Kamakura: the Great Buddha, fox shrines & the streets between
Red gates, tiny foxes, pink blossoms, and a Buddha under an open sky.
What made me stop.
The big Buddha brought me to a stop. So did the tiny foxes, the red gates and the blossoms. Kamakura gave me a lot to look at, at very different scales.
I kept a few different views of the Buddha. The whole figure under the trees, the face, the hands and the folds in the robe. There was something in each one.
Then there are the smaller things in these photos: fox figures tucked among the rocks, a corner of a roof, a train crossing between houses. I wanted to keep those too.
Plan your visit.
Give Kamakura a day if you want the Great Buddha and the shrine streets without rushing. Start around Kamakura Station and Tsurugaoka Hachimangu, then head toward Hase for Kotoku-in. Sasuke Inari adds a quieter detour with stairs. Choose fewer stops if you want to spend more time taking photographs.
- WHEN TO GO
- Daytime · temples close earlier
- MAKE TIME FOR
- 4–6 hours, suggested
- ENTRY / WALK
- Free streets · temple entry extra
Getting there
Kamakura Station connects to JR and the Enoden. From there, the railway’s published example to Hase is about five minutes and ¥200 for an adult. Kotoku-in is about seven minutes on foot from Hase. Tsurugaoka Hachimangu is around ten minutes from Kamakura Station’s east exit.
A walk to try.
This is a full-day outline. Sasuke Inari sits away from the Hase rail stop; allow time to walk back toward the station, or leave the detour for a second visit.
Tsurugaoka Hachimangu
Begin with the shrine approach and grounds from Kamakura Station’s east side.
Find on the mapLunch around the station
Leave enough time to sit down. Read the menu and choose what appeals to you before committing to the next stop.
Find on the mapSasuke Inari · optional detour
The tourism office puts the shrine about twenty minutes from the station’s west exit. Expect an uphill approach with stairs.
Find on the mapHase & the Great Buddha
Take the Enoden to Hase, then walk to Kotoku-in before its afternoon last-entry time.
Find on the map
Start with the red gates
Tsurugaoka Hachimangu is an easy place to begin from Kamakura Station. The ordinary shrine grounds are free to enter, while museums and special facilities have separate tickets.
Its gates normally open 6am–8pm. That gives you room for a street walk, but don’t assume every building or service follows those hours. In the photographs, I keep coming back to the red beams, the edges of the roof and the blossoms around the grounds.
A detour for the small things
Sasuke Inari sits beyond the busiest shopping streets. The official tourism guide describes a stairway through red torii to the shrine and puts the walk at around twenty minutes from Kamakura Station’s west exit.
The small fox figures are what fill my frames here. Take time to look, keep the stairs clear and leave the offerings where they are. The tourism listing gives admission as a voluntary offering; bring something to contribute if you wish.
The Great Buddha, from a few angles
The Great Buddha is at Kotoku-in in Hase. General admission is ¥300, with an additional ¥50 to enter the statue’s interior. From October through March, the temple opens 8am–5pm, with last entry at 4:45pm. April through September closes half an hour later.
Give yourself time to see the whole figure, then the hands, the folds and the face. The interior has its own earlier closing time. If you want to add nearby Hasedera, check its opening hours before choosing the order of your stops.
Leave room for the train ride
The Enoden connects Kamakura and Fujisawa, with Hase and Enoshima along the way. It can be part of the day rather than just the gap between attractions.
The Noriorikun day pass is ¥800 for an adult and ¥400 for a child. A Kamakura–Hase return is ¥400 for an adult, so check your actual trips before buying the pass. If you also want the coast and Enoshima, consider giving them their own afternoon.
What it costs.
Prices in Japanese yen (JPY), updated October 20, 2026. Check current tickets and opening hours before you go.
| Stop or meal | Listed price |
|---|---|
| Tsurugaoka Hachimangu · ordinary grounds Museums and special facilities have separate entry. | Free |
| Kotoku-in · general admission Children aged 6–12: ¥150. Under six: free. | ¥300 |
| Great Buddha · statue interior Additional to temple entry; separate opening hours. | +¥50 |
| Kamakura → Hase · Enoden Adult one-way fare; child fare ¥100. | ¥200 |
| Enoden Noriorikun day pass Adult, one day on the Enoden railway. Food and attractions extra. | ¥800 |
Kotoku-in entry and a Kamakura–Hase return total ¥700 for an adult, or ¥750 including the statue interior. Add food, any shrine offering and your journey to Kamakura.
A few things to know.
Can I do Kamakura as a day trip?
Yes. Choose a few stops around the station and Hase, and leave time for a meal. Adding Sasuke Inari, several temples and Enoshima makes a much fuller day; splitting the coast into a second visit gives you more room.
How much does the Great Buddha cost?
Kotoku-in’s general admission is ¥300, with an optional extra ¥50 for the statue interior. Check the separate last-entry times before visiting.
Is the Enoden day pass worth it?
Compare it with your planned rides. The adult pass is ¥800; a simple Kamakura–Hase return is ¥400. Extra stops along the line can change the calculation.
Stay for the photographs.
Swipe through. Tap a photograph to see it full frame.
A Day in Kamakura
Memories
you can wear.
I photographed Astro Boy in a Kyoto restaurant after midnight. That frame became this tee.
I call the things I make from my photos and travels artifacts. A little of a place, made into something you can keep.
Another place to get lost.
Enoshima / JAPANEnoshima: a train ride, a sea breeze & the last of the light
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Jewel of Shonan / JAPANJewel of Shonan: Enoshima after the lights come on
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Yokohama / JAPAN