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 a Tsurugaoka-Hachimangu Shrine which is 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.
This temple is called Bamboo Temple and you can enjoy 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 according to seasons, and also beautiful ocean view from the lookout.
Go back to your hotel by train.
End of the tour.
Kamakura Station or Your hotel
Through this tour, you can feel the old Japanese atmosphere of Buddhist temples and Shinto shrine.
1. Hokokuji Temple
Hokokuji Temple was founded in 1334, and is truly 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.
2. Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine
Tsurugaoka-hachimangu Shrine is one of the most famous 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 the people for the first shrine visit of the New Year.
3. Komachi-dori shopping street
Komachi-dori shopping street is located between Kamakura Station and Tsurugaoka-hachimangu Shrine. Over 250 shops are located along Komachi-dori, and you can find some quaint shops and traditional treats.
4. Great Buddha
Great Buddha is a national treasure and is 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 11 meters and weight is about 121 tons. You can get into the body of Buddha if you like.
5. Hasedera Temple
It is said that Hase-dera Temple was established in 736. Its principal image of Buddha is a Kannon Bodhisattva which has eleven faces. It is about 9 meters tall and one of the biggest wooden statue in Japan.
This temple is also known as “flower temple”. You can enjoy beautiful flower viewing according to seasons, and also beautiful ocean view from the lookout.
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 1,500 yen/adult
3. Lunch (you and your guide)
4. Beverages (beer, juice, etc.)
By JR Train, it takes about an hour from Tokyo to Kamakura.
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.
Hi Horoshi SAN.... you made our day and did more then a guide ??. Thank you so much for the time and your guidance and explanation on our tour and not forgetting the insight you gave us on managing the train, food, tour in Tokyo for the next 4 days. We had a marvellous time and we have safely reach Kyoto as per your guidance from Odawara. I want to welcome your wife and you to our country please contact me to be your guide.? Back home I will definitely recommend to family and friends on you good hospitality and tour. Once again Arigato tosai masu
Thank you very much for your review, Vasanthi-san. We had a tour to Hakone. It was unfortunate we were not able to see Mt. Fuji because it was covered by clouds although the weather was fine. But I am relieved to know that you enjoyed the tour. At Owakudani we bought black eggs. We didn't have time eat them there, but I hope you enjoyed eating them in Shinkansen or Kyoto. I am sure your life has been extended! We parted at Odawara Station. I am also relieved to know you arrived in Kyoto safely. I hope you will enjoy the rest of your stay in Japan, and look forward to seeing you again in Japan or Malaysia! Hiroshi
Hiroshi-san is sincerly an excellent guide-a lot of knowlige,pleasent,helpful in any situation and helpd us to enjoy 3 wonderful days.
Thank you very much for the review. On the first day we enjoyed hiking on Mt. Takao. Red and yellow leaves were very beautiful. On the second day we went to Yakohama and Kamakura. It was a lovely day, and we were able to see a bride and bridegroom in kimono. On the last day it was unfortunate we had rain. We had to change our plan, but we learned a lot about the history and the way of life of the people in Edo period at Edo Tokyo Museum. And Planets Tokyo was a fantastic experience. At the next time to come to Japan I would be very happy if you choose me again. Japan has a lot of places to visit. Let's enjoy Japan together again!
Hiroshi guided my wife and I through a one day tour of the Hakone area. We communicated back and forth multiple times ahead of the trip as Hiroshi helped us work out an itinerary. He was very helpful with suggestions and working around some issues of closed areas due to the recent typhoon. Hiroshi also worked with us organizing the logistics of a morning arrival to Odawara by train, getting bulky luggage dropped at our hotel, and still managing a full day. We had an excellent day touring with Hiroshi.
Thank you very much for your review. I am happy to know that you enjoyed the tour in Hakone. But it was unfortunate we were not able to walk around Owakudani area although we were able to see Owakudani from a ropeway. We took a boat cruise on Lake Ashi and visited the old Hakone Checkpoint. We learned a lot about a checkpoint in Edo period. Hakone has a lot of nice places to visit besides the places we visited. So if you have a chance to come to Japan in the future, let's enjoy Hakone again. I am looking forward to seeing you again in Japan.
Hiroshi is very knowledgeable and very considerate and kind. He was happy to explain Japanese customs and answered all questions regarding history in customs of Japan. The day was well planned out and and we were not rushed to maintain the schedule. Our lunch at Tsukiji market excellent!!!!!! Highly recommend Hiroshi for your next adventure.
Thank you very much for your review. Although at first we were planning to go to Hakone, I am sorry we were not able to visit Hakone because of the damage by the typhoon. But I am happy to know that you enjoyed the tour in Tokyo. We visited Meiji-jingu Shrine, Tsukiji, Asakusa, etc. We saw Shichi-go-san ceremony, an annual event which celebrates growth of children, and Japanese traditional wedding at Meiji-jingu Shrine. We also visited Yanaka and felt the atmosphere of the old shopping street after the war. I hope we can get together again and visit Hakone in the near future.