Kamakura, Kanagawa · Things to do
Things to Do in Kamakura: 11 Places with Hours, Prices and Access
11 things to do · checked October 20, 2026
11 things to do in Kamakura, grouped by where they are
Hours, prices and access checked against each place's own page on October 20, 2026. They change; check before you go.
1Kotoku-in (the Great Buddha)高徳院（鎌倉大仏）
Temple, bronze Buddha · Hase
The temple that holds the Great Buddha of Kamakura. For an extra ¥50 you can go inside the statue. Enoden describes the Daibutsu as a national treasure.
- Access
- Enoden Hase Station, 7 minutes on foot. Hase is the third stop from Kamakura (about 7 minutes by train) and the 11th from Fujisawa (about 40 minutes).
- Hours
- April–September 8:00–17:30; October–March 8:00–17:00 (enter up to 15 minutes before closing). Inside the statue 8:00–16:30 (enter up to 10 minutes before closing)
- Price
- Adults ¥300; children 6–12 ¥150; under 6 free; inside the Great Buddha +¥50
2Hasedera長谷寺
Temple · Hase
A temple in Hase that Enoden describes as popular for its views of hydrangeas and the sea. The temple runs its own restaurant, Kaikoan, with a view over Hase and Yuigahama bay.
- Access
- Enoden Hase Station, 5 minutes on foot; or from JR Kamakura Station by bus to Hase-Kannon, then 5 minutes on foot.
- Hours
- July–March 8:00–17:00 (last entry 16:30); April–June 8:00–17:30 (last entry 17:00)
- Price
- Adults ¥400; elementary school age ¥200
3Yuigahama Beach由比ガ浜海水浴場
Beach · Yuigahama
One of the three swimming beaches Kamakura city opens each summer, with Zaimokuza and Koshigoe. It carried the Blue Flag in 2026. In the Yuigahama and Zaimokuza areas fishing boats have priority at the water.
- Access
- Enoden Yuigahama Station, between Hase and Wadazuka.
- Hours
- 2026 swimming season: 1 July–31 August, 9:00–17:00 (2027 dates not found on the city pages)
4Tsurugaoka Hachimangu鶴岡八幡宮
Shrine · Kamakura Station area
The Hachiman shrine that Kamakura grew around. The shrine's own site presents it as the starting point of samurai society, of Kamakura culture and of the city.
- Access
- 10 minutes on foot from the east exit of JR Kamakura Station, or 10 minutes from Enoden Kamakura Station.
- Hours
- Grounds open 6:00–20:00 all year. Treasure Hall 9:00–16:00 (may close between exhibitions)
5Komachi-dori小町通り
Shopping street · Kamakura Station area
The shopping street that leads from Kamakura Station toward Tsurugaoka Hachimangu, lined with long-established shops, sweets and souvenirs. The shopping association asks visitors not to enter shops while eating or drinking, and to take litter away or hand it back to the shop where they bought it.
- Access
- Leads from Kamakura Station toward Tsurugaoka Hachimangu.
- Hours
- Set by each shop; the association has no shared opening hours
- Closed on
- No shared closing day. The association says many shops close on one day between Tuesday and Thursday
6Zeniarai Benzaiten Ugafuku Shrine銭洗弁財天宇賀福神社
Shrine · Sasuke
A shrine in a hillside valley where visitors wash money in spring water, one of Kamakura's Five Notable Springs, in the belief that it will increase their money. The Kamakura City Tourist Association asks visitors to arrive by 16:00.
- Access
- 2-25-16 Sasuke, Kamakura. The Tourist Association lists it under the Kamakura Station area but gives no walking time, so check the route before you go.
- Hours
- 8:00–16:30 (arrive by 16:00)
- Closed on
- Open every day
- Price
- No fixed fee; offering at your discretion
7Engakuji円覚寺
Zen temple · Kita-Kamakura
A Rinzai Zen head temple beside Kita-Kamakura Station. The tea house Benten-jaya in the grounds opens at 9:00 and closes one hour before the gate; its summer and winter closures are announced on the temple site.
- Access
- JR Kita-Kamakura Station, 1 minute on foot.
- Hours
- March–November 8:30–16:30 (leave the grounds by 17:00); December–February 8:30–16:00 (leave by 16:30)
- Closed on
- Open every day; may close for typhoons or snow
- Price
- Adults (high school and over) ¥500; elementary and junior high ¥200
8Kenchoji建長寺
Zen temple · Kita-Kamakura
A Zen temple founded by the regent Hojo Tokiyori, with Daikaku Zenji as its founding priest; the temple's history page places the opening sermon in 1253. A notice posted on 1 October 2026 says admission is free on 24 October.
- Access
- From JR Kita-Kamakura Station, about 15 minutes on foot or 5 minutes by Enoden Bus (bound for Kamakura Station, get off at Kenchoji). From JR Kamakura Station, 10 minutes by Enoden Bus (bound for Ofuna, get off at Kenchoji) or about 30 minutes on foot.
- Hours
- 8:30–16:30
- Price
- Adults (high school and over) ¥500; elementary and junior high ¥200; cash only
9Hokokuji bamboo garden報国寺（竹の庭）
Temple garden · Jomyoji
A temple whose garden is a bamboo garden, admitted separately from the grounds. The temple's café, Kyukoan, serves matcha with a dry sweet while you look out on the garden.
- Access
- From JR Kamakura Station, Keikyu Bus stop no. 4 on the east side, bound for Kanazawa Hakkei or Highland, about 12 minutes to Jomyoji; then about 3 minutes on foot.
- Hours
- Garden 9:00–16:00
- Closed on
- 29 December–3 January; may close in bad weather
- Price
- Garden: high school and over ¥400; elementary and junior high ¥200. Matcha with a dry sweet ¥600
10Enoden (Enoshima Electric Railway)江ノ島電鉄（江ノ電）
Railway · Kamakura – Enoshima – Fujisawa
The line that links Kamakura, Enoshima and Fujisawa, with 15 stations from Fujisawa to Kamakura. The Noriorikun one-day ticket allows unlimited rides on the day of issue and is sold at every station's ticket machine and in digital form.
- Access
- Kamakura and Fujisawa are the two ends of the line. From Kamakura, Hase is the 3rd stop and Enoshima the 9th, counting the Enoden station list.
- Price
- Noriorikun one-day ticket: adults ¥800, children ¥400 (valid on the issue date only)
11Enoshima (Sea Candle and Samuel Cocking Garden)江の島（シーキャンドル・サムエル・コッキング苑）
Island, garden and observation tower · Enoshima
The island off Fujisawa at the far end of the Enoden. The Samuel Cocking Garden is free from 9:00 to 17:00 on days without an event, and the Sea Candle tower stands inside it. The Shonan Candle 2026 event runs until 3 November.
- Access
- The garden entrance is 20–26 minutes on foot from the three nearest stations: Odakyu Katase-Enoshima, Enoden Enoshima and Shonan Monorail Shonan-Enoshima. By bus, the Enoshima stop is 8 minutes on foot from the garden: about 15 minutes from Fujisawa Station, about 30 from Ofuna. Three paid escalator sections (the Escar) climb the island.
- Hours
- Garden 9:00–20:00 (last entry 19:30); Sea Candle 9:00–20:00; Escar 8:50–19:05. Times vary by facility and event
- Price
- Garden free 9:00–17:00 (free all day without an event; ¥500 adults / ¥250 children after 17:00 on event days). Sea Candle ¥800 / ¥400. Escar, all three sections ¥500 / ¥250. Adult = junior high and over
Good to know
Think of Kamakura as four groups, all reached from Kamakura Station: Hase on the Enoden, the shrine and shopping street in town, the Zen temples around Kita-Kamakura, and Enoshima at the far end of the Enoden line. Most temples stop admitting visitors between 16:00 and 17:30. Tsurugaoka Hachimangu's grounds stay open until 20:00, and the Enoshima garden until 20:00.
Entry is cheap: the Great Buddha ¥300 (¥350 with the inside), Hasedera ¥400, Kenchoji and Engakuji ¥500 each, the Hokokuji bamboo garden ¥400. Zeniarai Benzaiten asks only for an offering, and the Enoshima garden is free by day. Kenchoji takes cash only.
Dates to plan around: Kenchoji posted on 1 October 2026 that admission is free on 24 October. Shonan Candle on Enoshima runs until 3 November. Hokokuji closes from 29 December to 3 January. Yuigahama's 2026 swimming season ran from 1 July to 31 August, and the 2027 dates were not found on the city's pages.
Hase, the town centre, Kita-Kamakura or Enoshima
How to reach each group from Kamakura Station, what it costs to get in, and when it stops admitting visitors. Adult prices; children's prices are on each card above.
| Where | From Kamakura Station | Entry (adult) | Stops admitting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hase: Kotoku-in and Hasedera | Enoden, Hase is the 3rd stop (about 7 minutes), then 5–7 minutes on foot | Kotoku-in ¥300 (+¥50 inside) · Hasedera ¥400 | Kotoku-in last entry 15 minutes before 17:00 (Oct–Mar) or 17:30 (Apr–Sep) · Hasedera last entry 16:30 (Jul–Mar) or 17:00 (Apr–Jun) |
| Town centre: Tsurugaoka Hachimangu and Komachi-dori | On foot, about 10 minutes from the east exit to the shrine | Fee not stated on the pages checked · Komachi-dori has no entry fee, each shop sets its hours | Shrine grounds close 20:00 · Treasure Hall 16:00 |
| Zeniarai Benzaiten | Sasuke valley; the Tourist Association gives no walking time | Offering at your discretion | Arrive by 16:00; closes 16:30 |
| Kita-Kamakura: Engakuji and Kenchoji | JR to Kita-Kamakura; Kenchoji also by Enoden Bus, 10 minutes from the station | Engakuji ¥500 · Kenchoji ¥500 (cash only) | Engakuji 16:30 (16:00 Dec–Feb) · Kenchoji 16:30 |
| Hokokuji bamboo garden | Keikyu Bus about 12 minutes to Jomyoji, then 3 minutes on foot | Garden ¥400 · matcha ¥600 | Garden 16:00 · matcha tickets until 15:30 |
| Enoshima | Enoden toward Fujisawa, Enoshima is the 9th stop | Garden free by day · Sea Candle ¥800 · Escar ¥500 | Garden last entry 19:30 · Sea Candle 20:00 |
By kind of trip
First trip, one day
The Great Buddha and Hasedera are on the Enoden, Tsurugaoka Hachimangu is a walk from the station, and the shrine's grounds stay open until 20:00. Plan Hase first: in October to March Kotoku-in closes at 17:00.
Kotoku-in (the Great Buddha) · Hasedera · Tsurugaoka Hachimangu · Komachi-dori
Zen temples at Kita-Kamakura
Engakuji is 1 minute from Kita-Kamakura Station. Kenchoji is a 15-minute walk or a 5-minute bus ride from the same station. Both stop at 16:30, and Engakuji at 16:00 from December to February.
By the sea
The Enoden runs along the coast from Kamakura to Enoshima. Yuigahama is between Hase and Wadazuka; swimming is limited to the summer season.
Enoden (Enoshima Electric Railway) · Yuigahama Beach · Enoshima (Sea Candle and Samuel Cocking Garden)
Late in the day
Tsurugaoka Hachimangu's gates are open until 20:00, and the Enoshima garden and Sea Candle until 20:00, with the last garden entry at 19:30. Temples have closed by 17:30 at the latest.
Tsurugaoka Hachimangu · Enoshima (Sea Candle and Samuel Cocking Garden)
Low cost
Zeniarai Benzaiten asks for an offering only and the Enoshima garden is free by day. The Great Buddha is ¥300, and the Noriorikun Enoden ticket is ¥800 for a day of unlimited rides.
Zeniarai Benzaiten Ugafuku Shrine · Enoshima (Sea Candle and Samuel Cocking Garden) · Kotoku-in (the Great Buddha) · Enoden (Enoshima Electric Railway)
Questions
How much does it cost to see the Great Buddha, and can I go inside?
Kotoku-in charges adults ¥300 and children aged 6–12 ¥150; under 6 are free. Going inside the statue costs ¥50 more and is open 8:00–16:30, entering up to 10 minutes before closing. The grounds are open 8:00–17:30 from April to September and 8:00–17:00 from October to March.
How do I get to the Great Buddha and Hasedera?
Take the Enoden from Kamakura Station: Hase Station is the third stop, about 7 minutes. Kotoku-in is 7 minutes on foot from the station and Hasedera is 5 minutes. Hasedera also lists the bus from Kamakura Station to Hase-Kannon, then 5 minutes on foot.
How late can I visit the temples?
Kotoku-in closes at 17:00 from October to March and 17:30 from April to September. Hasedera closes at 17:00 from July to March and 17:30 from April to June, with last entry 30 minutes earlier. Engakuji and Kenchoji take their last visitors at 16:30 (Engakuji at 16:00 from December to February). Tsurugaoka Hachimangu's grounds stay open until 20:00.
How do I get to Enoshima, and what does it cost to go up?
The Enoden reaches Enoshima Station on its way toward Fujisawa, the 9th stop from Kamakura. From the three nearest stations the garden entrance is 20–26 minutes on foot. The garden is free from 9:00 to 17:00 on days without an event, the Sea Candle is ¥800 for adults and ¥400 for children, and the three-section Escar is ¥500 / ¥250.
Can I swim at Yuigahama?
Only in the summer swimming season. In 2026 Kamakura city opened Yuigahama, Zaimokuza and Koshigoe from 1 July to 31 August, 9:00–17:00. The 2027 dates were not found on the city's pages when this was checked.