# Things to do in Kamakura: top sights and where to go

> Kamakura, the old shoguns' capital an hour from Tokyo, puts Komachi-dori and Tsurugaoka Hachimangū Shrine ten minutes' walk from the station, and the Great Buddha and Hase-dera five minutes away on the little Enoden train. Do the centre, the Buddha and Hase-dera on day one; keep the Zen temples of Kita-Kamakura, the Hōkoku-ji bamboo grove and Enoshima island for a second day.

Web page: https://yesgo.io/japan/kamakura

## Ready itineraries

- [One day in Kamakura: an itinerary in the best order](https://yesgo.io/japan/kamakura/in-1-day.md): The Zen temples of Engaku-ji and Kencho-ji, Tsurugaoka Hachimangu, Komachi-dori, the open-air Great Buddha and Hase-dera above the bay — in order, on foot.

## All 10 places with the YesGo score

- [Great Buddha of Kamakura (Kōtoku-in)](https://yesgo.io/japan/kamakura/kamakura-great-buddha.md): YesGo score 46/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 40 min · ¥300. The Great Buddha of Kamakura is a bronze statue of Amida Buddha, 13.35 metres tall, cast around 1252 and a National Treasure. It sits in…
- [Tsurugaoka Hachimangū Shrine](https://yesgo.io/japan/kamakura/tsurugaoka-hachimangu.md): YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · free. Tsurugaoka Hachimangu is Kamakura's main shrine, dedicated to Hachiman, patron of the samurai. The first shogun, Minamoto no Yoritomo…
- [Komachi-dori Street](https://yesgo.io/japan/kamakura/komachi-dori.md): YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · free. Komachi-dori is a pedestrian shopping street about 360 metres long running from Kamakura Station to Tsurugaoka Hachimangu shrine. You…
- [Zeniarai Benzaiten Shrine](https://yesgo.io/japan/kamakura/zeniarai-benzaiten.md): YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · free. Zeniarai Benzaiten is a shrine in a hollow of Kamakura's western hills, entered through a tunnel in the rock. People wash coins and notes…
- [Sasuke Inari Shrine](https://yesgo.io/japan/kamakura/sasuke-inari.md): YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · free. Sasuke Inari is a small shrine to the god Inari in a wooded valley in western Kamakura. An avenue of red torii gates climbs to it, and its…
- [Hōkoku-ji Temple (Bamboo Temple)](https://yesgo.io/japan/kamakura/hokoku-ji.md): YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · ≈ ¥400. Hokoku-ji is a small Zen temple in the hills of eastern Kamakura, known as the 'bamboo temple'. Behind its main hall grows a grove of over…
- [Kenchō-ji Temple](https://yesgo.io/japan/kamakura/kencho-ji.md): YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · ≈ ¥500. Kencho-ji is Kamakura's oldest Zen temple and the first of its Five Great Zen Temples, founded in 1253. It has huge wooden gates, a hall…
- [Engaku-ji Temple](https://yesgo.io/japan/kamakura/engaku-ji.md): YesGo score 37/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · ¥500. Engaku-ji is one of eastern Japan's leading Zen temples and the second of Kamakura's Five Great Zen Temples, founded in 1282. It climbs…
- [Hase-dera Temple](https://yesgo.io/japan/kamakura/kamakura-hase-dera.md): YesGo score 35/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · ¥400. Hase-dera is a hillside temple in Kamakura's Hase area with views over Yuigahama bay. Its main hall holds a gilded wooden Kannon 9.18…
- [Enoshima Island](https://yesgo.io/japan/kamakura/enoshima.md): YesGo score 34/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · free; tower and caves ≈ ¥500. Enoshima is a small island off the coast, joined to the mainland by a bridge, 7 km west of Kamakura. It has a shrine to the goddess…

## Kamakura travel guide

Before you go: the Great Buddha, Tsurugaoka Hachimangu, Hokoku-ji’s bamboo grove, Enoshima island, getting there from Tokyo, weather.

## Trip essentials

- How many days: 1 day from Tokyo, 2 with Enoshima
- When to go: April–June and October–November
- Visa: Depends on your passport — many are visa-exempt
- Currency: Japanese yen (JPY); temples take cash
- From Tokyo: ≈ 1 h on the JR Yokosuka line
- Enoden: Vintage tram to the Buddha, Hase-dera and Enoshima
- On foot: North Kamakura temples lie between stations
- Hydrangeas: June — peak bloom at Hase-dera
- Weekends: Saturdays and Sundays are very busy
- Time zone: UTC+9 all year

## Key facts

- **1192** — Kamakura became the seat of Japan’s first shogunate (source: Wikipedia, “Kamakura”)
- **≈ 13 m** — height of the bronze Great Buddha of Kotoku-in, mid-13th century (source: Wikipedia, “Kamakura Daibutsu”)
- **5** — great Zen temples of Kamakura, including Kencho-ji and Engaku-ji (source: Wikipedia, “Five Mountain System”)
- **1063** — Tsurugaoka Hachimangu was founded — the heart of the town (source: Wikipedia, “Tsurugaoka Hachimangū”)

## Things to do in Kamakura

The top things to do in Kamakura are the Great Buddha at Kotoku-in and nearby Hase-dera with its sea view, Tsurugaoka Hachimangu and Komachi-dori, the bamboo grove at Hokoku-ji, the Zeniarai Benzaiten and Sasuke Inari shrines, the Zen temples of Kencho-ji and Engaku-ji in North Kamakura, and Enoshima island. Every place with its YesGo score is in the list above.

| Where | What to see | Time |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Hase** | [Great Buddha](https://yesgo.io/japan/kamakura/kamakura-great-buddha), [Hase-dera](https://yesgo.io/japan/kamakura/kamakura-hase-dera) | 2 h |
| **Centre** | [Tsurugaoka](https://yesgo.io/japan/kamakura/tsurugaoka-hachimangu), [Komachi-dori](https://yesgo.io/japan/kamakura/komachi-dori) | 2 h |
| **Western hills** | [Zeniarai](https://yesgo.io/japan/kamakura/zeniarai-benzaiten), [Sasuke Inari](https://yesgo.io/japan/kamakura/sasuke-inari) | 1.5 h |
| **East** | [Hokoku-ji](https://yesgo.io/japan/kamakura/hokoku-ji) | 1 h |
| **North Kamakura** | [Engaku-ji](https://yesgo.io/japan/kamakura/engaku-ji), [Kencho-ji](https://yesgo.io/japan/kamakura/kencho-ji) | 2 h |
| **Coast** | [Enoshima](https://yesgo.io/japan/kamakura/enoshima) | ½ day |

Rather not plan it yourself? The list above has ready itineraries for 1–2 days, with places in a sensible order.

## Kamakura day trip from Tokyo

A Kamakura day trip from Tokyo takes about an hour each way on the JR Yokosuka line from Tokyo or Shinagawa; get off at Kita-Kamakura and walk into town. The vintage Enoden tram runs along the coast to the Great Buddha and Enoshima. The nearest airport is Haneda.

| How | From | Time |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **JR Yokosuka line** | [Tokyo](https://yesgo.io/japan/tokyo), Shinagawa | ≈ 1 h |
| **JR Shonan-Shinjuku** | Shinjuku, Shibuya | ≈ 1 h |
| **Enoden** | Kamakura — Hase — Enoshima | ≈ 5–25 min |
| **Keikyu + JR** | Haneda Airport | ≈ 1 h |

## Kamakura weather by month

Kamakura’s weather is like Tokyo’s but milder by the sea: the best times are April–May, June for hydrangeas, and October–November. Summer is ≈ 30 °C, with swimming at Yuigahama beach; winter is dry and sunny at ≈ 10 °C by day.

- **January in Kamakura**: day ≈ 10°C, night ≈ 2°C, rainy days: 5. About 10°, dry, Fuji views.
- **February in Kamakura**: day ≈ 11°C, night ≈ 3°C, rainy days: 6. Plum blossom.
- **March in Kamakura**: day ≈ 14°C, night ≈ 6°C, rainy days: 10. About 14°; cherry blossom late in the month.
- **April in Kamakura** (best time): day ≈ 19°C, night ≈ 10°C, rainy days: 10. Cherry blossom at Tsurugaoka.
- **May in Kamakura** (best time): day ≈ 23°C, night ≈ 15°C, rainy days: 11. About 23° — excellent.
- **June in Kamakura** (best time): day ≈ 26°C, night ≈ 19°C, rainy days: 13. Hydrangeas — peak season.
- **July in Kamakura**: day ≈ 29°C, night ≈ 23°C, rainy days: 11. Hot; Yuigahama beach.
- **August in Kamakura**: day ≈ 31°C, night ≈ 24°C, rainy days: 9. The hottest month.
- **September in Kamakura**: day ≈ 27°C, night ≈ 21°C, rainy days: 12. About 27°, typhoons.
- **October in Kamakura** (best time): day ≈ 22°C, night ≈ 15°C, rainy days: 10. About 22° — pleasant.
- **November in Kamakura** (best time): day ≈ 17°C, night ≈ 10°C, rainy days: 7. Maples in the temples.
- **December in Kamakura**: day ≈ 12°C, night ≈ 5°C, rainy days: 5. About 12°, clear.

## What to eat in Kamakura

Kamakura is known for shirasu — tiny whitebait eaten raw or boiled on rice — and shojin ryori, Buddhist vegetarian temple cuisine. Komachi-dori sells sweets and dove-shaped biscuits.

- **Shirasu-don** — whitebait on rice, fresh from the coast.
- **Shojin ryori** — Buddhist vegetarian food by the Zen temples.
- **Hato sable** — the dove biscuit, the town’s souvenir.
- **Komachi-dori sweets** — mochi, dango and matcha ice cream.

## Kamakura ticket prices

Tsurugaoka Hachimangu, Komachi-dori, Zeniarai Benzaiten and Sasuke Inari are free. You pay for the Great Buddha, Hase-dera, Hokoku-ji (tea in the grove is extra), Kencho-ji and Engaku-ji — usually 300–500 yen.

- [Great Buddha of Kamakura (Kōtoku-in)](https://yesgo.io/japan/kamakura/kamakura-great-buddha) — ¥300
- [Tsurugaoka Hachimangū Shrine](https://yesgo.io/japan/kamakura/tsurugaoka-hachimangu) — free
- [Komachi-dori Street](https://yesgo.io/japan/kamakura/komachi-dori) — free
- [Zeniarai Benzaiten Shrine](https://yesgo.io/japan/kamakura/zeniarai-benzaiten) — free
- [Sasuke Inari Shrine](https://yesgo.io/japan/kamakura/sasuke-inari) — free
- [Hōkoku-ji Temple (Bamboo Temple)](https://yesgo.io/japan/kamakura/hokoku-ji) — ≈ ¥400
- [Kenchō-ji Temple](https://yesgo.io/japan/kamakura/kencho-ji) — ≈ ¥500
- [Engaku-ji Temple](https://yesgo.io/japan/kamakura/engaku-ji) — ¥500
- [Hase-dera Temple](https://yesgo.io/japan/kamakura/kamakura-hase-dera) — ¥400
- [Enoshima Island](https://yesgo.io/japan/kamakura/enoshima) — free; tower and caves ≈ ¥500

## Tips

- Start in North Kamakura and walk towards the centre — less uphill and fewer crowds.
- At Zeniarai Benzaiten, people wash coins in the spring for luck with money.
- In June, Hase-dera’s hydrangea path uses timed tickets — arrive at opening.

## Questions

### Is Kamakura worth visiting?

Yes — the Great Buddha, Zen temples, bamboo groves and the sea make it the best day trip from Tokyo.

### Do I need a visa for Japan?

It depends on your passport: many nationalities are visa-exempt for short stays, others apply for a visa or eVISA. Check the official rules for your passport.

### How do I get from Tokyo to Kamakura?

By JR Yokosuka line from Tokyo or Shinagawa in about an hour.

### What to do in Kamakura in one day?

North Kamakura’s temples in the morning, Tsurugaoka Hachimangu and Komachi-dori at midday, then the Enoden to the Great Buddha and Hase-dera.

### Can you go inside the Kamakura Great Buddha?

Yes, for a small extra fee at set hours.

### How do I get to Enoshima?

By Enoden tram from Kamakura or Hase in about 25 minutes, then across the bridge on foot.

### When do hydrangeas bloom in Kamakura?

Through June; the best-known are at Hase-dera and Meigetsu-in.

### What is the weather like in Kamakura in November?

About 17 °C by day and 10 °C at night — maples in the temple gardens.

### Can you swim in Kamakura?

Yes, at Yuigahama and Zaimokuza beaches in July and August.

### How much is the Great Buddha?

About 300 yen for the grounds; see the place card in the list above.

## Sources

- Wikipedia, “Kamakura”; “Kamakura Daibutsu”; “Tsurugaoka Hachimangū”; Yokohama climate (1991–2020 normals)
- City of Kamakura — official tourism website
- Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO)

Facts checked: 09.11.2026

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