Surrounded to the north, east, and west by hills and to the south by the open water of Sagami Bay, Kamakura is a natural fortress. Before the construction of several tunnels and modern roads that now connect it to

 ...

Kamakura's defining feature is Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū, a Shinto shrine in the center of the city. A 1.8-kilometre (1.1 mi) road (参道, sandō) runs from Sagami Bay directly to the shrine. This road is known as Wakamiya Ōji, the city's main street. Built by

 ...

Early history
The earliest traces of human settlements in the area date back at least 10,000 years. Obsidian and stone tools found at excavation sites near

 ...

Kamakura has many historically significant Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines, some of them, like Sugimoto-dera, over 1,200 years old. Kōtoku-in, with its monumental outdoor bronze statue of Amida Buddha, is the most famous. A 15th-century

 ...

Kamakura has many festivals (matsuri(祭り)) and other events in each of the seasons, usually based on its rich historical heritage. They

 ...

Besides the Seven Entrances there is another great pass in the city, the huge Shakadō Pass (釈迦堂切通), which connects Shakadōgayatsu to the Ōmachi and Nagoe (formerly called Nagoshi) districts.
According to the plaque

 ...

Kamakura is known among Buddhists for having been the cradle of Nichiren Buddhism during the 13th century. Founder Nichiren wasn't a native; he was born in Awa Province, in today's Chiba Prefecture. But it was only natural for a preacher to come here because the

 ...