In a nutshell
- Kamakura is a charming coastal town near Tokyo — about an hour by train and totally worth the ride.
- It’s one of the best day trips from Tokyo: see the iconic Great Buddha, beautiful temples, and stunning sea views.
- We’ll tell you exactly which Kamakura attractions are worth your time — and give you practical tips on getting there and getting around.
Day Trip from Tokyo to Kamakura
Kamakura is a charming coastal town south of Tokyo with a seriously impressive lineup of cultural highlights. A day trip to Kamakura is absolutely a must if you’re sightseeing around Tokyo.
Until the 14th century, Kamakura was the political center of Japan, before the seat of government moved to Kyoto in 1333.
Things to Do in Kamakura
The attractions in Kamakura are spread out over a fairly large area. If you want to visit all the shrines and temples, you’ll definitely need a full day.
Since Yokohama sits roughly halfway between Tokyo and Kamakura, it makes a lot of sense to combine both into a single outing.
Below you’ll find everything you need to know to plan your visit to Kamakura.
If you’d like to combine Kamakura with a stop in Yokohama — as we did — check out our guide here: Yokohama Attractions.
The Great Buddha
The most famous of all the things to do in Kamakura is visiting the Great Buddha. The seated bronze figure stands 13 meters tall and is the second-largest bronze Buddha in Japan, after the one in Nara.
For a small fee of 20 yen, you can also step inside the Buddha — but honestly, there isn’t much to see in there.
Hase-dera Temple
Hase-dera Temple is really worth your time — it sits on a small hill and offers a wonderful mix of Buddhist statues, a small cave, and a fantastic panorama over Kamakura and the sea.
300 Yen | 2.30 Euro
Tsurugoaka Hachimangu
Tsurugaoka Hachimangu is Kamakura’s most important shrine and has stood at this site since 1180. That said, we personally loved Hase-dera a lot more — so if you’re short on time, prioritize that one.
Hokojuji Temple
Hokokuji Temple is also well worth adding to your Kamakura sightseeing list. The bamboo grove here makes for a stunning photo. We ran out of time to visit ourselves — jet lag got the better of us that morning — but it’s high on our list for next time.
200 Yen | 1.50 Euro
Historic Kamakura Tour
This guided tour gives you plenty of time to soak up Japan’s nature and takes you to the Great Buddha as the main highlight.
Book the Historic Kamakura Tour
Getting from Tokyo to Kamakura and Getting Around
Kamakura is super easy to reach from Tokyo using public transportation in Japan. The regional train (Yokosuka Line) takes 55 minutes from Tokyo Station to Kamakura. A one-way ticket costs 920 yen and is covered by the Japan Rail Pass. You can also pay with your Suica Card.
Alternatively, you can take the express train to Ofuna and connect to Kamakura from there. It’s considerably more expensive and barely saves any time — but the regional train can get really, really packed in the morning, so the express is a much more comfortable option if crowds bother you.
To reach the Great Buddha and Hase-dera, hop on the small local train from Kamakura Station — it gets you to Hase Station in about five minutes.
A one-way ticket costs 180 yen and is not covered by the JR Pass. The train runs every 12 minutes.
If you want to see all the temples, plan for a full day. If you’re just going for the Great Buddha, Tsurugaoka, and Hase-dera, three to four hours on the ground is enough.
You can also book a guided tour — you’ll be picked up from your hotel in Tokyo and travel by train to Kamakura. An English-speaking guide is included and will take you to the best spots. You can book the tour here.
