• Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine - This shrine is dedicated to Hachiman, the patron deity of the Minamoto family and samurai in general. The deified spirits of the ancient Emperor Ojin, identified with Hachiman, Hime-gami, and Empress Jingu, are enshrined here.
• Kotoku-in (Great Buddha of Kamakura) - The Great Buddha of Kamakura (鎌倉大仏, Kamakura Daibutsu) is a bronze statue of Amida Buddha located at Kotokuin Temple. Standing at 11.4 meters, it is the second tallest bronze Buddha statue in Japan, only surpassed by the statue in Nara’s Todaiji Temple and some newer creations.
• Hase-dera Temple - Hasedera (長谷寺) is a Jodo sect temple, renowned for its eleven-headed statue of Kannon, the goddess of mercy. The 9.18-meter-tall, gilded wooden statue is one of Japan’s largest wooden sculptures and can be admired in the temple’s main building, the Kannon-do Hall.
• Hokokuji Temple (Takedera Temple) - Hokokuji Temple is famous for its beautiful, small bamboo grove behind the main hall, featuring over 2000 dark green bamboo stalks. Narrow paths lead through the bamboo to a tea house where, for a small fee, visitors can enjoy a cup of matcha tea while taking in the bamboo grove views. Behind the temple are shallow caves believed to hold the ashes of some later Ashikaga lords.
• Kamakura Hiking Trails - Kamakura is bordered by the ocean to the south and wooded hills in other directions. Scenic hiking trails traverse these hills, connecting various atmospheric temples. They offer a delightful way to explore Kamakura’s sights, with trails typically taking 30 to 90 minutes to complete, allowing visitors to enjoy both nature and cultural attractions.
• Enoshima Island - Just a short train ride west of Kamakura, Enoshima (江の島) is a charming tourist island off the coast, connected to the mainland by a bridge. The island features a variety of attractions, including a shrine, park, observation tower, and caves. On clear days, Mount Fuji can be seen.

Enoshima is divided into a yacht harbor accessible by motorized traffic and a forested hill, which can only be explored on foot (and paid escalators) and contains most of the attractions. Several shrine buildings, collectively known as Enoshima Shrine, are dedicated to Benten, a popular goddess of good fortune, wealth, music, and knowledge. Benten is believed to have created Enoshima after subduing a five-headed dragon that terrorized the area.

• Engaku-ji Temple - Engakuji (円覚寺) is a leading Zen temple in Eastern Japan and ranks second among Kamakura’s five great Zen temples. Founded by the ruling regent Hojo Tokimune in 1282, a year after the second Mongol invasion attempt was repelled, the temple was established to honor fallen Japanese and Mongolian soldiers.

Engakuji is nestled into the slopes of Kita-Kamakura’s forested hills. The first main structure encountered is the Sanmon main gate, dating from 1783. Behind it stands the temple’s main hall, the Butsuden, which houses a wooden statue of the Shaka Buddha. The Butsuden was rebuilt in 1964 after the previous building was lost in an earthquake.

• Kencho-ji Temple - Kenchoji (建長寺, Kenchōji) is the foremost of Kamakura’s five great Zen temples. As the oldest Zen temple in Kamakura, Kenchoji was founded by the ruling regent Hojo Tokiyori in 1253 during the Kencho Era, after which it was named. Its first head priest was Rankei Doryu, a Zen priest from China.

Although smaller than in its prime, Kenchoji still comprises numerous temple buildings and subtemples, stretching from the entrance gate at the valley’s base far into the forested hills behind. After passing through the Sanmon main gate, visitors will find Kenchoji’s temple bell (Bonsho), a national treasure, on their right.

• Zeniarai Benten Shrine - Zeniarai Benten Shrine (銭洗弁天) is a popular shrine in western Kamakura, where people visit to wash their money (zeniarai means “coin washing”). It is believed that money washed in the shrine’s spring will double.

Minamoto Yoritomo, the founder of the Kamakura government, ordered the shrine’s construction after a god appeared in his dream, advising him to build the shrine to bring peace to the country. As the dream occurred on the day of the snake, in the month of the snake, in the year of the snake, the shrine was later dedicated to Benten, a Buddhist goddess associated with snakes.

• Meigetsuin (Hydrangea Temple) - Meigetsuin Temple (明月院) is a Rinzai Zen Sect temple founded in 1160 in Kamakura. It is also known as Ajisaidera (“Hydrangea Temple”) due to the abundance of hydrangeas blooming on the temple grounds during the rainy season around June. 95% of the hydrangeas here are of the Hime Ajisai (“Princess Hydrangea”) variety, named for their pretty blue colors.

The temple was originally a repose built by a son in memory of his father, who died in the power struggle between the Taira and Minamoto clans in the late Heian Period. It later became part of a larger temple complex called Zenkoji, which was abolished during anti-Buddhist movements soon after the Meiji Restoration, leaving only Meigetsuin as an individual temple today.

• Ankokuronji Temple - Ankokuronji (安国論寺) is one of several temples of the Nichiren sect of Japanese Buddhism along the hills in southeastern Kamakura. Nichiren himself founded Ankokuronji around 1253 when he first arrived in Kamakura, and he is said to have lived at the temple for several years.

Visitors can walk along a short hiking trail through the wooded hills around the temple buildings, enjoying a nice view of Kamakura city along the way. Some trail passages are quite steep and should be explored with good walking shoes and during dry weather.

• Jomyo-ji Temple - Jomyoji Temple (浄妙寺, Jōmyōji) is a Zen temple in the hills of eastern Kamakura. Ranked fifth among Kamakura’s five great Zen temples, Jomyoji was founded by the influential Ashikaga family and once comprised seven buildings and several pagodas. Over the centuries, many structures were destroyed by fire, leaving only the historic main hall, reception hall, main gate, and warehouse today. The main hall sits at the end of a garden and houses a statue of Shaka Nyorai, the historical Buddha.

Jomyoji Temple also features a restored teahouse where visitors can enjoy a cup of tea for a small fee while admiring the view of a lovely dry garden. Behind the main hall is the temple’s spacious cemetery, and a path leads up the hill to a small western-style restaurant. The restaurant, operated by the temple, offers good views over Kamakura from its patio.

• Zuisenji - Zuisenji (瑞泉寺) is a beautiful Zen temple in the far east of Kamakura, nestled in a narrow valley and surrounded by wooded hills. It is a branch temple of Engakuji Temple.

Zuisenji was founded by Muso Kokushi, a leading Zen master of his time and one of Japan’s most famous garden designers. The temple is renowned for its pure Zen rock garden behind the main hall, designed by Muso himself. The temple also attracts visitors with its many flowers and blooming trees, including a large number of plum trees.

• Myohonji Temple - Myohonji (妙本寺, Myōhonji) is one of several temples of the Nichiren sect of Japanese Buddhism along the southeastern hills of Kamakura. Founded by Hiki Yoshimoto in 1260, it features a statue of Nichiren to the left of the main hall.

The temple is connected via the Gionyama hiking trail with other nearby temples and a shrine. The trail leads through Kamakura’s wooded hills and should be explored with good walking shoes and during dry weather, as there are a few steep and rough passages.

• Jochiji Temple - Jochiji (浄智寺, Jōchiji) is the fourth of Kamakura’s five great Zen temples. It is a branch temple of the Engakuji school of the Rinzai sect of Zen Buddhism. Its head temple, Engakuji Temple, is just a few hundred meters away on the opposite side of the railway tracks.

Jochiji was founded in 1283 by members of the ruling Hojo family following the premature death of a son. Once a large temple complex with many buildings and subtemples, Jochiji is now small and tranquil. In its main hall, the Dongeden, the temple’s main object of worship, a Buddhist trinity of the Amida Buddha, Shaka Buddha, and Miroku Buddha, is displayed.

• Tokeiji Temple - Tokeiji (東慶寺, Tōkeiji) is a small branch temple of the Engakuji school within the Rinzai sect of Zen Buddhism. Its head temple, Engakuji Temple, is just a few hundred meters away on the opposite side of the railway tracks.

Tokeiji was founded by the wife of regent Hojo Tokimune in 1285 after Tokimune’s untimely death. Until the end of the Edo Period, the temple served as a refuge for women who suffered abuse by their husbands and sought a divorce. An official divorce could be obtained by staying at the temple for three years.

• Jufukuji Temple - Jufukuji Temple (寿福寺) is the third of Kamakura’s five great Zen temples. It is a branch temple of the Rinzai sect’s Kenchoji school.

Jufukuji was established by the order of Minamoto Yoritomo’s wife Masako after her husband’s passing. Its founding priest was Eisai, the man responsible for introducing Zen Buddhism to Japan. Besides the often-photographed pathway leading to the temple, Jufukuji is not open to the public.

• Eishoji Temple - Eisho-ji Temple (英勝寺) is the only surviving nunnery in Kamakura, located near Tsurugaoka Hachimangu. Founded in the early Edo period by a woman connected to the Tokugawa family, it is known as a “flower temple” for its seasonal blooms.

Visitors can enjoy a peaceful bamboo grove and a graceful Amida Buddha statue, said to be by the famous sculptor Unkei. The quiet atmosphere makes it a hidden gem worth visiting.

• Customizable Walking Tour of 3-4 sites
• Meet up with guide on foot in Kamakura/Yokohama
• Licensed Local English Speaking Guide

• Transportation fees, Entrance fees, Lunch, and Other personal expenses
• Private transportation
• You cannot combine multiple tour groups.
• Guide Entry fees are only covered for sights listed under What to Expect.

Located just an hour away from Tokyo, Kamakura is an essential center of Japan’s cultural heritage, known as the stronghold of the samurai. Your journey begins with meeting your guide either at your hotel or the nearest station. Your adventure proceeds with the Daibutsu Trail, spanning 3.7 miles (6km).

The Daibutsu hiking trail navigates you from the southern Great Buddha (Daibutsu) to the northern Jochi-ji Zen temple. The tour is flexible and can be tailored to suit your preferences. You simply need to communicate your desires, preferred timings, and accommodation details to our local associate.

Note1: In order to curate a customized itinerary, please pick your preferred destinations from the list provided in the tour information.
Note2: The Japanese government issues the National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter certification which necessitates a comprehensive grasp and perception of Japanese history and culture.

• This is a walking tour. Pick up is on foot.

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.