Kamakura is a sea-side town about 2 hours outside of Tokyo by the JR train. I have been told that it was once a de factor capital of Japan during the Kamakura period (1185 - 1333) but it is now a tourist attraction for known more for its temples and seaside location.

For me it was a refreshing change from the concrete and subways of Tokyo and I'd missed the ocean of San Francisco. My friend took me there and we had a lovely day cycling around from one temple to the next, but we'd gone to so many that I couldn't remember which interior belonged to which exterior. In a way, putting this collage together was like weaving a funhouse.

But I definitely did remember the monumental bronze Buddha of the temple Kotoku-in. The hollow sculpture stands about as high as a 2-story building and visitors can enter the interior space for 20 yen.

It was a bit like being in an kiln since the day was quite warm. The fact that we were in the Buddha's belly was like experiencing a moment of truth - a lesson to do good or we'd be burning in the pits of hell in the next life...