Kamakura: the Great Buddha, Zen temples and beach an hour from Tokyo
The former capital of the Japanese shogunate and one of the best day trips from Tokyo.
Kamakura at a glance
Kamakura was the seat of the first shogunate in Japanese history between the 12th and 14th centuries. That legacy is reflected in more than 65 temples and shrines, the most famous bronze Great Buddha in the country and a network of hiking trails through hills that link the temples along historic paths.
Kamakura works perfectly as a day trip from Tokyo: the JR Yokosuka line connects it with Tokyo Station and Shinjuku in under an hour and it is covered by the JR Pass. If you stay overnight, combine it with Enoshima or the hiking trail between the northern temples.
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Key Kamakura areas
Kamakura is split between the historic centre (Hachiman-gu and the shopping area), the north (Kita-Kamakura and its Zen temples) and the west (the Great Buddha and Hase-dera). The Enoden coastal train links the shore.
Great Buddha of Kotoku-inThe most famous bronze statue in Japan after the one in Nara: 13.35 metres tall, built in the 13th century. Unlike the Nara one, this is in the open air and you can step inside the torso.
Temples and shrinesKamakura preserves more than 65 temples and shrines: to the north, the great Zen temples of Kita-Kamakura such as Engaku-ji and Kencho-ji; to the west, Hase-dera with its viewpoint over the sea. Explore them early, when the gardens are almost empty.
Shichirigahama beach and FujiThe Kamakura coast, traversed by the picturesque Enoden train, offers beaches such as Shichirigahama with views of Mount Fuji on clear days. In summer it fills with surfers and bathers; out of season it is a quiet walk by the sea.
