百八やぐら

108 Tomb Caves

Useful Information

Location:	4 Chome-16 Imaizumidai, Kamakura, 247-0053. (35.335009, 139.564358)
Open:	no restrictions. [2022]
Fee:	free. [2022]
Classification:	Cave Church
Light:	Incandescent
Dimension:
Guided tours:
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:
Address:	108 Tomb Caves, Tel: +81-.
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History

Description

百八やぐら (108 Tomb Caves) are also known as "108 Grotto Tombs", which is actually not really a name, its just how the locals call the place and is more or less descriptive. Along the hillside there are numerous cave tombs which were dug into the sandstone. Such tombs are quite common in Kamakura and known under the name yagura. Estimates of their number range from 1,500 to over 5,000, but as many have been destroyed its unclear ho wmany actually existed. A yagura is usually just a hole dug into the side of a hill, a short corridor named 羨道 (sendō) followed by the crypt which is named 玄室 (genshitsu), which is simply a rectangular chamber between 1 m and 5 m wide. Often the entrance was sealed by a wooden door named 羨門 (senmon). The graves were not for the bodies, and there were no pits in the bedrock floor. The people were cremated and then the ash was either placed inside in an urn or in a small opening in the floor. Most buried were samurais, but also priests and artisans.

The artificial caves were used during the Middle Ages, in the beginning only as tombs, later as cenotaphs. Many contain a stone gorintō, hōkyōintō (Buddhist tower) or another other stone monument, but they were added later. There are some which are isolated, but there are also clusters of almost 200 caves. Its unclear if this was intentionally or only a result of the local geology.

The name 108 is often guessed to be the number of caves, but actually there are almost 200 caves at this site. In Buddhist tradition, 108 is the number of vices and desires which every person carries within them. This makes 108 a synonym of "many".

The site is freely accessible, there are no open hours and no entrance fee. These caves are graves, so respectful behavior is appropriate. The site is close to the Ten-en hiking trail, so it accessible on this trail. The obvious starting point is the Imaizumidai Trailhead, which is the address we have used. From here it’s less than 1 km or 15 minutes. Another trailhead is south of the Kakuon-ji Temple. The shortest access is from 今泉台６丁目公園 (Imaizendai 6-chome Park), it’s only a short hike uphill. Unfortunately there is no possibility to park here, it seems this city has only single lane roads.