Kamakura Customized Private Tour in 1 Day, Licensed Guide

Highlights

Inclusions

Itinerary

1. The shrine is dedicated to Hachiman, the patron god of the Minamoto family and of the samurai in general. The deified spirits of the ancient Emperor Ojin who has been identified with Hachiman, Hime-gami and Empress Jingu are enshrined at Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine.

   15 min

2. The Great Buddha of Kamakura (鎌倉大仏, Kamakura Daibutsu) is a bronze statue of Amida Buddha, which stands on the grounds of Kotokuin Temple. With a height of 11.4 meters, it has long been the second tallest bronze Buddha statue in Japan, surpassed only by the statue in Nara's Todaiji Temple and some recent creations.

   15 min

3. Hasedera (長谷寺) is a temple of the Jodo sect, famous for its eleven-headed statue of Kannon, the goddess of mercy. The 9.18 meter tall, gilded wooden statue is regarded as one of the largest wooden sculpture in Japan and can be viewed in the temple's main building, the Kannon-do Hall

   30 min

4. Hokokuji Temple is best known for the beautiful, small bamboo grove found behind the temple's main hall, which lies thick with over 2000 dark green bamboo stalks. A few narrow pathways lead through the bamboo to a tea house where, for a small fee, you can sit and enjoy a cup of matcha tea while enjoying views into the bamboo grove. Also located behind the temple are a series of shallow caves carved into the hillsides, which are believed to hold the ashes of some of the later Ashikaga lords.

   15 min

5. Only a short train ride west of Kamakura, Enoshima (江の島) is a pleasantly touristy island just off the coast but connected by bridge with the mainland. The island offers a variety of attractions, including a shrine, park, observation tower and caves. Views of Mount Fuji can be enjoyed on days with good visibility. Enoshima is divided into a yacht harbor accessible to motorized traffic and a forested hill which can only be explored on foot (and paid escalators) and contains most of the sights. Several shrine buildings, collectively known as Enoshima Shrine, are found around the island and are dedicated to Benten, a popular goddess of good fortune, wealth, music and knowledge. Benten is believed to have created Enoshima before subduing a five headed dragon that had been terrorizing the area.

   15 min

6. ngakuji (円覚寺) is one of the leading Zen temples in Eastern Japan and the number two of Kamakura's five great Zen temples. Engakuji was founded by the ruling regent Hojo Tokimune in the year 1282, one year after the second invasion attempt by the Mongols had been reverted. One purpose of the new temple was to pay respect to the fallen Japanese and Mongolian soldiers. Engakuji is built into the slopes of Kita-Kamakura's forested hills. The first main structure encountered upon entering the temple grounds is the Sanmon main gate, which dates from 1783. Behind it stands the temple's main hall, the Butsuden, which displays a wooden statue of the Shaka Buddha. The Butsuden was rebuilt relatively recently in 1964 after the former building was lost in an earthquake.

   30 min

7. Kenchoji (建長寺, Kenchōji) is the number one of Kamakura's five great Zen temples. The oldest Zen temple in Kamakura, Kenchoji was founded by the ruling regent Hojo Tokiyori in 1253 during the Kencho Era after which it was named. Its first head priest was Rankei Doryu, a Zen priest from China. Although considerably smaller than during its heydays, Kenchoji still consists of a large number of temple buildings and subtemples, and stretches from the entrance gate at the bottom of the valley far into the forested hills behind. After passing through the Sanmon main gate, visitors will see Kenchoji's temple bell (Bonsho), designated a national treasure, on their right.

   30 min

8. Zeniarai Benten Shrine (銭洗弁天) is a popular shrine in western Kamakura, which people visit to wash their money (zeniarai means "coin washing"). It is said that money washed in the shrine's spring, will double. Minamoto Yoritomo, the founder of the Kamakura government, ordered the shrine's construction after a god appeared in his dream and recommended him to build the shrine in order to bring peace to the country. Because the dream occurred on the day of the snake, in the month of the snake of the year of the snake, the shrine was later also dedicated to Benten, a Buddhist goddess associated with snakes.

   30 min

9. Meigetsuin Temple (明月院) is a temple of the Rinzai Zen Sect founded in 1160 in Kamakura. It is also known as Ajisaidera ("Hydrangea Temple") because hydrangea bloom in abundance on the temple grounds during the rainy season around June. 95% of the hydrangea here are of the Hime Ajisai ("Princess Hydrangea") variety; they are thus named because of their pretty blue colors. The temple was originally a repose built by a son in memory of his father who had died in the struggle for power between the Taira and Minamoto clans in the late Heian Period. It later became part of a larger temple complex called Zenkoji, which was abolished during anti-Buddhist movements soon after the Meiji Restoration, leaving only Meigetsuin to remain as an individual temple today.

   30 min

10. Ankokuronji (安国論寺) is one of several temples of the Nichiren sect of Japanese Buddhism along the hills in the southeast of Kamakura. Nichiren himself founded Ankokuronji around 1253 when he first came to Kamakura, and he is said to have lived at the temple for several years. Visitors can walk along a short hiking trail through the wooded hills around the temple buildings. A nice view of the city of Kamakura can be enjoyed underway. Some of the trail's passages are quite steep and should only be explored with good walking shoes and during dry weather.

    30 min

11. Jomyoji Temple (浄妙寺, Jōmyōji) is a Zen temple in the hills of eastern Kamakura. Ranked fifth among the five great Zen temples of Kamakura, Jomyoji was founded by the influential Ashikaga family and at its peak was made up of seven buildings and several pagodas. Over the centuries, however, many of the structures were destroyed by fire, and only its historic main hall, reception hall, main gate and warehouse remain today. The main hall sits at the end of a garden and houses a statue of Shaka Nyorai, the historical Buddha. Jomyoji Temple also has a restored teahouse where visitors can sit and enjoy a cup of tea for a small fee while enjoying the view of a nice dry garden. On the hillside behind the main hall is the temple's spacious cemetery, while a path leads up the hill to a small western-style restaurant. The restaurant is operated by the temple and offers good views out over Kamakura from its patio.

    15 min

12. Zuisenji (瑞泉寺) is a beautiful Zen temple in the far east of Kamakura, in the back of a narrow valley and surrounded by wooded hills. It is a branch temple of the Engakuji Temple. Zuisenji was founded by Muso Kokushi, a leading Zen master of his time and one of Japan's most famous garden designers. The temple is known for its pure Zen rock garden behind the temple's main hall, designed by Muso himself. The temple furthermore attracts with its many flowers and blooming trees in the other parts of the temple grounds, including a large number of plum trees.

    30 min

Cancellation

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.

Reviews

Ratings come from 46 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.

Showing reviews written in English.

• 5Highly recommended, great tour.

  Excellent tour, so glad we got Yumiko San as our guide. Yumi San was very knowledgeable, kind and helpful. She explained everything about Kamakura so well and even went her way out to help my wife and I purchase transport cards. Indeed a great memorable experience.

  Johnny_BMay 2026via Viator

• 5Flexible Yokohama & Kamakura

  Our guide Kei was extremely friendly, knowledgeable and flexible, able to customize our tour to our liking including a nice lunch in downtown Yokohama. It was a great experience.

  K9179XUeduardoaApril 2026via Tripadvisor

• 5Kamakura

  Thank you Seizo Kamiuto-san for your trip though Kamakura and your professional support and information. We passed an unforgettable moment and enjoy your kindly support.

  OLT67domMarch 2026via Tripadvisor

• 5Wonderful day!

  Knowledgeable guide and a wonderful day overall. Very interesting and informative to learn about both the Buddhist and Shinto religions in Japan.

  Ron_RMarch 2026via Viator

• 5Awesome walking tour!

  We are so glad we booked this walking tour to Kamakura! Yumiko was a wonderful tour guide as she was attentive, knowledgable and professional. This was the perfect day trip for us as we were able to hit up the spots we wanted to see in Kamakura and Enoshima Island. I highly recommend this tour and also recommend Yumiko as a tour guide.

  K182NGclaracNovember 2025via Tripadvisor

• 5Excellent trip with a knowledgeable and helpful guide

  We took a train from Tokyo to Kamakura for a tour. An, our guide, was really great. Before the visit she coordinated with us on the sites that we wanted to see, and arranged the day to meet our preferences. We used local buses and trains several times and she helped us to navigate all of that smoothly. More importantly, An made our visit to each site more enjoyable with extra details and information that really made a difference in understanding each area. She answered my many questions and was gracious and kind. Her English is excellent and she is very knowledgeable. We highly recommend this tour and especially our guide An.

  Geoffrey RNovember 2025via Tripadvisor

Know before you go

How it compares in Yokohama

• Its from-price is close to the median of the 46 city tours we list in Yokohama.
• Its length is typical for the group.
• By number of reviews it ranks 3 of 46.
• The operator lists free cancellation on it.

About Yokohama

Yokohama is Japan's second-largest city, a port south of Tokyo with a modern waterfront, the country's biggest Chinatown and hillside foreign quarters.

Yokohama grew from a fishing village into a treaty port after 1859, and its harbour still defines the city. Minato Mirai 21, the waterfront district, has the Landmark Tower, a Ferris wheel and a promenade with views over the bay. The Red Brick Warehouse buildings are now shops and event halls, and Yamashita Park runs along the water beside the Hikawa Maru, a retired ocean liner.

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