The Great Buddha sits in the open air. Hiking trails connect hilltop temples. The Enoden train rattles along the coast. Kamakura was once the seat of Japan's military government, and its temples and shrines carry that gravity. Softened by salt air and surfers.
What Kamakura is known for
Top-rated in Kamakura
Chichijima
4.7nature
Remote UNESCO island 1,000km south of Tokyo with endemic wildlife, pristine diving, and access only by weekly ferry.
Jogashima Island
4.7nature
Rugged sea-cliff island at Miura Peninsula's tip with coastal caves and rock pool trails.
Kotoku-in Temple
4.4temple
Iconic 13.35-meter bronze Buddha statue dating from 1252, Japan's second tallest bronze Buddha.
Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Honden
4.4shrine
This is the most sacred area at Tsurugaoka Hachimangu.
Hasedera
4.5temple
Sister to Nara's Hase-dera and one of the oldest temples in Kamakura.
Samukawa-jinja
4.5shrine
Shinto shrine in Kanagawa known for warding off misfortune, particularly popular for yakuyoke purification rituals.
Enoshima 'The Jewel of Shonan'
4.4viewpoint
An island-wide illumination featuring a lighthouse and tropical gardens.
Hokoku-ji Temple
4.4temple
Zen temple with 2,000 bamboo stalks and an in-grove matcha tea house, rivaling Arashiyama.