Kamakura 3-day itinerary

Begin with the Great Buddha at Kotoku-in (300 yen entry). The 13.35-metre bronze statue has sat here since 1252, surviving earthquakes, typhoons, and the tsunami that destroyed its surrounding hall. The scale is impressive up close — the head alone weighs 15 tonnes. Walk to Hase-dera temple (400 yen), built into the hillside above the coast. The main hall holds a gilded 9.18-metre Kannon statue, and the Jizo-do garden is filled with small stone Jizo statues left by parents mourning lost children — deeply moving and uniquely Japanese.

Walk the cherry tree-lined Dankazura approach road to Tsurugaoka Hachimangu shrine. The shrine was the spiritual centre of Kamakura's military government — samurai came here to pray before battle. Explore the main hall, the maiden dance stage where traditional ceremonies are performed, and the Genpei Ponds symbolising the Minamoto and Taira clans. Visit the Kamakura National Treasure Museum (400 yen) for outstanding Buddhist sculptures, calligraphy, and weapons from the Kamakura period (1185–1333).

Browse Komachi-dori's 250+ shops and food stalls. Try fresh warabi mochi (bracken starch mochi), taiyaki (fish-shaped red bean cakes, 200 yen), and handmade senbei hot off the grill. For dinner, Kamakura's speciality is shirasu — tiny translucent whitebait caught off the nearby coast, served raw (nama shirasu) on rice. Matsubara-an near the station serves excellent handmade soba noodles, and Bowls does fresh poke-style shirasu rice bowls for around 1,200 yen.

Start at Kita-Kamakura Station and walk immediately into Engaku-ji (500 yen), one of the five great Zen temples of Kamakura, founded in 1282 to honour soldiers killed in the Mongol invasions. The temple complex spreads across a forested hillside with subtemples, moss-covered gates, and a massive bronze bell cast in 1301 — a National Treasure. Walk 10 minutes south to Kencho-ji (500 yen), Kamakura's oldest Zen temple (1253) and the most important of the Five Mountains. The juniper trees flanking the main path were allegedly planted by the founding Chinese monk 770 years ago.

From the rear of Kencho-ji temple, a trail leads up into the wooded hills above Kamakura — the Ten-en Hiking Trail. This 4km ridge walk (1.5–2 hours) passes through dense forest with occasional viewpoints over the Kamakura valley and Sagami Bay. The trail connects Kencho-ji to Zuisen-ji temple on the eastern side of the valley. The path is well-maintained but includes steep sections with exposed tree roots and stone steps. In autumn, the forest canopy turns brilliant red and gold.

End the hiking trail at Zuisen-ji temple (200 yen), famous for its Zen rock garden designed by the temple's founder, Muso Soseki, in the 14th century. The garden combines rocks, water, and a carved cliff face into a contemplative landscape. The plum blossoms here (February) are considered the finest in Kamakura. Walk back to Kamakura Station through residential lanes — a quiet contrast to Komachi-dori. For dinner, try ramen at Kamakura Afuri or local craft beer at Kamakura Beer Komachi.

Take the Enoden Line from Kamakura to Enoshima — one of Japan's most charming train rides. The vintage single-car electric tram winds through residential streets so narrow that you could reach out and touch the houses, then emerges along the coastline with views across Sagami Bay to the Izu Peninsula. Get off at Enoshima Station and walk across the 600-metre bridge to the island. Climb the stone steps through the shrine complex, passing through the bronze torii gate and Dragon's Cave on the way to the island's summit.

Explore Enoshima's three linked shrines dedicated to the goddess Benzaiten — the shrine complex has been a pilgrimage site for over 1,000 years. The Samuel Cocking Garden at the summit contains subtropical plants and the Sea Candle observation tower (500 yen) with 360-degree views — on clear days, Mount Fuji dominates the western skyline. Descend to the Iwaya Caves on the island's far side, where ocean waves have carved sea caves decorated with Buddhist statues and candle-lit passageways. The rocky tide pools outside host small crabs and sea anemones.

Position yourself on Enoshima's west-facing observation deck or the rocky platforms near the caves for sunset. On clear evenings, Mount Fuji appears as a perfect silhouette against an orange sky — one of the most photographed views in the Kanto region. Walk back through the shrine village and eat at one of the seafood restaurants near the bridge — fresh shirasu (whitebait) rice bowls (1,000–1,500 yen), grilled sazae (turban snails), and local craft beer from Enoshima Beer. Take the Enoden back to Kamakura in the dark.