Kamakura was the de facto capital of Japan during the Kamakura shogunate (1185-1333). The city sits in a bowl of forested hills on the coast south of Tokyo, surrounded on three sides by the Miura Peninsula ridges and opening south to Sagami Bay. The Great Buddha at Kotoku-in, the Dankazura (the cherry blossom avenue approaching the Tsurugaoka Hachimangu shrine), and the network of 800-year-old pilgrimage paths through the hills are the primary draws. The Enoden tram line connects Kamakura west along the coast to Enoshima island and the cave shrines below it.
Getting There
Shonan-Shinjuku Line (JR) from Shinjuku to Kamakura: 60 minutes direct. Trains run frequently. Kamakura station is at the edge of the old town; the Tsurugaoka Hachimangu shrine is 15 minutes walk northeast on the Dankazura approach avenue.
Alternatively: Yokosuka Line from Tokyo station to Kamakura: 55 minutes.
The Dankazura and Tsurugaoka Hachimangu
The Dankazura is the raised approach avenue to the Tsurugaoka Hachimangu shrine - 1.8 km of cherry trees in three parallel rows running from the sea (Wakamiya Oji at the coast) to the shrine gate. In early March the cherry blossom has not yet opened (peak is late March/early April), but the approach is processional regardless of season.
Tsurugaoka Hachimangu (free): the founding shrine of Kamakura, built by Minamoto no Yoritomo in 1180, rebuilt 1191. The shrine complex on its hilltop above the Dankazura is accessible by the stone staircase (climb on Day Two, not post-marathon Day One) or via the flat paths through the grounds. The ponds (Genpei Pond) to either side of the approach are lotus ponds; in March the bare stems are standing.
The Great Buddha
Kotoku-in Daibutsu (Great Buddha, entry approximately ¥300/€2 for the grounds, ¥20 extra to enter the hollow statue): the 13.35-metre bronze Amida Buddha, cast in 1252, originally housed in a wooden hall that was destroyed in a tsunami in 1498. The statue has sat in the open air for 525 years. The scale is deceptive until you stand next to it. The bronze surface has the colour of weathered copper. You can enter the hollow interior through two round windows in the back.
The path from Kamakura station to Kotoku-in (1.8 km on the Komachi Street shopping lane and then the main road) is flat and lined with souvenir shops and cafes - the correct warm-up walk on post-marathon Day One.
The Enoden Tram
Enoden (Enoshima Electric Railway): the narrow-gauge tram that runs from Kamakura station west along the coast to Fujisawa (10 stations, 34 minutes end to end). The tram is vintage 1950s rolling stock running through the back streets of coastal villages, sometimes so close to the houses that you can read the text messages on residents' phones through the windows.
Key stops:
- Hase (the Great Buddha stop, 5 minutes from Kamakura)
- Yuigahama (the main Kamakura beach access)
- Inamuragasaki (the clifftop headland where the Kamakura shogunate army crossed the sea on a receding tide in 1333 - the legend; a good beach)
- Enoshima (the island stop)
Enoshima Island
Enoshima is a 4-km-circumference island connected to the mainland by a 600-metre causeway. The island rises sharply from the causeway level to the 60-metre summit with the Enoshima Shrine complex.
The approach from the causeway: the Bentenbashi bridge (pedestrian, free), then the shopping street up the island hill. The Enoshima Escar (escalators inside the hill, entry approximately ¥360/€2.20) covers the height gain.
Iwaya Caves (Enoshima Cave Shrines, entry approximately ¥500/€3): two sea caves in the western cliff of the island, with shrine offerings, candles, and the sound of the sea through the rock. The first cave is 152 metres long; the second 56 metres. Post-marathon, the low-ceiling sections require head ducking - not a problem, but worth noting.
The view from Enoshima Observatory (Samuel Cocking Garden, entry approximately ¥200/€1.20): on a clear March day, Mt. Fuji is visible to the northwest. This is one of the few coastal viewpoints where the combination of sea, island, and Fuji works in a single frame.
Kamakura Hiking Trails
The Tenen Hiking Trail and Kinubari-yama (Daibutsu Hiking Trail): the ridge-top paths connecting the temples in the hills behind Kamakura. Total networks of approximately 15 km, all signed. Some steep sections; good for Day Two or Three post-marathon.
The Kakuon-ji Temple (entry approximately ¥200/€1.20, accessible only via the hiking trail): the most atmospheric of the Kamakura temples, in a forested valley above the town. Worth the 30-minute walk in from Kamakura station.
Where to Stay in Kamakura
Hotel Monterey Kamakura near the station: the most convenient option. Kamakura Prince Hotel on Zaimokuza beach: sea-facing, flat walk to the Enoden. Hatsuhana Ryokan in the old town: traditional Japanese inn (ryokan), futon, multi-course kaiseki dinner, shared onsen. Booking essential.
Where to Eat
Bergfeld on Komachi Street: German bakery opened 1979, the correct choice for post-Buddha afternoon cake. Ippo near the station for soba noodles. Naruto on Komachi Street for the Kamakura shirasu (whitebait) rice bowl - the local speciality, only fresh from February to December.
Getting to Haneda Airport
Kamakura to Haneda Airport: Shonan-Shinjuku Line from Kamakura to Musashi-Kosugi (30 min), then change to Keikyu Line south to Haneda (approximately 45 minutes total). Alternatively, Kamakura to Yokohama (30 min by Shonan-Shinjuku or Yokosuka Line), then Keikyu from Yokohama to Haneda (25 minutes). Total approximately 75 minutes. No expressway traffic involved.
Practical Notes
- Kamakura is 50 km south of central Tokyo.
- March in Kamakura: 7-14°C. The sea wind along the coast can be cool.
- JR Pass holders: the Shonan-Shinjuku Line is covered; the Enoden is not (separate ticket required, approximately ¥280/¥190 per section).
- The IC card (Suica/Pasmo) works on the Enoden and JR services.
- Plum blossom vs cherry: In early March, the plum blossom (ume) at Haase Wakamiya Shrine and Zuisenji Temple is at its peak - often better than the cherry blossom that follows in late March/early April.