Kamakura

Just over an hour away from Tokyo Station on the Yokosuka Line, Kamakura is the perfect seaside retreat after you’ve spent a few days wrecking your feet on the streets of the capital city. Whether you’d prefer to lace up those hiking shoes, read a book in one of the many boutique and cosy cafes, get caught up in the centuries-old history, or have one of the greatest views of Mount Fuji in the country, Kamakura has something to offer. Here’s a list of some of the best things to do in Kamakura.

The Great Buddha of Kamakura

Whether you’re coming to Kamakura for a day trip from Tokyo (great idea!) or just staying here a couple of days to relax, this is something you’ve probably seen before. It seems to be the poster child for tourism campaigns in Kamakura, and while I personally enjoyed visiting, it’s worth keeping in mind that your ticket will only allow you to walk around the Buddha. There are no gardens, and no other spaces. If you’re looking for historical things to do in Kamakura (and you’re a history nerd like me), then you’ll probably enjoy it.

Tickets to The Great Buddha are only ¥200, and you can walk underneath the statue for another ¥20. While the actual ‘attraction’ is just a single monument, this seems like a very reasonable deal compared to other countries I’ve visited – certainly compared to some of the things ‘attractions’ in the U.K.

As a designated national treasure, Kamakura Diabutsu is a genuinely impressive bronze statue. Though if you ask me, Tōdai-ji in Nara still takes the win. Do yourself a favour, visit both of them!

If you’re taking the Enoden (streetcar), it’s just a few minutes walk from Hase Station. It’s a little longer from Kamakura station, but still very much walkable. I’m saying that under the assumption that if you’ve come to Japan, I’d guess you’re physically fit enough to walk for around 20 minutes at a time.

View Mount Fuji from Cape Inamuragasaki

Before I even set foot in Japan, I saw a photo of people surfing under Mount Fuji and knew I had to visit. Unfortunately, my surfing skills aren’t quite good enough, but I did get to visit the beach.

Once you’ve made it to the beachfront, turn to the right and walk all the way along, through the tunnel, and you’ll come out the other side of Cape Inamuragasaki. You can go all the way down to the beach (and of course, much further on), but I prefer grabbing a seat at Kamakurakaihinkouen inamuragasakichiku (park and garden), which gives even better views.

It’ll take you about 20 minutes if you’re walking from the beach front (if you’ve walked from Kamakura station), or about 30 minutes if you’re walking from The Great Buddha.

It’s worth noting, I’ve been here twice and never seen Fuji in all its glory because of haze and clouds. Third time’s the charm, hopefully!

Hike One of the Many Kamakura Trails

If you’re a fan of hiking, Kamakura is the perfect place to get the miles in, but perhaps at a slower pace than you’re used to. If you’re in a seaside town, you might as well relax, at least a little bit.

We managed to meet up with a couple of old friends who also live in Japan, who work for an independent hiking company in the area – they knew the trails well, so all we had to do was admire the views.

I couldn’t tell you the exact trails we were taken through, but it was just north of the city. From what I can tell, there are a huge number of trails, and you can sprinkle in a few backstreets as well, which should help keep things interesting. I’m confident in saying you could spend days and days in the mountains and never cross the same trail more than once.

Shop at Komachi Dori Street

If you’re in the market for a souvenir, Komachi Dori Street is worth taking a look at. It’s a street that started from humble beginnings many centuries ago, but today it’s a pretty busy (and very popular) area that has boutique fashion stores, cake shops, cafes, and a number of independent shops.

Yes, it’s pretty touristy, but if there’s one thing I’ve learned from travelling around and living in Japan, it’s popular for a reason. And if you’re not a fan of shopping streets, just pass right on through to the mountains in the background

Top tip: If you’re feeling peckish, try whitebait, a local dish known as ‘shirasu’.

Get Lost in Kamakura Backstreets

I’ve said it time and time again on this website, getting lost while exploring Japan is easily one of the best things to do. Yes, the main tourist attractions of Kamakura, like most places in the country, are pretty great, but sometimes just spending the time to wander without a destination is the best thing to do in Japan.

Perhaps you might want a little more of a set Kamakura itinerary if you’re coming from Tokyo for a day trip, but I’d still encourage a bit of getting lost. You’ll get a little more insight into how the locals live, the local architecture, and how the country operates away from the bright lights and ‘top 10’ lists. Take it down a notch, and soak in the surroundings of the place that you’ve come to.

I’m not going to tell you where to get lost in Kamakura, because chances are, you’ll find a secret place far better than I have.

Buy Something from a Boutique Store

There are loads of independent stores all throughout Japan, but Kamakura seems to have a concentration of them. Look hard enough and you’ll find anything from artisanal foods, independent clothing stores, and local ‘kamakurabori’, which is a type of Lacquerware unique to Kamakura and dates back around 800 years.

Kamakura is also incredibly famous for its hiking scene, and as such has there are a number of hiking companies (like Patagonia) that each have a store located right here in this little seaside town.

Yamatomichi is one such company, and as I’m trying to make a segway into ultralight hiking, I ended up dropping more than a few yen from their shop. For those interested in hiking, if you turn up at the right time, like we did, you’ll get to chat to the owner and have him size up the right pack for you. This was reason enough for us to visit Kamakura on more than one occasion!

Grab a Coffe & Cake at Temple Bakery

Recommendation: Temple (Cafe & Bakery)
Temple Cafe & Bakery was a great little find that we stumbled upon just as it started to rain. Other than the absolutely impeccable lofi, reggae, chilled out tunes (not entirely sure what it was, but it was great), the coffee was very good (And that’s coming from someone who spends too much on coffee). We shared this small space with a sleeping dog, an adventurous baby, an exceptional coffee machine, and an owner trying to juggle all of them simultaneously. All of which you can find on their Instagram.

Our choices were a little more restricted as plant-based eaters, but even still, Kamakura is packed with cute little coffee stops, perfect for that late afternoon energy boost. Is there really anything better than cafe hopping and reading a book when you travel? If there is, I’m yet to find it.

Relax at Yuigahama Beach

While those crammed Japan itineraries may have you thinking differently, you actually are allowed to relax for a few moments during your trip. Our first trip to Kamakura was in the height of summer, and other than being incredibly hot, it was a welcome relief to feel the warm sand between my toes after spending a few months around the city. Yuigahama beach seemed like the obvious choice as it was the main beach, and at the time, the easiest to find.

Ride the Enoden

I’m going to give this one the ‘Honourable Mention’ award, if such a thing exists. I say this because every time I’ve been to Kamakura, the enoden has been packed. I’m more of a walker, pretty much whenever I travel, but trains are definitely a nerd passion of mine. So perhaps I’ll ride the enoden one day – mainly because it’s a tiny electric train that travels through the houses and little streets for just 10km between Fujisawa and Kamakura. Kind of a novelty, but Japan has a lot of unique trains.