Kamakura is one of the most rewarding places near Tokyo to experience Japan’s autumn colours. Ancient Zen temples sit beneath wooded hills, maple trees turn brilliant shades of red and orange, and golden leaves gather around centuries-old stone paths and shrine grounds. What makes Kamakura especially appealing is its timing. While autumn foliage in Japan’s … Read more
Kamakura is one of the best family day trips from Tokyo, combining enormous Buddha statues, traditional Japanese temples, scenic local trains, beaches and plenty of places to stop for food. Only around an hour from central Tokyo, the coastal city offers children a different experience from Japan’s busy capital. You can ride the charming Enoden … Read more
You don’t need to travel to Lake Kawaguchi or Hakone to see Mount Fuji. On a clear day, Japan’s most famous mountain can also be seen rising above the coastline from Enoshima and Kamakura, just over an hour from Tokyo. The Shonan coast offers one of the most distinctive Mount Fuji landscapes in Japan. Instead … Read more
Kamakura is famous for its Great Buddha, historic temples and traditional shopping streets, but one of the city’s most enjoyable features is its coastline. Just a short walk or train ride from the main sightseeing areas, the streets open towards Sagami Bay. Wide sandy beaches stretch along the water, surfers wait for waves, and on … Read more
Just a few minutes from Kamakura Station, the Enoden railway arrives in a neighbourhood filled with old temples, narrow streets, traditional shops and paths leading towards the sea. This is Hase, one of the best areas to visit in Kamakura and home to two of the city’s most important attractions. The first is the Kamakura … Read more
Just one train stop before central Kamakura, the scenery begins to change. Hills covered in trees rise around the railway, temple roofs appear between the branches, and narrow roads lead into some of Japan’s most historically important Zen Buddhist monasteries. This is Kita-Kamakura, the quieter northern side of Kamakura. While most first-time visitors head straight … Read more
Kamakura is best known for its temples, shrines and beaches, but some of the city’s most rewarding places are hidden in the wooded hills surrounding its historic centre. A short walk from the busy sightseeing streets can lead to narrow forest paths, old stone steps, hillside shrines and viewpoints overlooking the coast. In some places, … Read more
Tucked into the wooded hills of eastern Kamakura, Hokokuji Temple offers an experience that feels very different from the city’s famous Great Buddha and busy shopping streets. Behind a modest Zen Buddhist temple, approximately 2,000 tall bamboo stalks rise above narrow stone pathways. Sunlight filters through the leaves, moss grows across the surrounding rocks, and … Read more
At the end of Kamakura’s grand central avenue, a wide staircase rises towards a brilliant vermilion shrine overlooking the city. Below it are ceremonial buildings, traditional bridges, lotus ponds and smaller sanctuaries surrounded by trees. This is Tsurugaoka Hachimangu, one of Kamakura’s most important historical landmarks and a place that helps explain why the city … Read more
Just a couple of minutes from Kamakura Station, a red torii gate marks the entrance to one of the city’s liveliest streets. Beyond it, the narrow road is lined with Japanese sweet shops, sizzling curry bread, matcha desserts, traditional confectioners and small boutiques selling everything from ceramics to handmade accessories. This is Komachi Street, known … Read more