Kamakura

Overview

Between wooded hills and the Shonan coast, Kamakura offers temple walks and time by the sea within day-trip reach of Tokyo. In this former samurai capital in Kanagawa Prefecture, you can walk through large temple grounds, browse the central shopping streets or take a train along the coast.

The sights are spread out. Choose a couple of areas rather than rushing between every major stop, and you'll have more time to enjoy the routes between them.

Main areas

The Kamakura Station Area is the starting point for Tsurugaoka Hachimangu, the shrine around which the city developed. Wakamiya-oji leads toward its grounds, while Komachi-dori runs alongside the approach with sweet shops, cafes, and restaurants. The shrine, lunch, and shopping fit together without another train journey.

For Zen temples, begin in Kita-Kamakura, where Engakuji is close to the JR station. Kenchoji lies farther along the road toward the center. You can combine both in a temple walk before continuing toward the shrine and shopping streets.

At Hase, you can visit the Great Buddha at Kotoku-in and Hasedera. The bronze Buddha dates from the 13th century, while Hasedera has gardens, June hydrangeas, and a hillside viewpoint over the town and sea. Nearby Yuigahama adds a beach walk to this part of the visit.

Farther west, the Shichirigahama Station Area faces the open coast. Come for sea views and the coastal train ride, with Enoshima farther along the line. This isn't the central temple district, so allow time for the rail journey between the two.

Getting around and onward travel

Kamakura Station has direct JR Yokosuka Line trains from Tokyo, Shinagawa, and Yokohama. The journey takes about an hour from Tokyo or 25 minutes from Yokohama. From Shinjuku and Shibuya, Zushi-bound Shonan-Shinjuku Line trains run directly to Kamakura Station; other southbound services take a different branch, so check the destination before boarding.

The Enoden links Kamakura Station with Fujisawa via Hase and the coastal stops. It serves as both local transport and part of the sightseeing, with stretches beside the sea. For Enoshima island, leave the train at Enoshima Station and walk across the bridge. The train doesn't continue onto the island.

JR also serves the northern temple district, while buses reach places away from the railway. Walking works well within each sightseeing area. Roads near popular sights can be congested on weekdays as well as weekends, so driving between every stop may take more time than it saves.

Airport and Shinkansen connections

Kamakura has no Shinkansen station. From Tokaido Shinkansen services at Shinagawa, change to the Yokosuka Line for Kamakura Station.

From Haneda Airport, take Keikyu to Yokohama and change to the JR Yokosuka Line. From Narita Airport, an Ofuna-bound Narita Express provides one route, followed by a change at Ofuna for Kamakura Station. Both airport rail routes involve a transfer.

Where to stay and where to go next

A central stay keeps JR arrivals and the shrine-side streets close together. Hotel Metropolitan Kamakura is two minutes on foot from the station's east exit on Wakamiya-oji, so you can return to your room between outings without another rail journey.

For a stay focused on the sea, Kamakura Prince Hotel stands on a hillside above Shichirigahama Beach and has ocean-facing rooms. Allow for a local train ride when visiting the central shrine and shopping streets. An extra night leaves room to explore the temples and coast on separate days, or to add Enoshima without squeezing everything into one day trip.

Good to know

Temple visits can involve slopes and steps, particularly around Hasedera's upper grounds. Wear comfortable walking shoes and keep some flexibility in your route.

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