# Enoshima Island, Kamakura > 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 Benten, the Sea Candle observation tower, the Iwaya caves and views of Mount Fuji on clear days. Walking around is free; the tower and caves are about ¥500 each, and a one-day pass is ¥1,100. It's 25 minutes from Kamakura by Enoden. Web page: https://yesgo.io/japan/kamakura/enoshima - City: [Kamakura](https://yesgo.io/japan/kamakura), Japan - YesGo score: 34/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 3 h - Entry: free; tower and caves ≈ ¥500 - Opening hours: The island is always open; shrine 8:30–16:30, garden and tower 9:00–20:00, caves roughly 9:00–17:00 - With kids: Fine with kids - The island: Free to walk around - Sea Candle tower: About ¥500 - Iwaya caves: About ¥500, roughly 9:00–17:00 - One-day pass: About ¥1,100 — escalators, garden, tower, caves - Enoshima Shrine: Free, 8:30–16:30 - Getting there: Enoden from Kamakura, 25 minutes, then 15 minutes over the bridge - Coordinates: 35.29933, 139.48091 - Facts checked: 09.11.2026 ## Key facts - **7 km** — west of central Kamakura (source: travel guides) - **A bridge** — joins the island to the mainland (source: japan-guide.com) - **Benten** — goddess of fortune and music — the island's patron (source: japan-guide.com) - **60 m** — height of the Sea Candle lighthouse tower (source: japan-guide.com) - **3 halls** — of Enoshima Shrine around the island (source: japan-guide.com) - **2 caves** — Iwaya, on the south coast (source: japan-guide.com) - **Fuji** — visible from the island on clear days (source: japan-guide.com) - **≈ ¥1,100** — one-day pass (source: japan-guide.com) ## What is Enoshima? **Enoshima** is a small island off the coast of Sagami Bay, joined to the mainland by a long bridge. Officially it's in **Fujisawa**, the city next to Kamakura, 7 km to the west, but it's almost always visited together with Kamakura. One side of the island has a yacht harbour; the other is a wooded hill holding the main sights. The island is dedicated to **Benten**, goddess of fortune, wealth, music and knowledge. Legend says she created Enoshima and subdued a five-headed dragon. Her shrine has **three halls** in different parts of the island, and on the hilltop stands the **Sea Candle** lighthouse and observation tower, from which you can see **Mount Fuji** on a clear day. > **The one-day pass** Stairs and paid escalators lead up the island's hill. If you want to ride the escalators and visit the garden, tower and caves, buy the Enoshima 1-Day pass — about ¥1,100 according to guides, sold at tourist information desks and the escalators. Separately, the tower and caves cost about ¥500 each. ## What to see and what it costs **Enoshima Shrine** is free, 8:30–16:30; for ¥200 you can see the octagonal hall with its statue of Benten, one of Japan's three most venerated. Many people wash coins in the shrine's pond for luck with money. The **Samuel Cocking Garden** on the hilltop is free until 17:00 and about ¥500 after; it holds the **Sea Candle** tower, 60 metres tall, with entry about ¥500, open until 20:00. On the south coast, beneath the cliffs, are the two **Iwaya caves**: the first holds Buddhist statues, the second is dedicated to the legendary dragon. Entry is about ¥500, roughly 9:00 to 17:00; they close in storms. Nearby is **Lovers' Hill**, with a bell that couples ring. ## What to see - **Enoshima Shrine** — Benten's three halls. - **The Sea Candle lighthouse** — a view of Fuji. - **The Samuel Cocking Garden** on the hilltop. - **The Iwaya caves** under the cliffs. - **Lovers' Hill** with its bell. - **The shopping street** with shirasu dishes. ## How to get to Enoshima 1. **Enoden from Kamakura** — to Enoshima station, about 25 minutes, then 15 minutes on foot over the bridge. 2. **Odakyu from Shinjuku** — to Katase-Enoshima, then 10 minutes on foot. 3. **Shonan Monorail** — from Ofuna to Shonan-Enoshima. 4. **From the Great Buddha** — Enoden from Hase, about 20 minutes. 5. **Around the island** — on foot and by paid escalator. ## Enoshima or Kamakura | | Enoshima | Kamakura | | --- | --- | --- | | Highlights | Sea, tower, caves | Temples and the Great Buddha | | Entry | Free to walk around | Temples charge | | Fuji view | Yes, on clear days | Rarely | | Time | 3 hours | A day | ## How long do you need? Allow **about 3 hours** for the island: the shopping street, the shrine, the garden with its tower and the walk down to the caves. The stairs are steep, so many people ride the escalators up and walk down, or take the little boat from the caves back to the bridge. Try the local dish, **shirasu** — tiny white fish served on rice, raw or boiled. The shopping street also sells huge flat rice crackers pressed with octopus. The best time is a clear autumn or winter day, when the air is crisp and Fuji is visible. In summer the beaches either side of the bridge are packed, and in the evening, at sunset, the mountain looks especially fine against the sky. ## Is Enoshima worth visiting? Yes, if you have time after Kamakura: the sea, the Fuji view and a walk round the island make a pleasant change from temples. The YesGo take: the island is touristy and very crowded at weekends, especially on the narrow shopping street. If you're short on time, you can skip Enoshima for Kamakura's temples. But on a clear day with Fuji in view, be sure to come for sunset. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] Clear weather — for Fuji - [ ] One-day pass or coins - [ ] Comfortable shoes — stairs - [ ] Try shirasu - [ ] Sunset from the island ## Sea and sunsets: compare and choose Waterside places rated by YesGo. - [Enoshima Island](https://yesgo.io/japan/kamakura/enoshima) — YesGo score 34/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · free; tower and caves ≈ ¥500 ## Kamakura and Enoshima in a day The Great Buddha and Hase-dera in the morning, the Enoden to Enoshima after lunch, and the Sea Candle tower at sunset. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers. 1. [Great Buddha of Kamakura (Kōtoku-in)](https://yesgo.io/japan/kamakura/kamakura-great-buddha) — YesGo score 46/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 40 min · ¥300 2. [Hase-dera Temple](https://yesgo.io/japan/kamakura/kamakura-hase-dera) — YesGo score 35/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · ¥400 3. [Enoshima Island](https://yesgo.io/japan/kamakura/enoshima) — YesGo score 34/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · free; tower and caves ≈ ¥500 ## Good to know Enoshima near Kamakura is not the islands of the same name in Miyagi and Nagasaki. The Enoshima Aquarium is on the mainland, by the bridge. ## Tips - One-day pass — about ¥1,100. - Fuji is visible on clear days. - Try shirasu. - Ride the escalators up. - In the morning: [the Great Buddha](https://yesgo.io/japan/kamakura/kamakura-great-buddha). ## Questions ### Do I have to pay to visit Enoshima? No, walking the island is free; the tower and caves are about ¥500 each. ### What is the one-day pass? About ¥1,100: escalators, garden, Sea Candle tower and caves. ### How do I get there from Kamakura? Enoden to Enoshima station, about 25 minutes, then 15 minutes on foot. ### Can you see Fuji? Yes, on clear days — from the tower and the west coast. ### What are the opening hours? Shrine 8:30–16:30, garden and tower 9:00–20:00, caves roughly 9:00–17:00. ### How long do you need? About 3 hours. ### What should I eat? Shirasu — tiny fish on rice. ### Is it in Kamakura? No, it's in Fujisawa, 7 km to the west. ## How we checked Prices and hours are from japan-guide.com and marked 'being checked'. Access, food and Lovers' Hill are from guides. Time on the island is the YesGo estimate. ## Sources - japan-guide.com — shrine, garden, tower, caves, prices, hours, one-day pass (via curl 09.11.2026; unofficial) - English Wikipedia: Enoshima - Travel guides — access, shirasu, Lovers' Hill (unofficial) - Wikidata Q989803 — coordinates --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.