Hase-dera Temple

Hase-dera Temple is a well-known Buddhist temple in Kamakura. It is famous for its tall wooden statue of Kannon, the Goddess of Mercy. The statue is about 9 meters high and covered in gold. 

A legend says it was carved from the same tree as another Kannon statue in Nara. The temple was built in the 8th century and has been an important place of worship for over a thousand years.

The temple is on a hillside, giving visitors a beautiful view of the ocean and Kamakura city. It has peaceful gardens, which are especially colorful in June when hydrangeas bloom. Many small stone statues of Jizo, the guardian of children and travelers, are also found around the temple.