Guide to an amazing Day Trip to Kamakura and Zushi from Tokyo

Affiliate links
This post might contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through this link I will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. But I will only recommend products and services I believe are of value for you. Thank you so much for your support.

Kamakura is a little town around 50 km from Tokyo. It’s famous for its well-preserved temples and shrines from different periods but also for its black-sand beach. But also everyone that likes hiking will enjoy a day trip to Kamakura from Tokyo.

Fun Fact: From 1185 to 1333 Kamakura was even the seat of the Japanese Government.

This great day trip can be perfectly combined with a visit to Zushi. Another small town not too far from Kamakura which is a great beach destination from Tokyo.

A great Day Trip to Kamakura

Torii in Kamakura, steps and flags

How to get from Tokyo to Kamakura

Getting to Kamakura from Tokyo on your own is easy. You have three options.

JR Yokosuka Line

Price: 920 Yen (ca. 7.30€ / $ 8.30)

Duration: ca. 1 hour

From Tokyo Station, there is a direct line to Kamakura. The train leaves several times an hour. A great option for everyone traveling with the JR Pass.

JR Shonan Shinjuku Line

Price: 920 Yen (ca. 7.30€ / $ 8.30)

Duration: ca. 1 hour

Also this line operates between Tokyo (Shinjuku Station) and Kamakura twice an hour. Make sure to catch the train that is Zushi bound. This is also a great option for everyone traveling with the JR Pass.

Odakyu Railways

Price: 1470 Yen Roundtrip (ca. 11.50 € / $ 13.15)

Duration: ca. 90 Minutes

The cheapest but also longest option to get to Kamakura is by Odakyu Railways. The train leaves at Shinjuku Station.

Join a Tour to Kamakura

There are also several tours from Tokyo to Kamakura that you can join. This way, you don’t have to explore the city on your own and can make new friends on the way. If you would rather be alone but still prefer to do a tour, private tours are available as well.

Check the most popular tours here.

The best things to do in Kamakura

Jufukuji Temple, Gate, Day trip to Kamakura
One of many temples in Kamakura: The Jufukuji Temple

Kamakura is full of amazing things to see. It’s recommendable to get there early as many Kamakura attractions already close in the afternoon.

Statues found in temples in Kamakura, Tokyo

Kamakura travel tip: Make sure to get a free walking-map upon your arrival.

In Kamakura, you can either move around by bus or simply walk. We decided to walk which is firstly cheaper and secondly, you are able to get a much better insight into this little Japanese town.

Kotoku-in & The Big Buddha

Big Buddha Kamakura, Temple, Japan

Opening Hours: 08.00 – 05.30 pm (April – September) / 05.00 pm (October – March)

Entrance Fee: 200 Yen (ca. 1.55 € / $ 1.80)

The 13.4 meters high Big Buddha Statue is arguably the main attraction of Kamakura. From the main station, you can get there in around 20-30 minutes walking. The temple Kotoku-in itself, in which the big Buddha statue is located, is not that special compared to the other temples around.
Anyway, the big Buddha statue is really worth seeing. Especially with the trees and mountains in the background, it forms a lovely picture.

It can be quite hard to take a nice picture of the Big Buddha, though,  as there are usually many visitors.

The Hiking Trail

Hiking Trail Kamakura, Day trip from Tokyo

Also for hiking-lovers Kamakura is a great destination. If you walk more upwards from the Big Buddha you will find a nice hiking trail. It is quiet and you can enjoy nature without meeting many people. During a stay in a loud big city like Tokyo it might be worth its weight in gold if you can enjoy such a silence and peacefulness in the nature. Anyway, you should consider wearing a suitable pair of shoes when hiking there. Especially when it is such a rainy day as we had during our stay in Kamakura. The hiking trail was muddy and slippery all the way. Luckily, we didn’t choose to wear our flip flops in the morning. 🙂

Hokokuji Temple and Bamboo Garden

Hokokuji Temple and Bamboo Garden

Opening Hours: 09.00 am – 04.00 pm

Entrance Fee: 200 Yen (ca. 1.55 € / $ 1.80)

The Hokokuji Temple offers behind its small and unobtrusive gate a little garden which leads you to the main hall. In this hall, you can find a historic Buddha statue. Moreover, you can find a bell tower.

Anyway, the main highlight of this temple is located behind the temple: the Bamboo Garden with over 2000 Bamboo Plants. Within the Bamboo Garden, you can find a little tea house in which you can purchase a hot cup of Matcha tea while enjoying the view on this mesmerizing Bamboo Garden.

The Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine

The Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine

Opening Hours: 05.00 am /06.00 am (October – March) – 09.00 pm

Entrance Fee: 200 Yen (ca. 1.55 € / $ 1.80)

The Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine is said to be the most important Shrine in Kamakura. This Shrine is dedicated to the god Hachimangu which is not only the god of the founder’s family but also the god of the Samurai.

The Toriis (Orange Gates) that lead you to the Main Hall lead from Kamakura’s waterfront to the entire city center.

The entrance fee can be used to enter the Shrine Museum which displays various treasures from the Shrine such as swords and masks.

Temple Run

Temples in Kamakura, Kamakura Day trip Itinerary

One thing you can say for sure about Kamakura: There is really no lack of temples. You will find them on every corner.
Before you start your journey through this ancient Japanese city, you can mark on your map everything you want to see. Or just wander around and see while you go. You will find amazing temples either way.

Path leading to a temple in Kamakura, Japan

The Kamakura Beaches

Kamakura Beach, Kamakura Day Trip from Tokyo

Kamakura is not only a great destination to see temples and beautiful nature but also perfect for a beach trip.

Kamakura offers several sand beaches that are just perfect to relax on. The two most popular and easiest to access are the Yuigahama and the Zaimokuza Beach.

You can also visit the Black Sand Beach Inamuragasaki. In order to reach this unique beach take the Enoshima Denetetsu Line from Kamakura Station and get out at Inamuragasaki Station. From here it’s just a 5-Minutes walk to the beach.

Take a look at Mount Fuji

Mount Fuji, view from Kamakura

Another amazing thing you can do in Kamakura is taking a look at the impressive Mount Fuji. However, unfortunately, if you want to have a look at this famous Japanese attraction you have to get here on a clear day. If you come to Kamakura on a cloudy day like we did it’s nearly impossible to take a glance at it.

Day Trip to Zushi

After you finished having a look at all the beautiful sights of Kamakura, you can go on to the beach destination Zushi.

How to get to Zushi

From Kamakura

Price: 160 Yen (ca. 1.25 € / $ 1.40)

Duration: ca. 13 Minutes

Just take the JR Yokosuka Line from Kamakura Station one Stop to Zushi Station. From there it is around 10 Minutes walking to the beach.

Zushi – A Beach Destination

Most people that visit Zushi get here especially for one thing: the beach. On Zuhsi’s beach you can usually find fewer visitors than e.g. in Kamakura. Besides that the Zuhsi beach is basically like every other beach. Besides on Saturdays nights…

Firework on the Zushi beach

feuerwerk zushi vicki viaja

Every Saturday on summer weekends you will find a firework at the beach of Zushi. We’ve been told that Japanese simply love such fireworks. And we absolutely believed that after seeing the huge amount of people that have been gathered at the beach for the firework show.

Firework at the Zushi Beach, Day trip from Tokyo

We were really lucky that friends of our host Yuki have already reserved some space for all of us during the afternoon by placing a blanket. The beach was crowded by visitors. However, it was the first firework of the season which might explain why it was that crowded.

The firework started right on time (typical in Japan) and took around half an hour. There were boats on the water which helped to present an awesome show. Moreover, there was even music accompanying the fireworks. I can just highly recommend everyone to see such a firework show if you have the chance.

Unfortunately, we had to wait around one hour afterwards until the train wasn’t overcrowded with visitors anymore that were on their way back to Tokyo and Yokohama. But we got to know a lot of new people on the beach. Which also made our way back much more entertaining. 😉

zushi freunde japan vicki viaja

Where to next?

Make sure to also read our comprehensive Tokyo Guide.

If you are looking for the best Neighborhood to stay in Tokyo make sure to check our Ultimate Tokyo Neighborhood Guide.

More Day Trips from Tokyo? How about a trip to Nikko?

Japan related posts
about-the-author

About the AuthorVicki

Hi, we are Vicki & Eduardo, an international travel couple on a mission to help you save money for priceless travel experience. Follow us through the miracles of this world and you will be rewarded with a bunch of practical travel tips.

More about us
5/5 - (2 votes)

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.