Hokokuji Bamboo Forest, Bamboo grove in eastern Kamakura, Japan
Hokokuji Bamboo Forest is a temple with a garden filled with dense bamboo that forms narrow walking paths through towering green stalks. The grounds also feature a traditional tea house and hillside caves that can be explored by visitors.
The temple was founded during the Muromachi Period and served as a family building for several powerful clans. The hillside caves contain remains of medieval nobility, showing the site's long-term importance.
The tea house embedded in this space reflects how tea ceremonies connect people to nature in Japanese tradition. Visitors sit surrounded by green stalks while participating in a ritual that has shaped Japanese aesthetics for centuries.
The grounds are easy to reach on foot, and the bamboo paths are walkable for most visitors even though some areas are narrow. The caves require careful footing and can be slippery, especially after rain.
Some bamboo stalks are marked by visitors with love messages, following a tradition where couples exchange wishes at this spot. These markings on the plants show how romance permeates the place.
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