the effort and thought that went into creating a temple that would hopefully convey everlasting peace is deeply evident. I come to this temple often, and it always makes me feel calm and serene.
