Kamakura Coast — Part 2

I arrived at Inamuragasaki Station and stepped out into the quiet residential streets. The narrow road led gently downhill toward the sea, and with each step, the sound of distant waves grew clearer. With quiet anticipation and a faint trace of uncertainty, I walked on under a clear blue sky.

Soon, the sidewalk along National Route 134 came into view, running beside the shoreline. Sea breeze drifted softly across the road, and an open stretch of coast spread out ahead. Walking this road, my heart felt gently lighter. Even though the day was still hot and the sunlight remained strong, the breeze off the water blew coolly, and the air slowly softened around me.

There was no sandy beach at this section of the shore. The sound of waves rose and fell against the rocks as I walked along the coastal path. In the near distance, the brown guardrail traced the curve of the road, while the blue of the sky and the wide surface of Sagami Bay opened out beyond it. White waves quietly broke along the water’s edge as I continued walking at a slow, steady pace.

After a while, a sign reading “Otonashigawa” appeared along the guardrail. A little farther on, another sign marked “Otonashi Bridge.” I stopped for a moment and looked down at the river flowing beneath, its water slipping quietly under the road toward the opposite side. With a small sense of understanding, I moved on again.

The road eventually brought me to a parking area and a roadside drive-in. In the wide-open lot, people stood facing the sea, some resting, some simply gazing at the horizon in silence. I passed by and kept walking along the coast.

Soon the sandy beach came into sight. People were scattered across the sand in small groups, some already gathering their belongings as if preparing to leave. Out on the water, surfers were still riding the waves, and others nearer the shore were slowly getting ready to head home. The feeling of evening was growing stronger as the sunlight softened and the sun sank little by little toward the western sky.

A sign for “Yukiaibashi” appeared ahead. Crossing the bridge, I continued toward the Shichirigahama Coast Parking Lot. When I glanced in the direction of Shichirigahama Station, I saw a crowd gathered around the station area, many of them likely taking photos of the sea. I turned back toward the parking lot and walked on.

Along the seawall, the number of people increased even more. Some held up their phones to capture the view, others simply watched the ocean in silence, and many stood with the sea behind them, posing for photographs. Drawn into that quiet expectation, I raised my phone and took a picture of the sun, even though the sun had not yet set, its light had already softened.

After a short while, I chose to walk back in the direction of Inamuragasaki. The road led again toward the cape, and I eventually arrived at the Inamuragasaki Parking Lot. There were many people here as well, but the farther I went toward the back, the more the crowd thinned, and a gentle stillness returned.

The sun was now descending toward the low, forested slope near Enoshima. With the sea on my left, I quietly photographed the sun as it slipped behind the green slope, its light fading into the outline of the hill. Around me, others were also capturing the same instant, each person holding onto their own version of the scene.

On the way back, I seemed to take a slightly longer route toward Inamuragasaki Station. Along a quiet residential street, a small red torii gate appeared at the top of a stone stairway. Its modest size and unexpected presence brought a faint smile. I climbed the steps, offered a quiet prayer, and then left the shrine behind.

With the memory of that little Inari shrine and the beauty of the sunset held gently in mind, I walked on toward the station. The sea breeze brushed past, and the people heading back from the shore, their faces touched by the evening light, seemed quietly beautiful as they made their way home.

鎌倉海岸 ― Part 2

稲村ケ崎駅へと到着した。 住宅街の細い道を抜け、海岸沿いへと向かっていく。 今回はどのような光景が広がっているのだろうか。 快晴の青空の下、静かな期待を抱きながら歩いていた。

やがて、国道134号線沿いの歩道が見えてきた。 潮風が静かに吹いていて、海岸線が広がっている。 この通りを歩いていると、心がふっと軽くなる。 夕方へと近づき、暑さは少し和らいでいたが、潮風が涼しげに吹いていて、空気が静かに和らいでいた。

砂浜のない海辺を、波の音とともに歩いていく。 左側には青空と相模湾が広がり、白い波が静かに寄せている。 右側には車道と店舗が並び、太陽の光が淡く差していた。 茶色のガードレールに沿って、ゆっくりと歩いていった。

「おとなしがわ」と書かれた標識が現れた。 歩いていくと「音無橋」の文字が見えてくる。 音無川の流れを眺め、そっと歩を進めていった。

しばらく歩くと、駐車場やドライブインの店が見えてきた。 広々とした駐車場では、人々が海を眺めていた。 そのまま海岸線を歩き続けた。

砂浜が見えてきて、人々がまだらに散らばっている。 海にはまだサーファーの姿があり、帰り支度をする人も見えていた。 夕方の気配が濃くなり、太陽の光は柔らかくなっていた。

「行合橋」と書かれた標識が現れた。 七里ヶ浜海岸駐車場へと向かうと、駅周辺には多くの人だかりができていた。 海辺の写真を撮っているのだろう。

海岸線の堤防付近にはさらに人だかりができていた。 写真を撮る人々、海を眺める人々。 静かな期待に包まれながら、太陽の写真をそっと撮った。

稲村ケ崎方面へと戻ると、稲村が崎駐車場へと到着した。 人だかりはあったが、奥へ進むと静けさが戻っていた。

太陽が江の島のある方角の森林の斜面へと沈んでいく。 海を左手に、太陽が斜面へと消えていく瞬間を写真に収めた。 周囲の人々も同じ瞬間を撮っていた。

帰り道で、少し遠回りをしたようだった。 住宅街の中に小さな赤い鳥居が現れた。 稲村ケ崎稲荷神社のようだ。 そっと参拝し、その場を後にした。

最後に現れた小さな稲荷神社と夕日の美しさを心に抱きながら駅へと歩いていく。 潮風に吹かれ、夕日を浴びた人々の足取りが、ふと美しく感じられた。

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