Kamakura Fact And Legend

This renowned guide to Kamakura, a beautiful city rich in tradition and history, once the nation’s capital and now a favourite tourist destination, was written in 1918 by Gertrude Passingham who married a Japanese diplomat and was the only Englishwoman to bear the title of Countess in the Meiji era Japan. Kamakura is home to many famous temples, was associated with the great Minamoto clan of Heian times, and has given its name to the Kamakura period of Japanese history when Zen was introduced and the arts flourished, leaving the city with an unrivalled heritage. Frustrated with the lack of Japanese guides to Kamakura in the English language, the Countess set out to write a book that would introduce readers and travellers to the charms, legends and traditions of a largely undiscovered city, linking the sights of the present day to the history behind them, drawing upon authoritative Japanese sources. The work is constructed like a tour, each of forty three famous sites or temples has its own detailed chapter, in which descriptions of architecture and art are mixed with those of daily life and legend. Written from a unique perspective and illustrated with period photographs, this is still regarded as the best guide to this timeless city sanctified by centuries of beauty and worship.