What to do in Kamakura

The day after our walk in Shinjuku, we headed to Kamakura. Kamakura is a town in Kanagawa Prefecture that is sometimes called 'The Kyoto of Kanto'. It's a really nice day out! While obviously it doesn't have quite as much to do there as Kyoto, that might actually be a point in it's favour. Kyoto can be a little overwhelming sometimes, and it's packed with tourists (I still love it though). Kamakura has a more relaxed feeling, and the Daibutsu was the only place that was overflowing with tourists. I'm sure it does get busy at weekends though.

How to get there:

Kamakura is about an hour and 1000 yen away from Shinjuku, so it makes a really easy day trip from Tokyo.

What to do in Kamakura:

Go and see the Daibutsu (Great Buddha)

This is the one thing that is pretty much non negotiable- the Daibutsu is a must see and is probably the most famous place in Kamakura. The entrance fee was only 200 yen, and for an extra 50 yen you can go inside the Daibutsu statue itself, too.

The Beach

Kamakura has two main beaches, Yugihama and Zaimokuza. The one I went to was pretty, and the view was really nice there. I bet they are so crowded in summer though!

Hasedera

Hasedera was definitely the standout part of the day for me. It's a temple that's a short walk away from the Daibutsu, and boasts a gorgeous garden with an amazing view of the sea. There was also a cave you could go in! Entry was around 300 yen.

 Hachimangu shrine

Hachimangu is a huge and impressive shrine with a great view of Kamakura and the road leading up to Hachimangu from the top of the shrine complex. When we went, they were just about to complete work on the road, so it should now be lined with trees and lanterns.

Enoshima

Enoshima is also meant to be well worth a visit. Unfortunately I didn't get a chance to go, but it's a small island close to Kamakura. You can get there by the Enoden tram.

Hiking

Kamakura also has a tonne of good hiking trails which we wanted to go on, but unfortunately ran out of time. 

That was my short but sweet guide to Kamakura, I hope you enjoyed it! If you did, why not check out my other travel guides for places in Japan:

Hiroshima// Nagasaki// Kagoshima // Fushimi Inari Taisha // Iwakuni and Kintaikyo

Or check out the Japan tag for everywhere I've been this year so far.

Thanks for reading! 

-Amy xoxo