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Last update: 20 Oct 2026
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Kamakura Summary
These place ratings give you a quick overview of how well a destination matches different types of trips.
‘Best for’ scores:
The specific interest scores show where this place really shines – whether it's ideal for hiking, food & drink experiences, museums or other activities. These highlights help you understand what makes the destination special at a glance.
‘Your personal’ scores:
This reflects how well a place matches your personal preferences. You can adjust the importances of travel topics or other personal requirements categories in your account settings.
‘Suited for’ badges:
These give you a quick overview of how well a destination suits specific types of travellers, to help you find the places that match your lifestyle, preferences or travel situation.
Suited for
Japan – Quick facts
| Power Grid: |
100 V, 50 Hz Plug: Type A
Type A:
 Read about power adapters |
|---|---|
| Currency: |
Japanese Yen (JPY) £1 ≈ JP¥210 |
| Cashless info: |
Rating 4/5
Cashless payments are becoming more common, especially in cities, with some shops still preferring cash. Be prepared for occasional cash-only situations in rural areas.
Save with a travel credit card |
| eSIM providers: |
Best value: Saily Flexibility: Airalo Read our in-depth comparison |
| Tipping: | Tipping is not customary in Japan and can be considered rude. Excellent service is the norm, and tipping is unnecessary in most places. |
|---|---|
| Public drinking: | Public drinking is legal and commonly accepted, particularly during festivals and events. |
| Public smoking: | Smoking is prohibited in indoor public places but allowed in designated outdoor areas. Some restaurants may have smoking sections. |
| New Year (January) |
One of the most important holidays, expect crowded temples and high prices. Plan ahead. |
|---|---|
| Golden Week (April-May) |
The busiest travel time, expect high demand for accommodation and transport. |
| Obon (August) |
A time to honour ancestors, many businesses close, and transport can be crowded. |
| Emergency contact: | Emergency Number: 110 (Police), 119 (Fire & Ambulance) |
|---|---|
| Taxi apps: | Uber, JapanTaxi, DiDi |
| Other: | Japan is a country of respect, so understanding local customs and etiquette is important. Public transport is efficient, but can be crowded during peak hours. |
Best times to travel
The best times to travel section shows how the months compare for a visit, so you can find the time of year that fits what you want to do.
Background colours of the months:
The colour shows the typical temperature: yellow (hot), green (mild) and blue (cold). How strong the colour is shows the travel season: full colour means high season, soft colour means shoulder season and soft-striped means off season.
Weather symbols:
Each month has one symbol showing what the weather is typically like, such as hot and sunny, freezing or a rainy or snowy season. Use them to quickly spot months that match the weather you want, or to avoid the ones that don't.
Crowdedness:
The people icon shows how busy the place usually is. The more people, the more crowded it gets.
Additional notes:
The grey info boxes point out special things worth knowing, like recurring weather issues or seasonal events.
for Kamakura, Japan
Weekends and holidays are far busier than weekdays, especially at Kotokuin (Great Buddha), Hasedera and Enoden trains
Rainy season roughly June to mid July; hydrangeas peak mid June at Meigetsuin and Hasedera
Typhoon risk August to October can disrupt Enoden trains and beach days
Don't miss
- 🗿 Visit the Great Buddha statue at Kotoku-in Temple
- 🌸 Explore Hasedera Temple’s gardens and sea views
- 🎋 Walk the bamboo groves of Hokokuji Zen Temple
- 🍡 Shop and eat along bustling Komachi-dori street
- 🥾 Hike the Daibutsu Trail through scenic wooded hills
- 🏄♀️ Relax or surf at Yuigahama Beach nearby
You've been here?
Log in to manage your own bucket list! Why travel to Kamakura?
The Great Buddha at Kotoku-in is a large outdoor bronze Amida Buddha and a national treasure. Hase-dera, a short walk away, is a hillside temple with a tall wooden Kannon statue, terraced gardens and a view over Yuigahama bay. Tsurugaoka Hachimangu is the city's main shrine, reached by a long avenue that goes from the beach to the hill. The Zen temples of Kita-Kamakura, such as Engaku-ji, are in wooded valleys and are quieter. Hokoku-ji has a small bamboo grove with a tea house. June fills the temples with hydrangeas and autumn turns the leaves red. Hiking trails link several temples across the hills and give a green break from the town. Kamakura is also a beach town. Yuigahama and Zaimokuza are popular for surfing and evening walks while Enoshima island is a short ride down the coast. A single day covers the main temples and a stretch of beach. Two days leave room to hike, add Kita-Kamakura and take a slower pace. The temples are smaller than Kyoto's and set among hills and sea, which gives the town a more relaxed feel.
🏯Places worth seeing
🎡Places for activities
-
1
Kamakura Tenen Hiking Course Entrance
🏞️Natural landmarks
🍽️Eat & Drink
-
1
Akimoto
Akimoto serves shirasu-don, rice bowls topped with local Shonan whitebait, either raw when the daily catch allows or lightly boiled. It is just outside Kamakura Station’s east exit, near Wakamiya-oji and the walk to Tsurugaoka Hachimangu. -
2
Kamakura Kamameshi Kamakama
Kamakama specialises in kamameshi rice cooked in individual pots, including a three-colour version with shirasu, salmon roe and sea urchin. It is on Komachi-dori, a few minutes on foot from Kamakura Station and Tsurugaoka Hachimangu. -
3
Shirasu Kenkyujo Kamakura
Shirasu Kenkyujo creates dishes using whitebait and produce sourced from Shonan-area producers, including shirasu bowls and the local kenchin-jiru vegetable soup. It is at 2-10-12 Komachi, around three minutes on foot from Kamakura Station. -
4
Kawagoeya
Kawagoeya serves shirasu bowls, seafood and soba, with whitebait delivered directly from fishing cooperatives. It is at 1-6-19 Komachi, directly near Kamakura Station’s east exit. -
5
Caraway
Caraway is a classic Kamakura curry restaurant known for substantial Japanese-style curry plates, including beef curry. It is near Komachi-dori and Hase’s central visitor area, a short walk from Kamakura Station. -
6
OXYMORON Komachi
OXYMORON serves spice-forward Japanese-style curries, seasonal desserts and drinks in a relaxed café setting. It is on Komachi-dori, about five minutes on foot from Kamakura Station. -
7
Kakiyahonten
Kakiya is a long-running Koshigoe restaurant known for shirasu bowls and seafood meals, including generous bowls of boiled whitebait. It is on the Enoden street-running section between Koshigoe and Enoshima stations. -
8
Hasedera Kaikoan
Kaikoan is a temple restaurant at Hasedera serving Buddhist-inspired vegetarian meals, plus matcha, sweets and views over Kamakura. It is inside Hasedera Temple, about five minutes on foot from Hase Station. -
9
Toshimaya Honten
Toshimaya’s flagship sells hato sabure, the dove-shaped butter biscuits that are Kamakura’s best-known souvenir sweet, along with seasonal Japanese confections. It is at 2-11-19 Komachi on Komachi-dori, near Kamakura Station.
🎈Events
-
Kamakura Festival (April)
-
Gion Festival (July)
-
Fireworks at Yuigahama Beach (August)
-
Hydrangea Festival (June)
-
Hatsumode at Tsurugaoka Hachimangu (New Year)
-
Setsubun at Hasedera (February)
-
Yabusame (Archery Festival, September)
-
Hase-dera Winter Illumination
-
Kamakura Mochitsuki (Rice Cake Making, January)
-
Kamakura Flower Festival (April)
Knowledge before you go
- Go early, since weekends and holidays are crowded at the Daibutsu.
- Black kites snatch food from hands near the beaches and Komachi-dori, so eat snacks indoors.
- The Great Buddha costs JP¥300 (£1.42) to see and JP¥50 (£0.24) more to step inside the statue.
- A hiking trail through the hills links Kita-Kamakura to the Daibutsu, taking roughly an hour on foot.
How to travel to Kamakura
Trains are the easiest way to reach Kamakura. From Tokyo Station the JR Yokosuka line takes about 55 minutes to Kamakura and the Shonan-Shinjuku line from Shinjuku takes a similar time. From Yokohama it takes about 25 minutes. The Odakyu line from Shinjuku reaches Fujisawa, where you change to the Enoden. Tokyo Haneda (HND) is the closer airport and takes roughly 1 hour 15 minutes by train via Yokohama. Narita (NRT) is further and takes around 2 to 2.5 hours depending on connections. By car, Kamakura is roughly 1 to 1.5 hours from central Tokyo in light traffic. Weekends and holidays bring heavy congestion around the coast road, so the train is the better choice.
Access summary
- From Haneda (HND): Keikyu + JR lines, around 1–1.5 hours.
- From Tokyo: JR Yokosuka or Shonan-Shinjuku Line, roughly 1 hour.
- From Yokohama: JR Yokosuka Line trains, about 25–35 minutes.
Check your route from anywhere
Where to stay in Kamakura
Kamakura has a small number of hotels, guesthouses and a few traditional inns, since most visitors come for the day. The area around Kamakura Station is the handiest base for trains and the sights. Some guesthouses and small hotels near Yuigahama and Zaimokuza are closer to the beach and suit surfers and slower stays. Hase has small inns close to the Daibutsu and Hase-dera and is quieter in the evening. Kita-Kamakura has a few places near the Zen temples. Choices are limited, so rooms fill on summer weekends and during the hydrangea and autumn leaf seasons. Book early then. Many visitors stay in Yokohama or Tokyo instead and take the train in. Yokohama is about 25 minutes away and has far more hotels, which gives you the option of an early start at the temples.
Hotel recommendations
*by rating and popularity. Commissions have no influence on the rankings.
Almont Inn Shonan-Fujisawa
Kamakura Prince Hotel
Hotel Hokke Club Shonan-Fujisawa
Tosei Hotel Cocone Kamakura
JR-EAST HOTEL METS KAMAKURA OFUNA
Sotetsu Fresa Inn Kamakura-Ofuna Higashiguchi
kipp hotel Syonan Fujisawa
LACER SUITES KAMAKURA（formerly kamakura seizan）
Smile Hotel Shonan Fujisawa
Sotetsu Fresa Inn Kamakura Ofuna Kasama guchi
How to get around Kamakura
The town is small enough that walking and trains cover most of it.
Stations and trains:
Kamakura Station is the hub, with Komachi-dori and Tsurugaoka Hachimangu a few minutes on foot. Kita-Kamakura Station, one stop north on the JR line, is the base for the Zen temples. The Daibutsu and Hase-dera are served by Hase Station on the Enoden, a small tram-like railway that links Kamakura and Fujisawa along narrow streets and the coast.
Buses:
Buses fill the gaps and serve temples further from the stations, such as those on the east side. They get slow at busy weekends because the roads are narrow. Day passes for the Enoden and buses exist but prices change, so check at the stations.
Hiking and taxis:
Hiking trails between Kita-Kamakura and Hase go through the hills if you want to link temples on foot. Taxis are easy to find but can be stuck in traffic. A car is more trouble than help here, since roads clog and parking is limited.
Food in Kamakura
Kamakura is a seafood town on Sagami Bay and a long-time Zen centre, so its food runs from fresh fish to temple vegetarian cooking. The beaches have casual cafes and craft beer spots. The town itself has plenty of small cafes and bakeries.
Shirasu:
Shirasu, small whitebait fish, are the local speciality. They come as a topping on rice bowls, either raw when the catch allows or lightly boiled.
Shojin ryori:
Shojin ryori is the vegetarian temple cuisine served at a few restaurants near the Zen temples. It's one of the easier ways to eat meat-free and fish-free in town.
Komachi-dori snacks:
Komachi-dori is a narrow street of snack stalls and sweets shops. It gets crowded at weekends, so it's best to go early or on a weekday.
Black kites circle over the beaches and Komachi-dori and snatch food from people's hands, so it helps to eat indoors or keep snacks covered. Convenience stores cover simple meals.
Budget snapshot
Costs compared to home
We calculate the average costs when travelling to destinations and compare those with the living costs at your home. With this you can get an estimate of how expensive or cheap the destination is for you.
To customise this, you can set up which location and price level are used for the calculations in your account settings.
Daily expenses in Kamakura are around 47% lower than the average across United States. That means you'll spend a lot less on meals and getting around.
Exchange rate trend
The exchange rate price factor shows how expensive or cheap a currency currently is compared to its historical average. It's a quick way to see if a country is currently more or less affordable due to exchange rate changes.
Your exchange rate (GBP to JPY) is 20% better than in recent years. That means travelling now is considerably cheaper compared to the past.
Travel costs
To help you plan your trip, we provide estimated daily costs per person (when travelling as a pair) for different travel styles. These numbers give you an idea of what you might spend each day at this destination, including accommodation, food, transport and activities.
Additionally, we also provide average hotel costs for different travel styles to give you an estimate for the accommodation only.
Please note that these are only estimates. The real costs depend on booking times, season and other factors.
To help you plan your trip, we provide estimated daily costs per person (when travelling as a pair) for different travel styles. These numbers give you an idea of what you might spend each day at this destination, including accommodation, food, transport and activities.
Additionally, we also provide average hotel costs for different travel styles to give you an estimate for the accommodation only.
Please note that these are only estimates. The real costs depend on booking times, season and other factors.
Daily cost summary
Travel style categories explained:
Backpacker:
Staying in hostels or budget hotels, cooking your own meals or eating cheap and choosing low-cost activities.
Mid-range:
Staying in mid-range hotels, eating at a mix of restaurants and casual spots and enjoying a variety of activities.
Luxury:
Staying in luxury hotels, dining out at high-end restaurants and enjoying premium experiences without worrying about the price.
Travel style categories explained:
Backpacker:
Staying in hostels or budget hotels, cooking your own meals or eating cheap and choosing low-cost activities.
Mid-range:
Staying in mid-range hotels, eating at a mix of restaurants and casual spots and enjoying a variety of activities.
Luxury:
Staying in luxury hotels, dining out at high-end restaurants and enjoying premium experiences without worrying about the price.
| Backpacker | Mid-range | Luxury | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 💵 Total costs per day, including accommodation | |||
| 🏨 Accommodation per night, per person | |||
| 🍝 Food per day | |||
| 🚕 Transportation per day |
Food & Drink
| 🍽️ Restaurant Dinner, per person | |
|---|---|
| 🍛 Lunch Set, per person | |
| 🍟 Fast food combo | |
| 🍝 Preparing your own food, per day | |
| ☕ Cappuccino | |
| 🍺 Beer in a restaurant, 0.5 l |
Transportation
| 🚌 Public transport ticket | |
|---|---|
| 🚕 Taxi Ride, 10 km / 6 mi | |
| ⛽ Petrol, 1 l |
Other
| 🎞️ Cinema ticket | |
|---|---|
| 👩⚕️ Doctor's consult | |
| 🤧 Cold medication | |
| 💇 Basic haircut |
Safety information overview
General safety
Kamakura is very safe, with low crime and calm streets. The main hazards are physical, since the beaches have strong currents and rip tides and heavy surf follows typhoons. The coast also sits in earthquake and tsunami territory.
Health & Medical
Kamakura has clinics, a general hospital and pharmacies near the station. English-speaking care is limited, so Yokohama or Tokyo are the better places for serious treatment. Summers are hot and humid, which makes heatstroke the main risk on temple walks.
Accessibility
Kamakura is hilly and has many temples with long stone staircases. The Daibutsu has a flat approach and the grounds are mostly manageable, but Hase-dera is steep. Narrow streets, uneven paths and crowded trains make wheelchair travel difficult on busy days.
Tap water
Tap water in Kamakura is safe to drink, as in the rest of Japan. Vending machines and convenience stores sell bottled water and tea near the stations and temples. Carry a bottle for the hikes since the trails have few shops.
Packing recommendations for Kamakura
Log in to add this place to a travel list and get a summary of all recommended items for your whole trip.
📷
Camera
👟
Comfortable walking shoes
🌞
Sun cream
summer
🚰
Reusable water bottle
👕
Light, breathable clothing
🧥
Waterproof jacket
🕶️
Sunglasses
summer
☂️
Folding umbrella
🎒
Small rucksack
👜
Anti-theft bag
🔋
Power bank
👒
Sun hat
summer
📱
Travel eSIM
🔌
Universal travel adaptor
💳
Credit card with no foreign transaction fees
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