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Hokokuji Temple And The Kamakura Bamboo Garden

The Hokokuji Temple is located southwest of Tokyo, in the Kanto region. It is a Zen Temple originating back to 1334, commemorating Ashikaga Ietoki, grandfather of Takauji, the first of Ashikaga shoguns.

The famous Buddhist sculptor Takuma Hogen crafted the shrine to Shaka-nyorai-zazo (sitting Shakyamuni) that sits in the main hall of the temple.

Visitors can wander the peaceful grounds of the temple and admire the intricately designed topiary, or enjoy a quiet cup of tea in the tea house.

The temple is most famous for its bamboo garden. The 2,000 Moso bamboos, the largest of the bamboo species, form a canopy over meticulously manicured footpaths. The light filtering from above the treetops creates an ethereal illusion that the bamboos glow from within.