Kamakura 1-day itinerary

Start at Kamakura's most iconic sight — the Great Buddha (Daibutsu) at Kotoku-in temple. This 13.35-metre bronze Amida Buddha, cast in 1252, once sat inside a massive wooden hall that was swept away by a tsunami in 1498. Now it sits in the open air with the sky behind it, giving it a serene, timeless quality. For 50 yen extra, step inside the hollow statue. Walk 10 minutes to Hase-dera temple, perched on a hillside with a stunning 9.18-metre gilded wooden Kannon (goddess of mercy) — the largest wooden sculpture in Japan — and panoramic views over Sagami Bay from the observation terrace.

Walk or take the Enoden to Kamakura Station and head up Wakamiya Oji — the broad avenue that runs from the seafront to Tsurugaoka Hachimangu, Kamakura's most important Shinto shrine. Founded in 1063 and rebuilt in its current position in 1180 by Minamoto no Yoritomo (Japan's first shogun), the shrine complex includes sacred lotus ponds, a peony garden, and a dramatic stone staircase to the main hall with views back down the tree-lined avenue to the sea. The adjacent Kamakura National Treasure Museum houses Buddhist sculptures and samurai artefacts.

Walk through Komachi-dori, the narrow pedestrian shopping street near Kamakura Station. Browse Japanese crafts, try fresh-baked senbei (rice crackers), sample matcha soft-serve ice cream (400 yen), and pick up kamakura-bori lacquerware — a local craft dating back 800 years. For sunset, take the Enoden Line 25 minutes to Enoshima — the small island connected to the mainland by a bridge. Climb to the island's peak for a panoramic sunset view with Mount Fuji silhouetted on the western horizon on clear evenings.