まんだら堂やぐら群

Mandarado Yagura Caves

Useful Information

Location:	Japan, 〒249-0008 Kanagawa, Zushi, Kotsubo, 7 Chome, 国史跡名越切通内. (35.308121, 139.565031)
Open:	MAY Mon, Sat, Sun, Hol 10-16. NOV to DEC Mon, Sat, Sun, Hol 10-15. [2023]
Fee:	free, donations welcome. [2023]
Classification:	Cave Tomb
Light:	bring torch
Dimension:
Guided tours:	self guided, D=15 min.
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Mandarado Yagura Caves, Japan, 〒249-0008 Kanagawa, Zushi, Kotsubo, 7 Chome, 国史跡名越切通内, Tel: +81-46-872-8153.
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1185–1333	Kamakura is military capital of the nation.
	declared a National Important Historical Site.
1996	site closed to the public.

Description

まんだら堂やぐら群 (Mandarado Yagura Caves, Mandarado Yagura Tombs) is a hillside with trees and at least 160 of rectangular caves cut into the rock on 4 levels. The word yagura means cave-like tombs in Japanese, and Mandarado Yagura is the highest concentrations of yagura in all of Japan. These are caves which were originally final resting place for the samurai class. Later they were used by Buddhist monks. However, today they only house stone cenotaphs, empty tombs. The site was excavated and revealed skulls and cremation pits.

There are several other interesting archaeological and geological sight on this hill. One are the Nagoe Kiridoshi which connected Kamakura to the Miura Peninsula. To facilitate access into the ancient capital, the Kamakura shogunate had large natural gaps in the rocky slopes widened into passes called kiridoshi. In total, there are seven of these paths into Kamakura, three of them are well-preserved.

Then there is a geotope called お猿畠の大切岸 (Sarubatake Escarpment), a 800 m long and 3 m to 10 m high wall of Kamakura stone (tuff). It was thought to be a defensive facility for the Miura clan, but recent research has revealed that it was a quarry. The rocks were quarried during the Middle Ages and used in various parts of Kamakura.

The main site with the caves was closed in 1996 and is onkly open for one month in spring and two months in late autumn. At this time the site is maintained and there are workes on site, so it is possible to visit. All other times you have to look through the fence, but still most of the other sites are accessibel, and there are actually yagura all over the hill and it is possible to see some outside the fence. So we actually recommend to go there even if the site is not open.