If you enjoy visiting shrines and temples in Japan then you should check out Kamakura. It’s not as popular as Tokyo or Osaka but make no mistake, it is a destination loved by both domestic and international visitors who’ve had the opportunity to be there. It actually has so many attractions and there are a plethora of activities you can do here.
In my most recent visit to Japan, I ended up going to Kamakura for a day trip and it was legitimately one of the busiest days of my stay in the country. Here are 5 of the things I did in the city that you might also want to do on your own visit.
5 of the Best Places to Visit in Kamakura
1. Kotoku-in (Great Buddha of Kamakura)
After arriving at Kamakura, I immediately went to what is probably its most popular attraction: the Great Buddha of Kamakura. This statue is found at Kotoku-in, a temple that was founded in 1253. I got there relatively early and was greeted by this Niomon Gate which housed statues of A-gyo and Un-gyo.
After paying the admission fee, you’ll be greeted by this temizuya once you enter the temple grounds. Here you can wash your hands and rinse your mouth as a way to symbolically purify yourself prior to standing before the Great Buddha. If you’ve been reading the accounts of my stay in Japan, you’ll notice that these are almost always present in the temples and shrines that I’ve been to.
A short and scenic walk from the temizuya and you’ll find yourself face to face with the Great Buddha. The imposing statue is casted bronze and is actually as old as Kotoku-in itself. What makes the statue so interesting is its longevity and durability. Not only has it withstood fires but it has also weathered storms and tsunamis as well as stood its ground against earthquakes.
This is a waraji or owaraji made by the Owaraji Preservation Society. It’s basically a pair of enormous traditional Japanese sandals made from straw and presented to Kotoku-in yearly. According to the display here, this is a symbolic offering to the Great Buddha that’s meant to aid him in his travels.
Now once you’ve inspected the Great Buddha you can pay for a tour of its interiors. It’s kind of cramped inside but it’s definitely worth it since you’ll get to see how the Japanese artisans of that time managed to craft such a large bronze statue.
According to the displays you’ll find in the interior of the statue, artisans made use of three methods (generally known as ikarakuri) in connecting and layering the bronze plates. The displays here also note how it took thirty separate stages for the whole statue to be cast. More recently, the neck of the statue was reinforced with fortified plastic ERP (pictured above) to make it a little more resilient against earthquakes.
Here’s a picture of the Great Buddha with a couple of birds sitting on top of its head. As I said in my review of Kotoku-in, the views here are quite nice regardless if you come here in the spring/summer or fall/winter seasons. Another feature I liked of this temple is that it’s relatively small when compared to other shrines and temples that I visited.
Finally, there’s a garden off to the western part of the temple that has various monuments and memorials that you might also want to visit. What I noticed was that most of these memorials were dedicated to world leaders from Buddhist majority countries who visited the temple. The picture above, for example, is a memorial to commemorate Crown Prince Maha Vajiravudh of the Kingdom of Siam’s (now Thailand) visit back in 1902.
Second on the list of places to visit in Kamakura is Hase-dera Temple. Much like Kotoku-in, this is a Buddhist temple that has become popular for both local and foreign visitors. It’s much bigger than Kotoku-in though and there are definitely a lot more activities that you can do here.
One of the first things you’ll notice as you arrive here is this iconic red lantern that’s usually seen hanging on the temple’s gate. The lantern or chochin is colored red to signify good fortune as well as for protection from evil and more importantly, to welcome visitors.
As for the gate, it’s actually not what you’ll be going through to get inside the temple grounds. Rather, there’s a ticketing office off to your left (if you’re facing the gate) where you can pay for admission before entering.
One of the first things you’ll encounter upon entering the temple grounds is this pond. Known as the Myochi Pond, standing on its edges and observing the fish foraging was strangely soothing and calming. Unfortunately, feeding the fish here is expressly forbidden.
Just a couple of steps from the pond you’ll come across this Fureai Kannon. Unlike most statues of the bodhisattva Kannon, this statue is meant to be touched and interacted with hence the name “fureai” (which in Japanese means “touch”). Off to the side of the statue is a saisenbako where you can place your monetary offerings or donations.
Like with a lot of Buddhist temples, Hase-dera has its own Free Life Pond. Here people can release animals held in captivity such as fish, birds, and turtles. Typically, the intent for the animals’ release is to save their lives and/or to give them their freedom. This particular pond was fairly nice and like Myochi, you can also expect to feel somewhat at ease as you’re taking in the view here.
As you go up the 399 steps to Kannon-do Hall, you’ll come across this particularly eerie sight. These are the Thousand Jizo Statues and in their midst is a statue of Ksitigarbha, the Bodhisattva of Suffering. Just opposite these statues is a small pavilion where you can light a candle (or schedule someone from the temple to light it for you) in memory of the jizo.
After reaching the top, you’ll find yourself in front of Kannon-do Hall. Enshrined inside the building is the eleven headed statue of the boddhisattva Kannon while the pavilion in front of it has a daikoro or incense burner.
Now the climb to get up here is no joke. I will say though that it is more than worth it thanks to the numerous views and attractions you’ll have access to once you’re here.
One of the attractions that’s sure to get your attention here is this belfry or bell tower. The bell here is a replica that was cast in 1984. If you want to see the original that was cast in 1264, then you’re going to want to visit the Kannon Museum near the Kannon-do Hall as that bell was deemed an Important Cultural Property by the Japanese government (specifically it’s Agency for Cultural Affairs).
This is another daikoro but it’s located in front of the Amida-do Hall which is just adjacent to the Kannon-do Hall. As its name implies, a statue of Amitabha or Amida is enshrined in this building. The statue was gifted to Minamoto Yoritomo, the first shogun of the Kamakura shogunate. It was said that its purpose was initially to ward off evil for the shogun. As time went by, the statue eventually came to be called the Amida who expels evil and misfortune.
A short distance from Amida-do Hall and the belfry is this emagake or rack for hanging ema. Interestingly enough, this is part of a Shinto-style Inari shrine that’s dedicated to oyster shells. According to legend, as the Kannon statue was drifting at sea, the oyster shells that attached to it helped guide it back to shore.
Once you’re done admiring the area around Kannon-do Hall, you can then head on over to the Kyouzou. This is a repository of the temple’s Buddhist scriptures placed on a Rinzo or a rotary shelf where sutras are placed. It’s also said that rotating the Rinzo on the 18th day of the month is equivalent to reading all of the sutras it contains.
Just behind the Kyouzou is another of Hase-dera Temple’s attractions. The Ocean View Path is a hiking path that as its name implies, affords you a view of Kamakura and Sagami Bay. One of the highlights of this path is a particularly scenic section that has Hydrangea flowers. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to see these flowers in bloom since my visit was during the winter. That said, if you do decide to come here just to view the flowers then make sure to come here during the spring and/or summer seasons.
After your hike on the Ocean View Path, you should then visit the Benten Kutsu Cave. It’s a cave mainly dedicated to worship of the Shinto and Buddhist deity Benzaiten. I actually wasn’t expecting much from the cave when I visited but was mildly surprised at what I saw inside.
To say that the statues here looked eerie would be an understatement. If not for the lighting then these might really look like a scene from some horror movie. Thankfully, these are actually just statues of the Sixteen Child Deities who are enshrined in this cave. From what I remember, the Sixteen Child Deities were all connected to Benzaiten in some form or another (either as her attendant like in the case of the first statue in this picture: Gyuba Doji).
You can then proceed to this area after checking out the Sixteen Child Deities’ statues. One thing you’ll need to be mindful of in this area is the height of the ceilings especially on this trail. As you can see in the image, the ceiling is rather low here and if you don’t watch out, you might end up hitting your head.
As you progress through here, you’ll find statues of Benzaiten as well as these small Jizo Bodhisattva statues. I’m not sure how they relate to Benzaiten but one thing I’m sure of is that they’re a lot smaller than the Thousand Jizo that I came across as I went up the 399 steps to Kannon-do Hall.
3. Tsurugaoka Hachimangū Shrine
Another place of worship worth visiting in Kamakura is Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine. While Hase-dera Temple and Kotoku-in were both Buddhist temples, this one is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the deified Emperor Hachiman. Very much like the Buddhist temples though, the shrine has lots of scenic views. Additionally, it was probably the most busy of the places of worship that I had visited on my Kamakura day trip (as you can see in the picture above).
One notable subsidiary shrine here is this one for Benzaiten that you can find in an area in the Genji-ike Pond. If you’ve been keeping track, Hase-dera Temple also had an area dedicated to Benzaiten so she must be a Buddhist deity right? Well, this can be explained with one word: syncretism. Basically, it means the merging/blending of beliefs to form a new practice or system. In the Japanese context, this is called shinbutsu shugo and this pretty much explains the presence of Shinto shrines in Buddhist temples (and vice versa). The chozubachi pictured here is also a product of this syncretism as it can universally be found in both shrines and temples.
This is the Hataage Benzaiten shrine. Admittedly it’s a little small compared to the rest of the shrines here but it’s definitely not uninteresting. Now if you’re wondering what the white flags are, those are dedications for the deceased and from further research they also seem to reference the Genji clan flags (hata). As for why there’s specifically a Benzaiten shrine here, it’s said that this is supposed to commemorate the legend of when the deity was said to have appeared before Minamoto no Yoritomo when he was raising an army during the Genpei War.
Off to the side of the shrine you’ll find a building with an emagake right next to it. The building is where you could get the ema and/or omikuji if you wanted to improve your fortunes for the year. You could then hang your ema on this rack or if you got an unlucky omikuji then you can head near the chozubachi earlier and look for the omikuji kake (omikuji hanging rack) near there.
Back on the path towards the main shrine just before you get to the Maiden and the Grand Stairway, you’ll come across this display. It features kegs of sake donated by the sake makers and breweries in the area. Some of the sake on this display here are from brands such as Sakuramasamune, Masumi, Imaneshiki, and Shinsei among others. Also, you might be tempted to open one but from what I’ve been told, these are actually already empty.
This is the Grand Stairway and from here, you can now clearly see the Main Shrine. Off to the sides stairs are komainu which serve as symbolic guards of the shrine from evil. You’ll also notice on the left (as you’re facing the stairway), a tree that looks like it’s cordoned off with shimenawa. The tree is actually fairly new and replaces the Great Gingko Tree that used to occupy the area but was unfortunately uprooted back in 2010. You’ll still find the remains of the Great Ginkgo Tree off to the side (not pictured). Thankfully, the successor tree (the one cordoned off with shimenawa) is growing up nicely though it’s still going to take hundreds of years before it can measure up to its progenitor.
After a relatively short yet scenic climb, you’ll finally come face to face with the Main Shrine building or Hongu. While the shrine is 800 years old, this Hongu is actually relatively new having been constructed in 1828. The gate here is especially nice as it has the Shinto equivalent of the Nio guardians standing guard in each of its columns. On the right (as you’re facing the shrine) is A-gayaku and opposite him is Un-gayaku. Much like their Buddhist counterparts, both of the statues serve as deterrents against evil spirits.
One thing that you’ll notice with the gate (and really the Main Shrine building itself) is the amazing details of its eaves and the tokyō (a system of blocks and brackets) that support it. This particular style of architecture is called nagare-zukuri and Tsurugaoka Hachimangu’s Main Shrine is probably one of the more popular of the buildings that use it.
This is a prayer area that you’ll find to the side of the Main Shrine. In this picture, I’m specifically standing just behind the A-gayaku column of the gate. Behind me is the entrance to the Haiden which is the main worship hall of the shrine.
As you get to the top of the Grand Stairway, you’ll actually see this small building off to your left. It’s called the Omikuji Counter and you’ll be able to purchase omikuji and ema here. You can then hang them on the emakake and omikuji kake in the area to the left (if you’re facing the shrine) of the Un-gayaku column of the gate.
After you’ve paid your respects, you can then proceed to a small hill to the left of the Main Shrine building for a visit to the Maruyama Inari Shrine. You’ll find a display off to the side of the first torii gate here that talks about this shrine being the oldest here in Tsurugaoka Hachimangu. As for the climb, there’s no need to worry as the stairway here is rather short compared to the Grand Stairway leading up to the Main Shrine. More importantly though, this place is actually quite nice. The breeze here was refreshing and if you’ve been to Kyoto then this might remind you of Fushimi Inari shrine.
Now before you call it a day, you might also want to drop by Shirahata Shrine. The walk to get here was actually quite scenic with me coming across a number of the shrine’s other attractions (a couple of memorials, a monument, and a cool looking bridge just to name a few).
4. Hokokuji Temple’s Bamboo Forest
Now I talked about how Maruyama Inari Shrine is likely to remind you of Kyoto, another location here in Kamakura that’s likely to do that is Hokokuji Temple. If you’ve been to Arashiyama then you might enjoy this temple’s own bamboo forest. That said, the bamboo forest isn’t the only thing that’s worth checking out here.
After entering, you’ll get to enjoy a nice view of the temple’s Buddhist garden. In this picture you’ll find a statue of a Buddha under what I initially guessed was either a Madala or a fig tree (I’m still not sure what it is to be honest). As for who this Buddha is, I also guessed that it might have been Shakya Nyorai considering how he managed to attain enlightenment while meditating under a tree.
As you walk through the path towards the temple, expect to come across Jizo Bodhisattva statues such as these. If you’re wondering what these bibs and caps on the statue mean, it’s actually an indication of its role as a protector of the temple.
Much like other temples and shrines that I’ve visited, Hokokuji also has its fair shares of monuments and memorials. This one is relatively close to the temple’s main hall and is made from stone lanterns. Honestly, the whole setup here looked a little eerie and when I researched about it, I found that this is probably a memorial for the soldiers who fell in a battle between the Hojo and Nitta clans that took place during the Genko War.
Off to the side of the memorial is this shoro or belfry that has a bonsho or bell that is said to have been made during the mid-1700s. The belfry itself looks like it might have been made during that time as well thanks to how aged and weathered it looked. What’s also interesting about this is that it’s probably one of the few buildings in the temple complex that has a thatched roof.
More importantly, just behind the shoro (in this picture) is the information center where you can pay for the admission fee to the bamboo forest. After paying, you can then proceed to the entrance just beside it (also pictured).
So this will be the first thing you’ll see after passing through the entrance. The tree in the middle of this area is likely a sakura tree considering the time I took the picture was during the winter season (when these trees typically lose their leaves). From here, you just need to follow the set path and directions which will point you to the temple’s gardens and eventually, to the forest path.
Speaking of the forest path, this is its entrance. You’ll find this just before you get to the Zen garden at the back of Hokokuji Temple. As you’ve probably noticed, the bamboo here are quite huge. If I remember correctly, these are Moso bamboo which is a species that, from what I read, is native to Taiwan and China but has seemingly been naturalized in Japan and other places.
This is the exit of the forest path and this is just behind the sakura tree you saw after passing through the entrance of this area. As you can see, it’s actually cordoned off as most people might end up entering the forest through this path.
Here’s another picture of the forest path’s entrance. I forgot to mention this earlier, but it’s actually quite close to the exit. In fact, they’re separated by just a couple of steps. If you squint and look at the lower left area of the image, you’ll actually see some of the handrails of the exit’s stairs in the background.
Before you head inside the bamboo forest, I would highly recommend checking out Hokokuji’s Zen Garden first. There’s a viewing area that’s just a couple of steps from the forest path entrance where you can better appreciate the garden.
This is now on the forest path and just ahead is a clearing where there’s a stone pagoda and some small statues. Off to the right (not pictured), you’ll get to see the Zen Garden earlier as well as the back of Hokokuji Temple.
Once you’re in the clearing where the stone pagoda and the Jizo Bodhisattva statues are, you’ll get to see these eerie looking caves with stone lanterns in them. I initially was confused as to what these were so I tried reading up on the area and found that it was a memorial dedicated to the Ashikaga clan.
As you get close to the exit, you’ll come across this establishment in the midst of the bamboo. The establishment is known as Kyukoan and you can actually get to enjoy matcha tea here for an additional JPY600 on top of your admission fee. This is optional though and if your schedule is tight then you could totally skip the views here. That said, if you do have time then you might just end up enjoying the sights, sounds, and just the serene ambiance of this place.
5. Kamakura Kokomae Station – The Iconic Slam Dunk Spot
Last but definitely not the least of the things you should definitely do in Kamakura is visit Kamakura Kokomae Station. If you loved the Slam Dunk anime then you’ll likely be familiar with this place. After being featured in that anime’s opening, the station has since become a pilgrimage site for fans. Take note though that as a result of its popularity, lots of people visit the station especially during the afternoon hours (as can be seen in the image above).
Kamakura Kokomae Station is part of the Enoshima Electric Railway Line or Enoden and it’s the 8th stop from its Fujisawa Station. The line ends in Kamakuno and you can actually purchase a Noriorikun 1-day pass ticket for about JPY800 if you want to explore the other stations. That said, if you’re just interested in going to Kamakura Kokomae then you can just pay the regular rates. In my case, I paid around JPY260 to get here from Kamakura (and another JPY260 to get back).
Depending on the time, you might notice a crowd gathering around the railroad crossing near the station. It’s highly likely that these are Slam Dunk fans waiting for the iconic Enoden Green Car that was featured in the anime’s opening. As someone who is also familiar, of course I’d be waiting to get a snap of that green train too!
This was probably the second or third train that passed by. If I remember correctly, there are around 4-5 trains that pass through here heading to both the Kamakura and Fujisawa directions. Unfortunately, I’m not sure if the schedule for individual trains vary on a daily basis or not.
Thankfully, the train following the purple one in the previous image was finally the green one. Or at least that was what I initially thought. Apparently, this is a newer train and is a lot different from the one that was featured in the anime. If I remember correctly, the specific train that was shown in the anime opening was part of the older 300 series. The one in the picture is part of the 500 series which were built and started operating in the 2000s well after the anime stopped airing (a proper 2nd season when?).
Now you might think, “if seeing the original green train isn’t guaranteed then what’s the point even of going here?” Sometimes, it’s not about the destination but rather the journey itself. Sure it wasn’t the original green car but just going to and being in the same place as their favorite anime character might be more than enough for a lot of people.
And there you have it. These are the five of the places and activities in Kamakura that I highly recommend you check out. Of course, these aren’t the only notable places in the city but I feel like they’re the most accessible and culturally relevant to a certain extent. What’s also great about these places/activities is that you can actually complete them in a day. In fact, I have an itinerary of my Kamakura daytrip covering these and some other places that you might want to check out or use for reference if you do plan to visit here.
