Hokokuji Temple — Bamboo Garden Meditation

Hokokuji Temple (報国寺, 'Temple of Nation Protection') is a small Zen temple famous for its bamboo grove — over 2,000 moso bamboo stalks creating a dense forest that filters sunlight into soft green glow. The temple offers matcha tea service in a small tea pavilion set within the bamboo grove, allowing visitors to sit in meditation while surrounded by towering bamboo swaying in the breeze and the sound of wind through leaves.

The temple was founded in 1334 and served as the family temple for the Ashikaga and Uesugi clans. Beyond the bamboo grove, the grounds include a dry rock garden (karesansui), the main hall housing a wooden Buddha statue, and a hillside cemetery with caves containing statues of feudal lords who committed seppuku here after losing battles. The temple's small scale (compared to major Kamakura sites) creates intimate atmosphere — fewer crowds, quiet contemplation, and focus on the bamboo grove's meditative qualities.