Kamakura Half Day Walking Tour with Kotokuin Great Buddha
Overview
Kamakura, where the first Japanese Samurais were, has a lot of historical temples, shrines, and other historic sites. It’s an international sightseeing city where many tourists visit every year. It is only one hour from Tokyo by train yet is blessed with both sea and mountains. You can enjoy wonderful views from the areas many hiking trails. In this tour you will walk from Kita-Kamakura to Hase-dera Temple while enjoying the rich nature and the profound history and culture. It’s especially recommended to come in hydrangea season as the temples around Kita-Kamakura are well known for their stunning blue hydrangea gardens.
Inclusions
- Professional guide
- Landing and facility fees
- Entry/Admission - Jochiji Temple
- Entry/Admission - Hase-dera Temple
- Entry/Admission - Kotoku-in (Great Buddha of Kamakura)
What to expect
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Jochiji Temple, 1402 Yamanouchi, Kamakura 247-0062 Kanagawa Prefecture
A quiet and serene Zen temple surrounded by forest, the Jochiji temple was built in 1281 by Hojo Tokoyori, a leader of the Kamakura Shogunate, in order to honour his son who had died young. It is nice to stroll through the grounds of this temple, enjoying the lush flowerbeds and bamboo groves. Remember to rub the belly of the statue of Hotei, as this is said to bring you good fortune.
Duration: 25 minutes
Stop At: Kamakura Hiking Trails, Kamakura Kanagawa Prefecture
Enjoy the beautiful nature around the pass.
Duration: 40 minutes
Stop At: Ugafuku Shrine ( Goddess of Money Washing), 2-25-16 Sasuke, Kamakura 248-0017 Kanagawa Prefecture
Next you will walk along the Daibutsu Hiking Course through the mountains until you reach a mysterious hole in the hillside, framed by a torii gate. Go through that hole and you'll find the Zeniarai Benzaiten Ugafuku Shrine. Built in 1185, the shrine strongly emits the scent of incense and is filled with a rare blend of both Shinto and Buddhist monuments. Explore until you find a small cave with a natural spring bubbling inside. Here, people wash their money in the spring's water as it is said that money washed in spring will double in the summer.
Duration: 25 minutes
Stop At: Sasuke Inari Shrine, 2-22-12 Sasuke, Kamakura 248-0017 Kanagawa Prefecture
According to legend, the first Shogun of Kamakura Minamoto Yoritomo was visited in his dream by a white fox (known as Inari) who advised him how to win a battle against his enemies. Emerging from the battle victorious, Minamoto built the Sasuke Inari Shrine in gratitude. Set in the mountains surrounded by dense green forest, there you can find a tunnel comprised of over 100 red torii gates, just like Fushimi Inari Taisha in Kyoto. The shrine also contains hundreds of mini white inari foxes and the site of an ancient "hidden village".
Duration: 20 minutes
Stop At: Kotoku-in (Great Buddha of Kamakura), 4 Chome-2-28 Hase, Kamakura 248-0016 Kanagawa Prefecture
The great Kamakura Buddha stands at 13.35m tall and weights about 121 tonnes. The construction of the bronze statue of Buddha as it appears today dates from 1252. It is one of the biggest Buddha statues in Japan and is definitely worth seeing. You can even enter inside the great statue.
Duration: 20 minutes
Stop At: Hase-dera Temple, 3-11-2 Hase, Kamakura 248-0016 Kanagawa Prefecture
Hasedera Temple is located about halfway up Mount Kamakura. The temple, therefore, has excellent views south over the ocean and the picturesque Yuigahama Beach. During June and July you can see the grounds full of blooming hydrangeas. Hasedera is home to a 9.18m tall Kannon statue with 11 heads - one of the largest wooden Buddhist statues in Japan. There is also a small but spooky and atmospheric cave to explore in the gardens.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Yuigahama Beach, Kamakura 248-0014 Kanagawa Prefecture
The beach faces south so you are always going to see the sun over the ocean from this point. Relax and chill here and catch the lovely views! During summer there is an open air market called the Umi-no-ie which is good to check out.
Duration: 15 minutes
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Jochiji Temple, 1402 Yamanouchi, Kamakura 247-0062 Kanagawa Prefecture
A quiet and serene Zen temple surrounded by forest, the Jochiji temple was built in 1281 by Hojo Tokoyori, a leader of the Kamakura Shogunate, in order to honour his son who had died young. It is nice to stroll through the grounds of this temple, enjoying the lush flowerbeds and bamboo groves. Remember to rub the belly of the statue of Hotei, as this is said to bring you good fortune.
Duration: 25 minutes
Stop At: Kamakura Hiking Trails, Kamakura Kanagawa Prefecture
Enjoy the beautiful nature around the pass.
Duration: 40 minutes
Stop At: Ugafuku Shrine ( Goddess of Money Washing), 2-25-16 Sasuke, Kamakura 248-0017 Kanagawa Prefecture
Next you will walk along the Daibutsu Hiking Course through the mountains until you reach a mysterious hole in the hillside, framed by a torii gate. Go through that hole and you'll find the Zeniarai Benzaiten Ugafuku Shrine. Built in 1185, the shrine strongly emits the scent of incense and is filled with a rare blend of both Shinto and Buddhist monuments. Explore until you find a small cave with a natural spring bubbling inside. Here, people wash their money in the spring's water as it is said that money washed in spring will double in the summer.
Duration: 25 minutes
Stop At: Sasuke Inari Shrine, 2-22-12 Sasuke, Kamakura 248-0017 Kanagawa Prefecture
According to legend, the first Shogun of Kamakura Minamoto Yoritomo was visited in his dream by a white fox (known as Inari) who advised him how to win a battle against his enemies. Emerging from the battle victorious, Minamoto built the Sasuke Inari Shrine in gratitude. Set in the mountains surrounded by dense green forest, there you can find a tunnel comprised of over 100 red torii gates, just like Fushimi Inari Taisha in Kyoto. The shrine also contains hundreds of mini white inari foxes and the site of an ancient "hidden village".
Duration: 20 minutes
Stop At: Kotoku-in (Great Buddha of Kamakura), 4 Chome-2-28 Hase, Kamakura 248-0016 Kanagawa Prefecture
The great Kamakura Buddha stands at 13.35m tall and weights about 121 tonnes. The construction of the bronze statue of Buddha as it appears today dates from 1252. It is one of the biggest Buddha statues in Japan and is definitely worth seeing. You can even enter inside the great statue.
Duration: 20 minutes
Stop At: Hase-dera Temple, 3-11-2 Hase, Kamakura 248-0016 Kanagawa Prefecture
Hasedera Temple is located about halfway up Mount Kamakura. The temple, therefore, has excellent views south over the ocean and the picturesque Yuigahama Beach. During June and July you can see the grounds full of blooming hydrangeas. Hasedera is home to a 9.18m tall Kannon statue with 11 heads - one of the largest wooden Buddhist statues in Japan. There is also a small but spooky and atmospheric cave to explore in the gardens.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Yuigahama Beach, Kamakura 248-0014 Kanagawa Prefecture
The beach faces south so you are always going to see the sun over the ocean from this point. Relax and chill here and catch the lovely views! During summer there is an open air market called the Umi-no-ie which is good to check out.
Duration: 15 minutes
Additional information
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Please add 4000 yen per person to the tour price for hotel pick up
- A minimum of 2 people per booking is required
- Near public transportation
- Tour duration can be extended at a rate of 1, 000 yen per person, per half hour, payable in cash.
- Travelers should have a strong physical fitness level
- You will walk at least 5 km including a mountain pass. So please wear shoes that are easy to walk in.
- Face masks required for travelers in public areas
- Face masks required for guides in public areas
- Face masks provided for travelers
- Regularly sanitized high-traffic areas
- Transportation vehicles regularly sanitized
- Guides required to regularly wash hands
- Regular temperature checks for staff
- Temperature checks for travelers upon arrival
- Paid stay-at-home policy for staff with symptoms
- Contactless payments for gratuities and add-ons
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 8 travelers
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Ticket delivery
You can present either a paper or an electronic voucher for this activity.
Cancellation
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start time of the experience.
Poojan D
May 2019
Excellent tour. Noriko was extremely knowledgable and was kind enough to stay on course despite the adverse weather. The hole is beautiful and I believe it's the only one that starts from kita-kamakura and not kamakura. This one is surely not worth missing.
Excellent tour. Noriko was extremely knowledgable and was kind enough to stay on course despite the adverse weather. The hole is beautiful and I believe it's the only one that starts from kita-kamakura and not kamakura. This one is surely not worth missing.otashaf
June 2019
We had the best time with Yu as our guide. Yu was very knowledgeable and interesting. She contacted us before the tour and helped us plan our journey to the meeting point. I would recommend this trip and Yu as an excellent guide.
We had the best time with Yu as our guide. Yu was very knowledgeable and interesting. She contacted us before the tour and helped us plan our journey to the meeting point. I would recommend this trip and Yu as an excellent guide.Sheri O
June 2019
EXCELLENT! We spent a half a day with our very knowledgable and super accommodating guide, Yu. She is a Kamakura local and had all the info (in English!) on our walk through the beautiful wooded paths and hills of Kamakura. We visited multiple very famous historical Shinto and Buddhist shrines,...
EXCELLENT! We spent a half a day with our very knowledgable and super accommodating guide, Yu. She is a Kamakura local and had all the info (in English!) on our walk through the beautiful wooded paths and hills of Kamakura. We visited multiple very famous historical Shinto and Buddhist shrines, that we would of never found by ourselves. Yu had all the historical background on the shrines, as well as information on the general surroundings during our 5 hour walking tour. Make sure to bring Yen for the multiple stops & lunch, and wear good walking shoes as some of the hills and terrain are steep. Unforgettable tour - a must do!!Meander39600
June 2019
This was the first tour that we took in Japan after arriving 2 days prior. The day before we had visited Shibuya and Harujuku, very busy and interesting areas of Tokyo, showing the urban side. This tour showed the mountainous country side of Japan, complete with shrines, temples, a great garden l...
This was the first tour that we took in Japan after arriving 2 days prior. The day before we had visited Shibuya and Harujuku, very busy and interesting areas of Tokyo, showing the urban side. This tour showed the mountainous country side of Japan, complete with shrines, temples, a great garden lunch, a little shopping, and views of the bay and beach around Kamakura. Our favorite part of the tour was the activity level of the hike, and Yu-san’s description of the history, culture, and geology of the Kamakura region. Yu-san answered all of our questions with great knowledge and kept the tour customized to our interests. I highly recommend any tour of the Kamakura area and especially any tour by Yu!!Yanlin W
May 2019
Had a very pleasant experience with my tour guide Yu. She was very patient and friendly even though I was late (took the wrong train). She tells history and stories of the places we visited, and always check to see if I’m comfortable with the hiking pace. This tour covers many historical sites wi...
Had a very pleasant experience with my tour guide Yu. She was very patient and friendly even though I was late (took the wrong train). She tells history and stories of the places we visited, and always check to see if I’m comfortable with the hiking pace. This tour covers many historical sites with unique features, I totally recommend it. Especially if Yu was the tour guide. : )Theresa C
April 2019
We had a lovely 1/2 day tour of Kamakura with Noriko, who is very knowledgeable about this beautiful oceanside city that is an easy 50 minute train ride from Tokyo. Noriko guided our family of four from the Kita-Kamakura train station through the woods and up into the hillside to see a series of...
We had a lovely 1/2 day tour of Kamakura with Noriko, who is very knowledgeable about this beautiful oceanside city that is an easy 50 minute train ride from Tokyo. Noriko guided our family of four from the Kita-Kamakura train station through the woods and up into the hillside to see a series of shrines and temples nestled amongst the trees and flowers. We descended from the top of the hill into the town below to see the great Buddha and from there made a stop at a local restaurant for lunch, followed by a short walk to the beach to see where the 2020 summer Olympic sailing competition will be held. The beach in Kamakura is easily accessible, wide, and clean and for anyone interested in water sports, there are a number of shops where wetsuits, surfboards and the like can be rented for daily use. Our family of four is very athletic, so this 1/2 day walking tour was perfect for us because we were able to combine hiking with sightseeing. At times the trails were very narrow with exposed roots and rocks that would have been slippery and treacherous on a rainy day. Thankfully for us, the weather was dry when we visited and we were wearing proper footwear.