Kamakura Day Trip Itinerary from Tokyo

Last updated: August 29, 2025

Getting from Tokyo to Kamakura

Kamakura is about 60 km south of Tokyo and is one of the most popular seaside getaways for Tokyo locals on weekends. Many movies and anime have also been filmed or set here. There are several routes, but here’s one that lets you avoid backtracking:

① Take the JR Line from Shinjuku to Kamakura (about 54 minutes, ¥950).
② Explore the Kamakura area with the Enoden Line (a small green local train that runs along the coast).
③ Ride the Shonan Monorail (a suspended monorail that hangs from the track—see video here) from Shonan-Enoshima to Ofuna (15 minutes, ¥320).
④ From Ofuna, take a direct JR train back to Shinjuku (about 50 minutes, ¥950).

Map & One-Day Itinerary

• From Shinjuku, take JR and arrive at Kamakura Station in about 1 hour.

• If you arrive in the morning, start with ② Hokoku-ji Temple to see the bamboo grove and enjoy matcha.

• If you arrive around noon, have lunch at ① Komachi-dori Street instead. (Most visitors skip Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine and head straight to ③ Hasedera Temple, which offers better scenery.)

• Take the Enoden Line to Hase Station and visit ③ Hasedera Temple and ④ Great Buddha of Kamakura. (Plan about 1 hour here. Hasedera also has a restaurant inside.)

• If the weather is nice, stop by ⑤ Shichirigahama Beach for ocean views and fresh sea air.(About 30 minutes. There are seaside restaurants as well.)

• End your trip at ⑥ Enoshima Island—hike up the hill, enjoy coastal views, and watch the sunset. (Plan 2–3 hours here.)

• Return to Shinjuku.

Kamakura Attractions

1. Komachi-dori & Tsurugaoka Hachimangu

Komachi-dori is a shopping street in Kamakura about 360 meters long with around 250 shops. It’s good for food and souvenirs. At the end of Komachi-dori is Tsurugaoka Hachimangu (a Shinto shrine). The shrine is open from 6:00 AM–8:00 PM and has no admission fee. It was founded in 1063 and is dedicated to Hachiman, the samurai deity. If you are not interested in Japanese history (the shrine was the protector of the Kamakura shogunate and many official ceremonies were held here), you can skip it and visit Hasedera for better scenery.

Recommended Visit Time: 30–60 minutes
Getting There: Take JR or the Enoden (Enoshima Electric Railway) to Kamakura Station.
Watch: Komachi-Dori Street in Kamakura

Watch: Tsurugaoka Hachimangu – Kamakura, Kanagawa

2. Hokoku-ji (Bamboo Grove)

Hokoku-ji was founded in 1334 by Uesugi Shigekane to honor his ancestors. The temple is now part of the Kencho-ji branch of the Rinzai school and its main object of worship is Shakyamuni Buddha. Most visitors come for matcha tea and the bamboo grove. There are about 2,000 bamboo plants, but the grove is not very large—so keep your expectations moderate.

Admission: Adults ¥400 / Children ¥200
Matcha tea: ¥600 per person
Hours: 9:00 AM–4:00 PM
Recommended Visit Time: 30–60 minutes
Official Site: houkokuji.or.jp
Getting There: Take JR or the Enoden to Kamakura Station. From the station east exit, take Keikyu Bus #4 to Jomyoji (about 12 minutes), then walk 3 minutes to the temple. A taxi is about ¥1,000.
Watch: Hokokuji Bamboo Temple in Kamakura

3. Hasedera Temple

Hasedera is built on a hillside. The main hall houses a large wooden Kannon (bodhisattva) statue about 9.18 meters tall. The temple is also famous for hydrangeas—about 2,500 hydrangea plants of roughly 40 varieties bloom around June.

Hours: April–June: 8:00 AM–5:00 PM; July–March: 8:00 AM–4:30 PM
Admission: Adults ¥400 / Children ¥200
Recommended Visit Time: 30–60 minutes
Tips for Visiting:

• June is very busy. There is an extra ¥500 hydrangea viewing fee in June (in addition to the regular admission).
• The temple has a restaurant with good views—food and drinks available (beer, pasta, udon, curry rice).
• If you love hydrangeas, also consider Meigetsu-in (a bit farther away), famous for its blue hydrangeas.

Official Site: hasedera.jp
Getting There: Take the Enoden to Hase Station, then walk about 5 minutes.
Watch: Hasedera Temple and Gardens

Watch: Hydrangeas in Full Bloom at Hasedera Temple

4. Kamakura Daibutsu (Great Buddha)

The Great Buddha of Kamakura is at Kōtoku-in and is a bronze statue. It is the second-largest Buddha in Japan after the statue at Nara’s Tōdai-ji. The statue is about 11.3 meters tall and weighs around 121 tons. The temple grounds are small. The Buddha is hollow inside; there is a small extra fee to go inside.

Hours: April–September: 8:00 AM–5:30 PM; October–March: 8:00 AM–5:00 PM
Admission: Adults ¥300 / Children ¥150 (inside-entry ¥50 extra)
Recommended Visit Time: 15 minutes
About Buddhism: The Great Buddha here represents Amitābha (Amida), who is said to come from another world or realm. In China and Thailand, many temple statues are of Shakyamuni (the historical Buddha who was born in ancient India). One Buddha is not “higher” or “lower” than the other; followers respect and learn from both, and there is no conflict between them. However, their practice styles and spiritual aims can be a little different. Unlike Christianity or Islam, Buddhism does not teach a single, all-powerful God. In Buddhism, the world runs according to certain laws or principles, and there is no supreme being who rules everything. Buddhas are teachers who show people how to practice and awaken. Buddhism also accepts that other gods may exist; those gods might have special powers, but they are still subject to the same laws and are not eternal, unique, or absolutely supreme.
Official Site: kotoku-in.jp
Getting There: Take the Enoden to Hase Station, then walk about 7 minutes.
by Yekaterina Golatkina | Griffin Quinn | AXP Photography

5. Shichirigahama Beach

Shichirigahama is Kamakura’s best-known beach and appears in many anime and TV dramas. On very clear days—especially in winter when the air is dry—you can see both the sea and Mount Fuji. On ordinary days, the view is not special, so only go if the weather looks good.

Recommended Visit Time: 15 minutes
Getting There: Take the Enoden and get off at Shichirigahama Station.
by note thanun

6. Enoshima

Enoshima is a small island at the mouth of Sagami Bay with a coastline of about 4 km. It is a good place for sea views and sunsets.

Recommended Visit Time: 2-3 hours
Tips for Visiting:

• Enter the island on foot via Enoshima Benten Bridge and walk along the shopping street.
• At the end of the shopping street is Enoshima Shrine. From there you can take the outdoor elevator to the top (elevator total length 106 m, three sections). Elevator fare: Adults ¥360 / Children ¥180. Or climb: about 20 minutes to the top (top elevation ~60 m).
• From the top, visit the Sea Candle (Enoshima Lighthouse Observation) — Adult ticket ¥500 / Child ¥250.
• If you like, eat at the sea-view restaurant Uomitei.
• You can explore the southwest rock area (Chigogafuchi) and take the small boat Bentenmaru back to Enoshima Benten Bridge for about ¥400.

Official Site: fujisawa-kanko.jp
Getting There: Take the Enoden to Enoshima Station or the Shonan Monorail to Shonan-Enoshima Station. From either station, it’s about a 20-minute walk to the island.

Watch: 日本百景のひとつ「江ノ島の裏側」

Watch: An Island That Suits Anime-Like Youth

Thank you for reading — have a wonderful trip! ヽ(´▽`)/