Frequently Asked Questions
What Was the “Divine Wind” That Saved Japan from the Mongols?
“Kamikaze” (divine wind) refers to the typhoons that devastated the Mongol invasion fleets in both 1274 and 1281. In the Koan invasion especially, a typhoon struck the roughly 4,400-ship fleet at anchor near Hakata Bay, with losses estimated at over 100,000 drowned or missing. This miraculous victory reinforced the concept of Japan as a “divine country” (shinkoku) under heavenly protection — and the name was revived for the Special Attack Corps of World War II.
How Should One Visit Engakuji?
Engakuji is one to two minutes on foot from JR Kita-Kamakura Station. The ¥500 entry fee covers the full precinct. The recommended route visits the Sanmon gate, Butsuden, Hojo, Ryūinan sub-temple, and the National Treasure bell tower (Ogane) deeper in the precinct. On Shariden special opening days, a notice is sometimes posted at Kita-Kamakura Station.
Why Did Hojo Tokimune Die So Young, at Thirty-Four?
The exhaustion of managing an unprecedented national crisis, combined with the demands of both Zen training and governmental administration, is thought to be a factor, though historical records give no detailed cause. He died on April 4, 1284. Shortly after his death, the shogunate began to face internal conflict, the exhaustion of its retainers, and the Einin Debt Cancellation Edict of 1297, beginning a gradual decline.
Why Is Engakuji’s Shariden a National Treasure?
Engakuji’s Shariden is one of the oldest surviving wooden structures that transmits the Chinese Song-dynasty architectural style known as zenshūyō (Zen-style) in its purest form. The multi-tiered bracket complexes (tokyō) above the columns and the fan-shaped and flower-head windows are completely unlike traditional Japanese wayō architecture, concentrating a foreign aesthetic that arrived in Japan with Zen Buddhism.
Why Is Meigetsuin Called the “Hydrangea Temple”?
Meigetsuin has approximately 2,500 hydrangea plants (primarily Hime-ajisai, a type of lacecap hydrangea), and in June the entire precinct fills with the single blue-purple shade known as “Meigetsuin Blue.” The visual combination of this uniform blue against the round window framing the rear garden (“window of enlightenment”) has made it nationally famous as a photography subject. June is extremely crowded; early morning entry (at opening) is strongly recommended.
Last updated: April 25, 2026