One-Day Ancient Wonders in Kamakura(Bamboo Temple, Hachimangu Shrine, Great Buddha, Hasedera Temple)
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.
Itinerary
This itinerary can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Send me a message with your requests!
Meeting Point
Your hotel
- I will meet you near the reception in the lobby of your hotel.
Your Hotel
Pick up at your hotel. Go to Kamakura Station by train.
Kamakura Station
Go to Hokokuji Temple by bus.
Hokokuji Temple
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.
Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine
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 and Shopping
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.
Kamakura Station
Go to Hase Station by Enoden local line.
Great Buddha
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.
Hasedera Temple
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.
Kamakura Station
Go back to your hotel by train.
Your Hotel
End of the tour.
Ending Point
Kamakura Station or Your hotel
Want to personalize this tour?
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This tour can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Click below to send me a message with your requests.
Inclusions & Exclusions
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.)
Tour Important Information
(1) By JR Train, it takes about an hour from Tokyo to Kamakura.
(2) This tour is also available for groups of 6 or more. Please inquire about guide fees for groups of 6 or more.
*** 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.
Important message from the supplier
The minimum duration for a customized tour is 4 hours.
Cancellation Policy
- Free cancellation - 8 days prior to meeting time
- 50% Refund - 3 to 7 days prior to meeting time
- No Refund - Within 2 day(s) prior to meeting time
About Tour Guide Hiroshi S.
Hello, I'm Hiroshi.
I am a National Government Licensed Tour Guide Interpreter in English. I received a master's degree in Computer Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in the U.S.
I have lived in a city of Fujisawa, which is a city next to Kamakura, for more than 20 years, and also used to live in Kamakura for more than 10 years. So far, I have visited almost all the temples and shrines in Kamakura. I am sure I can offer you a pleasant trip to the historical city!
In addition to Kamakura, I can also guide you around Tokyo, Yokohama, Hakone, Nikko, etc. because I have visited many places in Kanto area. For example, in Tokyo I can show you around many sightseeing spots, such as Asakusa, Tsukiji, Imperial Palace, Meiji Shrine, Tokyo Skytree, etc.
I like baseball and used to play baseball, but now enjoy watching professional baseball games. And I like watching Rakugo, Japanese traditional story-telling performance.
Of course, I also like travelling very much, and am interested in Japanese culture and history. So I would like to show you Japanese tradition and culture.
Let’s enjoy a trip in Japan together.
I am looking forward to seeing you soon.
Reviews
John G.
“Fantastic Day Tour in Tokyo”
What a wonderful trip we had with Hiroshi. It was so we'll organised and planned to perfection to include everything we asked for on our itinerary. Hiroshi was punctual, very informative, thoughtful and so helpful with all our travelling and ticketing on the subways, monorail and river cruise. We had the best time and could never have done everything we did without him. Thank you Hiroshi.
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Hiroshi S.
Thank you for taking your time to write a review. This time, we visited many tourist spots in Tokyo, including the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden, Shibuya, Yanaka, and Asakusa. From the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building observation deck, we could see the Tokyo Skytree and other landmarks. I think you also found the old shopping streets of Yanaka interesting. From a boat on the Sumida River, we were able to see a different view of Tokyo. I hope you enjoyed the one-day tour. There are still many more sights to see in Tokyo, so please contact me if you have the opportunity to come to Japan again. I'd be happy to show you a different side of Tokyo.
Denis H.
“An interesting and useful sightseeing tour”
We used Hiroshi’s services for a 4.5-hour personalized tour of Tokyo, conducted in English. Our goal was to learn how to navigate Tokyo’s public transport system independently, and he prepared an itinerary with that in mind. We thoroughly enjoyed the places he suggested; he was flexible and attentive to our requests, making adjustments to the program as needed. We are very satisfied with his services and highly recommend him.
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Hiroshi S.
I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed the half-day tour of Tokyo. One of the goals of this tour was for you to become familiar with Tokyo's transportation system. I hope you learned how to ride the JR and subway lines, how to transfer, and how to use Suica. I also explained about Japanese life, history, culture, and customs. I believe you are now able to enjoy Japan—including Tokyo—on your own. Japan has many cultures and customs that are different from those of the West. I look forward to the day when we can enjoy Japan together again.
Susan G.
“Lovely way to begin our visit to Japan”
Hiroshi guided our group from hotel to two beautiful gardens in Japan. It was so lovely and peaceful. He clearly explained a bit of the history of each of the gardens and gave us time to explore on our own. He helped make our first day in this very busy, bustling city of Tokyo a breath of fresh air and quiet contemplation. Thank you Hiroshi.
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Hiroshi S.
Thank you for taking your time to write a review. I also enjoyed spending time with your group in the beautiful gardens. Even though you were a group of over 10 people, getting on and off the subway was smooth, and we had no problems getting around at all. Both Rikugien and Koishikawa Korakuen are representative parks of the Edo period. Tokyo has many other beautiful gardens, such as Hamarikyu Gardens and Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden. When you come to Japan again, let’s enjoy these wonderful views together while learning about Japanese history, culture, and customs.
$250/ per group
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Explore Kamakura - just about an hour from Tokyo with a local guide who loves this compact ancient town, rich in history, culture, nature, and Zen spirit. We will visit highlights such as Tsurugaoka Hachimangu, the Great Buddha standing for 770 years, and the bamboo temple. You can savor authentic matcha with Japanese sweets in a serene Zen garden, admire seasonal flowers, and stroll hidden paths to the seaside, where the ocean breeze offers a peaceful close to your journey.
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