Don't know if it's a trend but so many families out in the hotel dining area this morning and it's a Saturday. Usually it's very quiet at this hour.

Ended up locking myself out because I forgot my key card so had to go to reception and it was peak checkout time too...

Originally I was going to take the earliest local train to avoid the Kamakura Slam Dunk crowds so I could get a better shot of the spot but, locals interviewed on the news said they're already there even by 5am in the morning. So, might as well just go whenever.

Or rather, at least have breakfast at the hotel first since I've paid for it then head out.

Wasn't until around 10am from Ueno Station. It was a long 1 hour trip by local train which has a toilet but very few seats so I recommend going by reserved limited express, Romancecar if you don't want to risk standing for an hour.

Think I've yet to see a double-decker train in the UK.

Ofuna Station, Shonan Monorail

I decided to stop off at Ofuna because I read there's a suspended monorail there that also leads to Enoshima. No tickets required, just your IC card like any local train.

The suspended monorail actually doesn't feel much different from regular trains, both the ride and scenery. If you've been on the Yurikamome then you'll have a fair idea of what the ride will be like; very rough. Maybe due to one rail and it's built by Germans ironically.

It's over-rated really.

Can't get away from Pokemon in any touristy part of Japan it seems.

Enoshima

Headed off to the Kamakura Koukou-mae Station [Front of Kamakura High School] to visit the Slam Dunk crossing first via the local train, Enoden. Get some nice views of the sea already as you ride.

Saw an interesting use of older trains too.

The train is really crowded so if you want to take photos and enjoy the view, stay standing up. Overheard a few tourists regret choosing to sit down because your view will be blocked.

Interestingly enough, the stations have no gates. There's two IC card readers; one in, one out and it's up to you to remember which to tap.

Aaand here is the infamous Slam Dunk crossing. No doubt the recent First Slam Dunk movie helped re-kindle the excitement for this spot.

I was actually just interested in heading to Enoshima but since I was here, might as well check the spot out. As seen on Japanese news people standing on road and rails to get the perfect shot.

It is a nice view though travelling on the Enoden and watching the sea go by. I didn't stick around to wait for the perfect shot of when the Enoden train goes by.

The latest entry in the Buta Yarou/Rascal series "Does Not Dream of Sister Venturing Out" features the city of Fujisawa, but Enoshima gets a brief appearance which is probably why all the promotional posters.

It really only featured the nearby beach with a shot of the Sea Candle though...

Cool little model of the nearby area.

A... pizza tree?

The walk to the actual Enoshima island is very windy here so bring a hat or just a hooded jacket. You'll most likely end up with sand in your mouth if you talk.

It's worse than the stormy days in Scotland. Probably closer to the T10 storms you get in Hong Kong.

If you took the Romancecar run by Odakyu then you'd have ended up at this bright red Katase-Enoshima Station.

Planning to take the limited express train back so I don't have to stand like I did in the morning.

Google says half an hour to cross Benten Bridge but actually felt quicker than that.

Keep seeing Mount Fuji during this trip. Ironically I never saw the mountain during my last trip even though I was hoping to.

Observation deck Sea Candle visible in the distance.

Walking up Enoshima feels like the same as walking up to the Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto, only this place is an hour's train away from Tokyo instead of a 2 hour bullet train ride.

Mai suggests drinking tea.

There are seriously a lot of "Buta Yarou: Sister Venturing Out" posters around...

Don't know why cats are so popular around here.

Ended up buying a Hokusai wallscroll and the sticks were sold separately from the cloth. Couldn't fit into my backpack so left it literally sticking out.

Didn't realise it's so popular you can buy the art piece anywhere even back in the UK...

Don't know what all the blue Shonan snacks is all about. Dye the food blue to attract tourists?

Saw a quiet place that only did 4 dishes, lol... Thought they did omrice too because it was on the display but they didn't.

Inside it's quite a nice vintage place run by an elderly couple. The few choices might be why it was so quiet.

I think I've had enough katsu or fried food in Japan but didn't want to just walk out so ordered pork katsu on its own ^^;

It was so tender and tastier compared to the bentos I usually get for the night though... Probably because it's freshly made. Almost thought it wasn't cooked enough but the chicken looked fine.

Always some art on the ground wherever you walk in Japan it seems.

All the shrines feel the same once you've been to one in Japan imo so didn't spend much time here.

However, there's an interesting view if you climb up the stairs to the white arches of the Zuishin Gate here... Didn't find out until I saw someone post a photo on Twitter and realised where it was shot, haha.

So don't miss the view from the top of the stairs.

Pay to take the three escalators up or walk. If you plan on heading to the caves you might opt to take the escalators because there's quite a climb ahead. You get shielded from the strong coastal winds when you use the escalators too.

This gate happens to appear in the KanoKari Anime, episode 34 or S3E10.

You can buy a combined ticket that includes the use of the one way escalators (up only) and the Sea Candle observation deck for 700 Yen so it's not that expensive anyway.

Yup, lots of temples. Yasaka Shrine in this case worshipped for good health.

And the second escalator up. At this point I overheard some people were considering taking it up but didn't know it was paid and required a ticket.

I think you can get a ticket midway too but probably not worth the money because you can't take them back down.

You get some nice views as you make your way up already.

The outdoor part of the deck was closed when I was there, probably because of the wind. You could actually feel the tower swaying beneath your feet once you're up on the deck!

There was also a garden you usually have to pay to visit but it seemed to be free on weekends and it was a Saturday today. Wasn't that exciting but maybe nicer at night with all the fairy lights all over the place.

Off towards the Iwaya Caves now.

Iwaya Caves

It's roughly a 20 minute walk from the gardens. Probably quicker if you're not stopping to admire the views and recording like me.

There was a buddha art exhibition on but it was 3pm so I wanted to get to the caves and back before it got dark.

Some Snoopy style art on the signs.

You actually see hawks circling around the island as you walk along Benten Bridge. Didn't know they actually go for your food like seagulls do in the UK.

I don't walk around eating though since it's considered rude in Japan so you don't see many natives doing that.

The "Yama Futatsu" or Split Mountain. You see these kind of gorges back in Northern Scotland too but oof, the wind was really strong today!

There was a dragon shrine along the way, Wadatsu no Okami who they believed to dwell on the island.

Picked up a 200 Yen omikuji with no particular intentions and got a great fortune reading (no English unfortunately). Nearly everything such as career, relations go well but health may not be so great apparently.

Since its not a bad omikuji, I didn't need to tie it up on the racks nearby. Came with one of seven charms too.

One I got was in the form of a dragon for establishing career.

There's a lot of stairs going up and down towards the caves. Not so great if you've got poor knees from injury.

Don't know if it's usually so windy but you really had to push against the winds and be careful not to be blown off balance on the stairs.

The alleys and closed pathways end up acting as a tunnel, blasting the channeled winds against you.

The view was really nice, surrounded by natural rocks and tides as you reach Iwaya Bridge outside the caves.

The tides can get really bad though. A poor unsuspecting group ahead of me got hit by a large wave and ended up getting soaked.

It was 500 Yen to enter the Iwaya Caves. Otherwise it was the end of the path at this point.

It doesn't take long to go through the caves but it was fun.

They're split into two main parts. One was mainly a gallery while the other you're given a candle on a wooden pad to carry as you explore a low ceiling cave full of stone carvings.

So no worries about carrying a candle that's too hot. It's small like a cake candle and it's unlikely it will have finished burning by the time you're done. Cave is also illuminated so it's just to create atmosphere really.

There are quite a few natural, low ceiling areas. I managed to bump my head once. Tapestry I bought earlier also couldn't fit in my bag so part of it was sticking out. Somehow it caught onto someone's sleeve maybe but luckily it didn't turn into an accident.

Time to make the climb back.

It was just pass 4pm and was already starting to get dark as the sun began to set.

Wind was even worse as I made my way back to the station and the sun was setting. Everyone was struggling against the wind.

Nice views but can't really imagine what it's like living and working long term here really.

Place I dropped into for a bit of lunch was packed now interestingly enough. Dinner time means busy everywhere I guess.

Never noticed this post office on the way up. Established Meji 20th Year, 1887 in the Western calendar and restored for current use.

Usually it's those big red boxes with a T-like symbol on them.

Katase-Enoshima Station was looking welcoming with its warm glow.

For the return journey I just bought a ticket outside the station for the next Romancecar since I done a whole day of walking. Very few people taking this limited express train. Probably because it wasn't that much faster but the interior's almost like a bullet train and the seat's were cosier than the Keisei Skyliner.

No views on the way back though since it's dark.

Well, been a fun day and goes to show you don't have to travel as far as Kyoto to experience traditional Japan.

Probably most I bought in one day even though most are small items.

Bought a little pin badge from Sea Candle because I liked the design. The circular keyrings were too big and they didn't have fridge magnet versions of the design.