Spending some time in Tokyo and want to escape the bustling city confines for a day? Look no further than the town of Kamakura, located just over an hour out of the city in the Kanagawa Prefecture, and easily accessible via JR train lines.
When tossing up ideas for day trips the usual culprits generally come to mind - Kyoto, Nikko, Hakone - just to name a few. Not one of my many well Japan-travelled friends mentioned the coastal town of Kamakura, which is why my companion and I were pleasantly surprised by the wealth of culture and things to do which the town afforded.
Things to do:
How to get to Kamakura:
When tossing up ideas for day trips the usual culprits generally come to mind - Kyoto, Nikko, Hakone - just to name a few. Not one of my many well Japan-travelled friends mentioned the coastal town of Kamakura, which is why my companion and I were pleasantly surprised by the wealth of culture and things to do which the town afforded.
Things to do:
- Check out the Great Budda of Kotokuin, the second largest Budda in Japan: for twenty yen visitors are even able to enter the centre of this monument which is over seven hundred years old.
- Go temple crazy. If you enjoyed Kyoto for its plethora of temples and shrines, you'll love Kamakura. Hasedera Temple and Hachimangu Shrine were my personal favourites, but these are only two of many.
- Take a stroll along the beach. If the weather is treating you well, a stroll along the beach, dipping your toes into the warm waters, is a must. If not, hitting up one of the many beachside cafes and bars is still a must for lunchtime!
- Visit Enoshima Island. Take a short train journey (20 minutes) from Kamakura Station over to the island of Enoshima. Hike through the lush surrounding, visit the many more shrines the island has to offer, or explore the depths Iwaya Caves or relax at Enoshima Island Spa.
How to get to Kamakura:
- From Tokyo Station: This is the route I personally took, catching the JR Yokosuka Line directly from Tokyo Station to Kamakura Station (make sure to ride all the way through, and not get off at Kita-Kamakura Station, the station before the city centre). The journey takes approximately 70 minutes, and is free for holders of the JR Pass or 920 yen for all others.
- From Shinjuku Station: For a direct link from Shinjuku Station to Kamakura Station catch the JR Shonan Shinjuku Line, also costing 920 yen and taking just over an hour. Make sure to catch a train bound for Sushi for direct access, otherwise you will be required to transfer to another line at Ofuna Station.
- Via Odakyu Railways: Buying an Enoshima Kamakura Free Pass will enable you to take the Odakyu Railways roundtrip from Shinjuku to Kamakura, and also gives you free assuage of the Enoden Train (the train line within Kamakura) for 1470 yen. If you already hold a JR Pass I wouldn't recommend this option, but for none pass holders it can be a good money saving move.