Fun on Sacred Shores: An Enoshima Travel Guide

I have now been to Enoshima twice.  On September 19th, 2010 and July 16th, 2011.  My decision to go was based on the recommendation of a friend here, as I didn't know about the place before then.  In fact, Enoshima wasn't in either of the guide books that I own.  I wanted to try and make this a travel guide along with the usual travel adventure, as I've really enjoyed Enoshima both times I've went.  While there's plenty of more famous sites in Japan, if you happen to be spending a lot of time in Tokyo and want to do something a little different, then a trip to Enoshima could be just that.  As July 16th was the shorter trip, I will designate the events I saw during that trip.  Everything not marked you can assume happened on September 19th.

Enoshima is a little over an hour train ride from Tokyo.  The train drops you off at Katase-Enoshima on the main land side a few hundred meters from the bridge to the island.  The train station's facade is designed to resemble the mythical castle of Ryūgū-jō, which is the castle of the sea dragon god Ryūjin.  The building is equal parts interesting, pleasing and out of place with the rest of the architecture in the area.  However with the mythology behind it matching much of the mythology of the dragon in Enoshima's mythology it makes sense.

Katase-Enoshima Station

Further to the left from the first picture, where tickets can be purchased.

(July 16th, 2011):
Another option is while taking the Odakyū line from Shinjuku, get off at Fujisawa station and switch to the Enoden.  The Enoden is a quaint street-car / train line that goes from Fujisawa to Enoshima and Kamakura giving nice views of the shore and shore towns along the way.  At Shinjuku, you can get the Enoshima-Kamakura Free Pass that covers the round trip from Shinjuku to Fujisawa and unlimited use of the Enoden for 1,430 yen; a discount over paying everything separately even if you only take the Enoden once.  A better discount if planning to see Kamakura and Enoshima in the same day, which is what we did.  The Enoden is a little slower and its Enoshima station a little farther away, but the view and atmosphere are much better.

Enoshima as seen from the Enoden.

The view as the Enoden passes through the small towns along the way.

From the train station, it's just a walk over a long bridge crossing a river to the underpass that leads to the bridge to Enoshima.

There's a few of these signs along the way, so it's easy to find from the station.

Before going to the underpass and the bridge to the island, do yourself a favor and buy the Enoshima pass at the visitor center right next to the underpass entrance.  It costs 1,000 yen, but will save you a great deal more than that if you plan on doing everything.  Especially since we learned it provides discounts and savings on more than what we heard at the visitor center.  The pass covers admission to the caves, lighthouse, admission to the gardens and the use of the escalators on the island.  The cost of these separately already makes the pass a discount, but the pass also covers the admission to the Benten shrine which holds the famous sculpture of Enoshima (150 yen) and provides a 10% discount to some of the restaurants on the island, making it a really good deal to get.

Enoshima from the start of the bridge to the island.

These days, crossing into Enoshima is a far different endeavor than what it used to be if you remember from the previous entry.  A permanent bridge has been made to connect Enoshima to the main island, with space for walking and driving.  Cars are now able to get to the island and park on the modern yacht docks.  I was surprised to see the large amounts of people enjoying the beach under the bridge; grills, beach chairs and even hammocks tied between the girders sprawled out under the bridge.  While approaching the island, many images of the dragon famous in the lore tied to Enoshima line the bridge and along the island coast.

There are 2 of these dragon lanterns flanking the beginning of the walkway part of the bridge to Enoshima.

The bridge leads up to the main part of the island.  The outcropping of buildings hosting the seemingly endless supply of restaurants and souvenir (おみやげ, omiyage) shops effectively wall in the path to the torii.  This island being a spiritual one has the sacred gate marking the entrance to the whole island.

The main path into and around Enoshima island.

The first torii is a bronze one, last rebuilt in 1821 having nice wave decoration carved at the bottom of the torii. [1]

Past the first torii, a larger torii and interesting building stand before the climb up the island.  At this spot, you can look at the bustle from the path of shops where we just came from before making the climb up.  However, we wouldn't need to be climbing this time around as there are escalator stations placed around the island.  These escalators are in buildings just big enough to hold the escalator and the small ticket station at the bottom.  While an odd looking sight on an island filled with the traditional, it makes the trip around the island a lot easier.  At first, I was worried about missing something by taking the stairs, but the island only has the one main path and no escalator on the way down so we would have to take the stairs back down anyways.

In front of the second torii.

Through this building is the path for the stairway up the island.  Left of here is the escalator.

The restaurants, souvenir shops and crowds back at the beginning.

The first escalator drops us off at the beginning of the Enoshima Shrine (江ノ島神社, えのしまじんじゃ, Enoshima-Jinja).  Immediately to the right is a pond with a dragon statue in the middle.  The water is filled with coins resembling a wishing well, but this is one of the many variety of rituals that one might find at a Shinto shrine.  This ritual is for cleaning the spirit and involves taking a small coin, placing it in one of the small baskets that are left on the edge and washing it in the water and then tossing it into the pond.  Shrines in Japan have a large range of rituals that can be done in order to receive everything from good luck, fortune and wishes, to healing, cleansing, protection and more.

Here is the pond.  You can see all of the coins at the bottom.

Right next to the pond is the first shrine of Enoshima Shrine.  Enoshima Shrine actually contains 3 separate shrines scattered around the top of the island: Hetsunomiya, Nakatsunomiya and Okutsunomiya. [2]  According to legend, the 29th emperor, Kinmei (510-571) built a shrine in the caves below Enoshima and enshrined the 3 sea goddesses: Tagitsuhime, Ichikishimahime and Tagirihime to the island. [3]  However, this cave was often infiltrated by waves during storms, so in 853 the priest En-nin built the Nakatsunomiya shrine of Enoshima shrine to make a safer location for the enshrinement. [4]  While the original shrine, 2 more shrines have been built, now each enshrining one of the goddesses on the island.  The first shrine you come to is Hetsunomiya, the main shrine of Enoshima shrine and enshrining the goddess Tagitsuhime. [5]  This shrine was built in 1206 by the Buddhist monk Ryoshin, and rebuilt in 1276. [6]

The main shrine, Hetsunomiya.

Another view containing a purification ritual in front and people waiting to pray at the shrine.  

Right next to this shrine, is the hall that held what I wanted to see.  The Hoanden holds the images of Benten on Enoshima.  Since we didn't know about the discount with the Enoshima Pass at the time we both paid the 150 yen to go in.  The octagonal hall is actually very small, being no more than 10-15 feet in diameter, but what it holds more than makes up for its size.  Actually the rare image of Benten that I really wanted to see was to me, one of the least impressive things in the room.  I was more impressed with the older statue of Benzai-ten (Benten as well), the large bell with a dragon carved as the handle or the sculptures of the 15 servants to Benzai-ten.  The rarity of it being nude (which it normally isn't) must be the allure and going into the hall was worth it.  Unfortunately pictures weren't allowed inside, so I have nothing to show.

The Hoanden, which holds the images of Benten on the island.

The older Benten image was enshrined by Yoritomo Minamoto (1147-1199), who if you remember from the previous post was the first ruler of the Kamakura Shogunate.  While enshrining, his prayer was for victory over his rivals, the Fujiwara clan and upon achieving victory in 1189, starting the Kamakura Shogunate the goddess became known for granting the wishes of worshipers and became known as Enoshima Benten ever since. [7]

The newer and more famous Benten was made famous by Iyeasu Tokugawa (1542-1616) the unifier of Japan and the first Shogun of the Edo period.  In 1600 he visited the Benten and made it an official prayer area for the Tokugawas. [8]  During this period, the Benten became more well-known for providing help for music and the arts and eventually became open to the public which it had only been for the important and powerful before then. [9]

Back outside I looked at the various items the shrine had for sale.  There are always a variety of charms and amulets for protection, fortunes and other items involving rituals selling at the shrines.  I however always look for the shrine's ema.  Ema (絵馬, えま) are a wish block, which is a small piece of wood with a small painting on the front relating to some aspect of the shrine and a blank back.  On the back people write their wish and hang it in the shrine in order for it to come true.  

A spot to hang ema at Enoshima.  At this one, the trees surrounded by the ema are seen as sacred and that as lovers, being two trees together so the ema here are usually for relationship wishes.

I never actually buy them to write the wish, as I like to keep them as my souvenir from places.  They're always nice and also pretty cheap for souvenirs (usually 500 yen, but the one I got at Enoshima was 1,000 yen due to its large size).  Then when I come home I hang them up.  In my very first post, I posted a picture of the ema hanging up on my wall.

Enoshima's ema showing the island, along with the dragon, Benten and some of Benten's servants.

Next to the Hoanden is the small Yasaka Shrine.

Starting from here, if you look for vantage points back towards the main land along the path  you are rewarded with some nice views.

At this point, there's another escalator to take that brings you up to the top of the island and then the path leads around to the back of the island.  Next time, I'll cover the rest of the island and the rest of my trip and travel guide to Enoshima.

Continue to Part 2.

References:

1. "Enoshima Tourist Map," Fujisawa, Kanagawa: Fujisawa City Tourist Association, 2009.

2. Ibid.

3. "Enoshima Jinja Shrine," A New Guide to Kamakura.
http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~qm9t-kndu/enoshima.htm.

4. Ibid.


5. "Enoshima Tourist Map," Fujisawa City Tourist Assocation.

6. Ibid.


7. "Enoshima Jinja Shrine," A New Guide to Kamakura.

8. Ibid.


9. "Enoshima Tourist Map," Fujisawa City Tourist Assocation.