# Tsurugaoka Hachimangu, Kamakura > Tsurugaoka Hachimangu is Kamakura's main shrine, dedicated to Hachiman, patron of the samurai. The first shogun, Minamoto no Yoritomo, moved it to its present site in 1180. Entry is free, open roughly 6:00–20:00. The treasure hall costs ¥200. It's 10 minutes on foot from Kamakura Station via Komachi-dori or the Wakamiya Oji avenue. Web page: https://yesgo.io/japan/kamakura/tsurugaoka-hachimangu - City: [Kamakura](https://yesgo.io/japan/kamakura), Japan - YesGo score: 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 1 h - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Free - Hours: Roughly 6:00–20:00 - Treasure hall: ¥200; 9:00–16:00 - Peony garden: Spring and winter, about ¥500 - Highlights: The main hall, Maiden stage, ponds - Getting there: 10 minutes on foot from Kamakura Station - Coordinates: 35.32608, 139.55642 - Facts checked: 09.11.2026 ## Key facts - **1063** — the year Minamoto no Yoriyoshi founded the shrine (source: japan-guide.com) - **1180** — Minamoto no Yoritomo moved it to its present site (source: japan-guide.com) - **Hachiman** — patron god of the Minamoto clan and the samurai (source: japan-guide.com) - **2 million+** — visitors at New Year (source: japan-guide.com) - **Yabusame** — horseback archery — in April and September (source: japan-guide.com) - **2 ponds** — Genji and Heike either side of the approach (source: japan-guide.com) - **Free** — entry to the shrine (source: japan-guide.com) - **10 minutes** — on foot from Kamakura Station (source: japan-guide.com) ## What is Tsurugaoka Hachimangu? **Tsurugaoka Hachimangu** is Kamakura's main Shinto shrine. Minamoto no Yoriyoshi founded it in **1063**, and in **1180** **Minamoto no Yoritomo**, the first Kamakura shogun, moved it to its present site and enlarged it. It's dedicated to **Hachiman**, patron god of the Minamoto clan and of all samurai. Central Kamakura is laid out around the shrine: from the sea a broad avenue, **Wakamiya Oji**, leads to it, with the raised **Dankazura** path and several torii gates. The **main hall** stands on a terrace at the top of a wide stone staircase, and at its foot is the vermilion **Maiden** stage for dance and music. > **Yabusame — archery on horseback** In mid-April and mid-September riders in period costume gallop down the shrine approach shooting arrows at targets — this is yabusame, traditional samurai archery. At New Year more than two million people come here, so in the first days of January it's best to choose another time. ## Entry and hours Entry to the shrine is **free**; according to guides, the grounds open roughly **6:00 to 20:00**. The small **treasure hall** at the main hall — swords, masks, documents — costs ¥200 and opens 9:00 to 16:00. Either side of the approach are two ponds: **Genji**, with three islands, and **Heike**, with four, named after two great clans of Japan. A peony garden surrounds the Genji pond; it opens in spring and winter for about ¥500. In summer the ponds fill with flowering lotus. ## What to see - **The main hall** at the top of the stone staircase. - **The Maiden stage** at the foot of the stairs. - **The Genji and Heike ponds** — lotus in summer. - **The peony garden** — spring and winter. - **Wakamiya Oji avenue** and the Dankazura path. - **Wakamiya Shrine** to the right of the stairs. ## How to get to Tsurugaoka Hachimangu 1. **From Kamakura Station** — about 10 minutes on foot along the Komachi-dori shopping street. 2. **Along Wakamiya Oji** — parallel to Komachi-dori, on the Dankazura path. 3. **From Tokyo** — JR Yokosuka line to Kamakura, about an hour. 4. **From Kita-Kamakura** — about 20 minutes on foot past Kencho-ji. 5. **From Enoshima** — Enoden to Kamakura, about 25 minutes. ## Tsurugaoka Hachimangu or Meiji Jingu | | Tsurugaoka Hachimangu | Meiji Jingu | | --- | --- | --- | | Where | Kamakura | Tokyo | | Age | 11th–12th century | 1920 | | Entry | Free | Free | | Highlights | Staircase, ponds, yabusame | Forest and cypress gates | ## How long do you need? An **hour** is enough for the shrine: walk the approach, climb to the main hall, look from the terrace down the avenue to the sea, and go round the ponds. The shrine is the centre of Kamakura, so it combines easily with almost everything: Komachi-dori, Kencho-ji temple, the Hokoku-ji bamboo grove. To the left of the staircase a huge ginkgo once stood, older than the shrine itself. A storm brought it down in 2010, but new shoots rose from its roots — and they're growing in the same spot. In autumn the ginkgos turn yellow and the maples red, and in spring cherry blossom lines the Dankazura path. In the morning, before 9:00, there are hardly any tourists, and you can climb the stairs to the main hall without the crowds. ## Is Tsurugaoka Hachimangu worth visiting? Yes: it's the heart of Kamakura, entry is free, and the view from the stairs down the avenue to the sea is one of the city's finest. The YesGo take: at weekends and on holidays the shrine is very crowded, especially at the stairs. Come early in the morning or towards evening. Walk there along Komachi-dori and back along the quiet Dankazura path to see both busy and peaceful Kamakura. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] Morning — fewer people - [ ] ¥200 for the treasure hall - [ ] Yabusame dates — April and September - [ ] Komachi-dori on the way - [ ] Kencho-ji nearby ## Kamakura temples: compare and choose Temples and shrines in Kamakura rated by YesGo. - [Great Buddha of Kamakura (Kōtoku-in)](https://yesgo.io/japan/kamakura/kamakura-great-buddha) — YesGo score 46/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 40 min · ¥300 - [Tsurugaoka Hachimangū Shrine](https://yesgo.io/japan/kamakura/tsurugaoka-hachimangu) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · free - [Zeniarai Benzaiten Shrine](https://yesgo.io/japan/kamakura/zeniarai-benzaiten) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · free - [Sasuke Inari Shrine](https://yesgo.io/japan/kamakura/sasuke-inari) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · free - [Hōkoku-ji Temple (Bamboo Temple)](https://yesgo.io/japan/kamakura/hokoku-ji) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · ≈ ¥400 - [Kenchō-ji Temple](https://yesgo.io/japan/kamakura/kencho-ji) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · ≈ ¥500 - [Engaku-ji Temple](https://yesgo.io/japan/kamakura/engaku-ji) — YesGo score 37/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · ¥500 - [Hase-dera Temple](https://yesgo.io/japan/kamakura/kamakura-hase-dera) — YesGo score 35/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · ¥400 - [Enoshima Island](https://yesgo.io/japan/kamakura/enoshima) — YesGo score 34/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · free; tower and caves ≈ ¥500 ## Kamakura in a day The Great Buddha and Hase-dera in the morning, Tsurugaoka Hachimangu shrine at midday, and the Komachi-dori shopping street in the evening. 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. [Tsurugaoka Hachimangū Shrine](https://yesgo.io/japan/kamakura/tsurugaoka-hachimangu) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · free 4. [Komachi-dori Street](https://yesgo.io/japan/kamakura/komachi-dori) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · free ## Good to know Tsurugaoka Hachimangu is not Iwashimizu Hachimangu near Kyoto or Usa Jingu in Kyushu, which are also dedicated to Hachiman. ## Tips - Entry is free. - Come in the morning. - The treasure hall is ¥200. - Walk back along the Dankazura path. - On the way: [Komachi-dori](https://yesgo.io/japan/kamakura/komachi-dori). ## Questions ### How much is entry to Tsurugaoka Hachimangu? Entry is free; the treasure hall is ¥200. ### What are the opening hours? Roughly 6:00–20:00. ### Who is the shrine dedicated to? Hachiman, patron of the Minamoto clan and the samurai. ### When was it founded? In 1063; it moved to its present site in 1180. ### How do I get there? 10 minutes on foot from Kamakura Station. ### When is yabusame? In mid-April and mid-September. ### How long do you need? About an hour. ### What's nearby? Komachi-dori street, Kencho-ji temple and Hokoku-ji. ## How we checked The official site didn't load from the server, so the history, hours, prices and festivals are from japan-guide.com; hours and prices are marked 'being checked'. Time needed is the YesGo estimate. ## Sources - japan-guide.com — history, halls, ponds, peony garden, yabusame, hours, treasure hall (via curl 09.11.2026; unofficial; hachimangu.or.jp didn't load) - English Wikipedia: Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū - Wikidata Q701403 — coordinates --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.