Easy Travel in JapanKamakura
A coastal temple town near Tokyo, sometimes called "the Kyoto of eastern Japan."
Kamakura became Japan’s political center in the late 12th century, when Minamoto Yoritomo made it the seat of his military government — a role it held for over a century. Its concentration of historic temples and shrines earned it a reputation as “the Kyoto of eastern Japan.”
Where to go
The Great Buddha, a large bronze statue, is Kamakura’s best-known sight, alongside Hasedera Temple’s hillside views, Kenchoji (the city’s most important Zen temple), and Hachimangu Shrine, its most important Shinto shrine. Hokokuji Temple’s bamboo grove and the nearby island of Enoshima round out a typical visit.
Good to know
Kamakura sits under an hour south of Tokyo by train, making it a comfortable single-day trip that covers the Great Buddha and two or three temples.