Kamakura

An ancient capital and the Shonan coast just outside Tokyo: the Great Buddha of Kamakura, the Enoden tram, and the Slam Dunk railway crossing at Kamakura-Koko-mae Station. Temples, sea and trains, all in a single day.

Kamakura lies in Kanagawa Prefecture on Sagami Bay, about 50 km southwest of Tokyo, with mountains on three sides and the sea on the fourth. In 1185 Minamoto no Yoritomo founded Japan's first samurai government here, the Kamakura shogunate, leaving behind Tsurugaoka Hachimangu, Kenchō-ji, Engaku-ji, the Great Buddha at Kōtoku-in and many other shrines and temples; the old-capital layout is still preserved today. To the west, Enoshima (on the border with Fujisawa) and the Shonan coast are a favorite getaway for Tokyoites. The little Enoden (Enoshima Electric Railway) trams that trundle along the shore, and the crossing by Kamakura-Koko-mae Station seen in the opening of Slam Dunk, have made this line the most popular day trip from Tokyo among Chinese travelers. The area breaks down as follows: Kita-Kamakura (Engaku-ji, Meigetsu-in and Kenchō-ji, Zen temples and hydrangeas); around Kamakura Station (Tsurugaoka Hachimangu, Komachi-dōri, Wakamiya-ōji); Hase (the Great Buddha at Kōtoku-in, Hase-dera, Yuigahama Beach); Shichirigahama to Kamakura-Koko-mae (coastal trams and views of Mt. Fuji); and Enoshima (shrine, caves, lighthouse, seafood). Strung along the JR Yokosuka Line and the Enoden from north to south, the main sights can be covered in one day, and two days is more relaxed. Best seasons: cherry blossoms from late March to early April (the Dankazura approach at Tsurugaoka Hachimangu, Genjiyama); hydrangeas in June (Meigetsu-in, Hase-dera, Jōju-in, and also the most crowded time); sea bathing and fireworks on the Shonan coast in July–August; autumn leaves from late November to early December (later than Tokyo, with night illuminations at Hase-dera and Engaku-ji); and Mt. Fuji, visible from Shichirigahama and Enoshima when the air is clear in autumn and winter (clearest on winter mornings). Getting there: the JR Yokosuka Line runs direct from Tokyo Station to Kita-Kamakura and Kamakura in about 1 hour. From Shinjuku, take the Odakyu Line to Fujisawa and transfer to the Enoden, or buy the Odakyu "Enoshima-Kamakura Freepass" (round trip plus unlimited Enoden rides, from about ¥1,640). The Enoden one-day pass costs ¥800; trains run about every 12 minutes and get extremely crowded in peak season. Suggested length: 1 day for the highlights (Great Buddha, Hase-dera, Enoden, Kamakura-Koko-mae, Enoshima), or 2 days to add the Kita-Kamakura temples and Tsurugaoka Hachimangu. Tips: at the Kamakura-Koko-mae crossing, do not stand on the road or the tracks when taking photos; local staff are now posted there and visitors are asked not to obstruct traffic. Kamakura's black kites will swoop down and snatch food from your hands near the beach. Eating while walking is discouraged on parts of Komachi-dōri. Most temples close between 16:30 and 17:00. The Enoshima caves close in strong wind and high waves.

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