Enjoy the historical city Kamakura and feel the old Japanese atmosphere of Buddhist temples and Shinto shrine!
At Hokokuji Temple you can enjoy matcha tea while viewing a beautiful bamboo forest.
Then we will visit Tsurugaoka-Hachimangu Shrine which was a shrine for samurai warriors and enjoy shopping at Komachi-dori shopping street near this shrine.
After lunch we will visit Great Buddha and Hasedera Temple using Enoden local train.
Your hotel
Pick up at your hotel. Go to Kamakura Station by train.
Go to Hokokuji Temple by bus.
Known as a bamboo temple, Hokokuji Temple was founded in 1334, and is a Zen temple which has beautiful and relaxing bamboo forest. Staying inside the bamboo forest you will make your heart very peaceful. You can also enjoy Japanese matcha tea while watching the bamboo forest.
Go to Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine by bus.
This shrine was established in the 11th century as a shrine for samurai warriors and is one of the most famous Shinto shrines in Japan. You can pick a written oracle "Omikuji" and beautiful good luck charm for your souvenir. At the beginning of January, it is very crowded with people for the first shrine visit of the New Year.
Lunch at a restaurant near Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine and enjoy shopping at Komachi-dori Shopping Street.
Komachi-dori shopping street is located between Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine and Kamakura Station. Over 250 shops are located along Komachi-dori, and you can find some quaint shops and traditional treats.
Go to Hase Station by Enoden local line.
Great Buddha is a national treasure and located in Kotokuin Temple. It is unknown when this temple was established, but it is said Great Buddha was made in the 13th century.
It sits in the open air. Its height is about 11meters and weight is about 121 tons. You can get into the body of Buddha if you like.
It is said that Hasedera Temple was established in 736. Its principal image of Buddha is Kannon Bodhisattva which has eleven faces. It is about 9 meters tall and one of the biggest wooden statues in Japan.
This temple is also known as “flower temple”. You can enjoy beautiful flower viewing in every season, and also beautiful ocean view from the lookout.
Go back to your hotel by train.
End of the tour.
Kamakura Station or Your hotel
1. Guide fee
2. Hotel pick-up
* Hotel pick-up is included if your hotel is located near a station on JR Yamanote Line or inside the circle of JR Yamanote Line. If extra transportation fees are necessary for hotel pick-up, I will let you know.
1. Transportation fee (you and your guide) : About 3,000 yen/adult
2. Admission fee (you and your guide) : About 2,000 yen/adult including matcha tasting
3. Lunch (you and your guide)
4. Beverages (beer, juice, etc.)
Nothing speceial.
By JR Train, it takes about an hour from Tokyo to Kamakura.
*** FAQ ***
(Q) Can I add or delete the places to visit?
(A) Yes, you can add or delete the places to visit. Please let me know the places you want to visit. I will make a customized tour for you.
My recommendation is the following shrine and temple.
(1) Zeniarai-benzaiten Shrine (Coin Washing Shrine)
Zeniarai-banzaiten Shrine is one of the most famous shrines in Kamakura. People visit this shrine to wash their money (zeniarai means "coin washing"). It is said that money washed in the shrine's spring doubles.
(2) Sugimoto-dera Temple
Sugimoto-dera Temple is the oldest temple in Kamakura. It was established in the 8th century, about 450 years before the Kamakura Shogunate was opened. The main hall has a thatched roof. The three main principal images of Buddha are all eleven-faced Kannon statues, and two of them are important national cultural properties. You are allowed to enter the main hall and can see them very close.
You can also see the beautiful moss-covered stone steps at the entrance of this temple.
My son and I made a last minute decision to travel to Japan and opted for a guide in Tokyo. We found Hiroshi and were not disappointed at all. He responded quickly to all of my messages and went above and beyond with further explanations if I was ever confused. I am so happy we went with Hiroshi as he made inquiries about our interests and made itineraries based upon our likes/wants. We were able to enjoy Tokyo without worrying about the hassle of figuring out the subway system. We had great food and we were able to fit a lot of sites into a small amount of time. We also went to Nikko, which I highly recommend. Hiroshi made this such an easy day with taking the train and the bus to the UNESCO site. He also went above and beyond and showed my son and myself where we would catch the bullet train at Tokyo Station. He showed us the best entrance location and made it so easy to figure out. Thank you for a great time. We would definitely go with Hiroshi again as a tour guide if we would to return to Japan.
Thank you for your review. I'm glad to hear you enjoyed our tour of Tokyo and Nikko. I know it was a hot and humid summer in Japan, but we were able to feel the atmosphere of the Shoguns and Emperors at the Imperial Palace and experience Buddhism and Shinto at Asakusa, Meiji Shrine, and Hie Shrine. In Nikko, we were able to enjoy the gorgeous Toshogu Shrine and beautiful nature. I also enjoyed the tour with you very much. If you have the opportunity to come to Japan again, I would appreciate it if you could contact me. I look forward to meeting you again in the near future in Japan! Hiroshi
Dear Hiroshi San, We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude for the wonderful tour you provided us in Tokyo. Your knowledge, enthusiasm, and attention to detail made our experience truly memorable. Thank you for sharing the rich history and vibrant culture of Tokyo with us. Your guidance and insights were invaluable, and we deeply appreciate the time and effort you put into making our visit special. Warm regards, Adam & Beata
Thank you for your review. The weather was fine on the day of the tour and we were able to enjoy a panoramic view of Tokyo from the Tokyo Skytree. It was also a hot day, but the Sumida River cruise was pleasant with the breeze on the river. I think Tokyo from the boat had a different flavor. Although this tour was a bit busy, there are still many wonderful places to visit in Tokyo. Nikko and Hakone are also recommended sightseeing spots. If you have a chance to visit Japan in the future, let's enjoy Japan together again! Hiroshi
Hiroshi-san has been really helpful from the get go. He is really knowledgable about the area, and have a lot of suggestions on how to make the day of the trip flow better. He helps in planning the trip, and made sure that the day of the trip progressing smoothly! Would recommend Hiroshi-san to anyone who comes to Hakone!
Thank you for your review to the tour in Hakone. I am very happy to hear our tour was enjoyable. We ate black eggs at Owakudani. I am sure we got a life expectancy of seven more years:-) In addition to Hakone, I can guide you in Nikko, Yokohama, Kamakura, central Tokyo, and so on. I would be very happy to meet you again somewhere other than Hakone!
We had a full day tour of Nikko with Hiroshi. He met us at our Tokyo hotel and helped us travel on the subway to our express train from Tokyo to Nikko. Nikko was an amazing place to visit and made more special by Hiroshi’s knowledge explaining all of the details of the places we were visiting. We plan to book another tour with Hiroshi on our next trip to Japan.
Thank you for your review of the tour to Nikko. I also had a great time with you. Nikko is a small town but the sacred place of Buddhism and Shinto. We could feel the atmosphere of both Buddhism and Shinto. Nikko is also famous for its beautiful nature, especially beautiful red and yellow leaves in autumn. I look forward to seeing you again in the beautiful season in Japan!