Ozu's gravesite: how to get there

Yasujiro Ozu's gravesite in Kita-Kamakura:
How to get there (Part Two)

Part One is here.

After entering past the ticket booth, walk straight and up the stairs, as shown below:

Approach to Sanmon (San Gate)

At the top of these stairs, you will come to Sanmon (山門). You will want to walk around to the right of this imposing gate.

Sanmon, viewed from the northwest corner

Walk up on ahead about 20 or 30 meters until you come to Butsu-den (仏殿) on your left, as pictured below. (Note: when I visited Engaku-ji on June 21, 2003, this temple building was undergoing restoration and was completely covered in sheets and scaffolding).

Butsu-den, viewed from the southwest

Across from this temple on the right side of the walkway you will see a pathway leading to Oogane (洪鐘), as shown here:

Entrance to path leading to Oogane Bell

The signs on both sides of the pathway entrance look like this:

Sign pointing way to Oogane Bell

At the first bend in this path (less than 10 meters after you passed the above signs), there will be a path to the left, leading to one of the gravesites at Engaku-ji, and the area of the temple where Ozu's grave is. The entrance will look like this:

Entrance to gravesite

Notice the map to the right of this entrance. It is a map of the gravesite beyond. Let's take a closer look at this:

Map of gravesite

Ozu's grave location is noted on the right hand right portion of this map, which is shown below with the grave circled:

Detail of map showing location of Ozu's grave

The important thing to remember is that his grave is on the far left end of the 3rd row from the back.

Proceed into the gravesite and follow the path leading straight ahead of you:

Path into graveyard

After passing an incinerator on your right, the path will curve upwards and to the left. Continue along this way until you get to the top:

Top of sloping path

Before you get to those small stairs with the sculpted hedges on either side (shown in the picture above), make a right:

View after turning right at top of path

And then almost immediately make another right so that your looking at the path below, at the end of which are some stairs:

Penultimate path to Ozu's grave

Proceed up these stairs, at the top of which you'll see a watering station to your right and more buckets to your left. Make a left here, and you'll be facing Ozu's grave as such:

Final path to Ozu's gravesite

Ozu's grave will be at the first "intersection," a large square granite block with the character 無 (mu) inscribed upon it:

Close-up of Ozu's grave, and the character mu inscribed thereon

Back in 2003, on the flip side of the ticket stub the attendents at the ticket gate gave me was printed a map, shown below:

If my instructions haven't been clear, or you'd just like peace of mind, you can click on the above map which will take you to a detailed (and printable) view, upon which I've drawn the path you should take to find the graveyard. You'll still need to find Ozu's grave in that graveyard, but the on-site map at the entrance to the graveyard should help you with that.

(Return to Part One)

I would be remiss if I didn't stress that Kamakura is a wonderful place, with so much more to explore than just one temple or one gravesite. Once the capitol of Japan, the area is laden with beautiful temples and has plenty of history to spare. It's proximity to Tokyo makes it an ideal day-trip, although I might add that if you do go down there, try to go on a weekday to beat the crowds, and try not to go in the Summer (as I did) to beat the heat. Please see the following sites for more information on Kamakura:

Visit Kamakura

Kamakura Travel Info

Kawakita Film Museum

Yasujiro Ozu home

hmmn: musings from the far east(erwood)