Through the northern area of Kamakura runs the Ten-en Hiking Course, a three-mile-long mountain trail that connects Kenchō-ji and Zuisen-ji temples. Just a short hike away from the Hansōbō portion of Kenchō-ji, a storied rock called Ju-oh-iwa offers a panoramic view of the whole city. Ju-oh-iwa literally means “Ten Kings Rock” and refers to the Ten Kings of Hell, a group of judges in afterlife. Sure enough, near-faded as they are, one can still discern the images of three figures on the rock: En’ma Daiō, Kannon, and Ksitigarbha. The figures…
