Kamakura, the birthplace of Zen Buddhism, is a beautiful residential area dotted with zen temples. The Great Buddha is another highlight. The Pacific Ocean’s gentle breeze adds to the tranquil atmosphere.
We’ll find the most suitable mix of destinations to match your interests and physical exertion level. (See the ITINERARY)
A walking tour is good value for money (H1)! We’ll get to experience 5 temples and shrines!
For a more leisurely pace, a bus and a taxi are best.
See you in Kamakura!
JR Kita Kamakura Station.
Tokyo hotel meet-up is optional. If you want to meet-up and drop-off in Tokyo, the time you will spend in Kamakura will be about 3.5 hours. You need to extend the tour or cut one or two spots from the tour.
Both the temple bell and Shari-den Hall are national treasures. Excellent view of Mt. Fuji from the hilltop on nice winter days.
Entrance = 500 JPY / person
Largest Shinto shrine in the Kamakura area.
Kamakura-bori store (local art), lunch and shopping
Most popular sightseeing spot in this area.
Entrance = 300 JPY / person
Only time allows. In case our pace is slow, we are not able to visit.
A lot of stairs. Japanese garden; statue of Buddha with 11 heads; a unique cave shrine.
Entrance = 400 JPY / person
Vegetarian cafe in the temple grounds.
Visiting smaller shrines and temples which are not accessible by bus/train. 80% of the route is paved and flat. In case of rain, we will modify the route.
Small rustic temple with statues of Amida, Shaka, and Miroku Buddhas. Shaka is the main Buddha flanked by two minor Buddhas.
Entrance = 200 JPY / person
The spring water in this cave is said to energize money and multiply it.
Red torii gates line the path to this small shrine on the side of the mountain.
About 1,000 miniature ceramic foxes are on the shrine grounds. Can you find them all?
Most popular sightseeing spot in this area.
Entrance = 300 JPY / person
Only time allows. In case our pace is slow, we are not able to visit.
A lot of stairs. Japanese garden; statue of Buddha with 11 heads; a unique cave shrine.
Entrance = 400 JPY / person
Vegetarian cafe in the temple grounds.
The tour will end at JR Fujisawa Station. We can get a fantastic view of the Pacific Ocean and Enoshima Island.
Train fare = 500JPY/person
Matcha green tea is served at a beautiful traditional room where we can appreciate a beautiful garden.
Entrance and Tea = 1,300JPY/ person
Savor a cup of matcha green tea while enjoying the serene sight of the bamboo forest.
Entrance: 300 JPY / person, 600 JPY matcha
Well-known for seasonal flowers and fall foliage on the temple grounds.
Entrance = 500 JPY / person
Part of Enoshima & Kamakura tour on my tour page.
NOT INCLUDED in this tour.
JR Kamakura Station or at a pre-agreed place (in Tokyo, Yokohama and Fujisawa)
Guide fee
The following are PAID IN CASH on the day/s of the tour.
= Transportation (you & guide) = approx. 2,000++JPY/person (Tokyo round trip)
= Lunch / food / drinks (you & guide)
= Entrance fee (you & guide) = Guide has a pass for most temples.
=tour extension = 5,000JPY/hour
Multiple-day bookings are encouraged. I might have greater flexibility in opening closed slots in this case. Let's talk about it. Send me a message! :‑)
MORE INFO:
= We use public transportation (train, subway, bus and/or taxi) in my tours as it's the best way to see the city.
= A custom tour = Please book at least SIX HOURS /day = 5,000JPY/ hour
= The meet-up time marks the official start of the tour.
= Hotel pick-ups = only in Central Tokyo, Yokohama, and a few hotels in Kawasaki.
= Four-hour tours available = Tokyo, Harajuku & Shibuya, Odaiba, Shinjuku, Ueno, Yokohama, and antique flea market. Please check out the corresponding tour pages.
= HAKONE TOURS = Only available as an ADD-ON to a Tokyo tour (at least 4-hr Tokyo tour on a different day). 5,000JPY/hour
(1) Since some are located a little far from the train station, we would have to walk or take a bus/taxi. (2)JR Train fare (round trip from Tokyo) = approx. 2,000JPY. (3)The area is crowded on weekends, holidays, and the peak season (for cherry blossoms & fall foliage). (4) Only walking tours and H1 hiking tour are conducted during GW period (April.28 to May 5) to avoid the heavy holiday crowd.
We've enjoyed the company of Toshi. She had provided us the assistance, lots of informations, and guidance during our visit to Tokyo. She is very knowledgeable about the pass and present history of Tokyo, gave us lots of insight about the destination, attractions and cultural aspects of the places we visited.
Thank you for your kind words, Yolanda! It was a lot of fun taking you around Tokyo on our 3-day tour. We saw many places based on your preferences and sampled varieties of local delicacies. You really had studied about Japan before the trip and selected the trendy places, like the café we had fluffy pancakes. I was impressed. Hope to see you again. Until then, please take care!
My husband and I had a wonderful tour with Toshi. Toshi communicated with us from the moment of booking and planned a jam packed itinerary, according to our wishes, even adjusting up to the last minute to account for bad weather! We met at our hotel lobby, and in 4 hours on a Saturday early evening we toured Shinkuku, Harajuku, Kabukicho. Our tour covered history, pop culture, food, drink, culture, religion and more. Toshi was a wonderful guide and we felt lucky to have her as a guide.
Thank you, Kathryn! So glad that we managed to hit all the places (and food/drinks) you wanted to visit. The Yakitori pub had a traditional atmosphere, while the small bar was so intimate. How was the taste of Umeshu – plum wine? Strolling Kabukicho at night with a guide is best so that international tourists can see a bit of shady area with a safe environment. There are more places you need to check out in Tokyo. Please come back to Tokyo. Hope to see you again.
Our day with Toshi was filled with sights we could never have seen on our own in our limited time. After docking in Yokohama, we taxied to HND and met Toshi to begin our hours of sightseeing in Tokyo. From vending machine purchases to train rides with local Japanese families on a busy Saturday afternoon, having lunch together, shopping for small gifts and sharing ice cream cones, our time was well-spent doing the things we wanted to do. We say the major sights and experienced the pulse of Tokyo. Toshi is the perfect English-speaking guide for all travelers. Her mind is quick and her footsteps equal in pace! We loved being with her and relished her kind ways.
Thank you, Sandy and Debbi! It was a pleasure to meet you. We hung out in Harajuku like three teenage girls! You have a good vibe and it is contagious. That made our trip so much fun. We barely scratched the surface of Tokyo. I want to show you more. Hope you can come back soon. Please take care of your health!
My Tokyo tour with Toshi is highly recommended. Toshi is adorable and has so much knowledge. I enjoyed the tour greatly and learned so much. The tour is the best way to see Tokyo and learn about the city when you have a short time. We were at the main sites but Toshi had in each site her interesting and unique place that made each spot more fascinating. Toshi is so organized with maps, videos and pictures which enrich the tour. In addition I felt Toshi was attentive to my requests and made efforts to fulfill them. Toshi also send me pictures from our tour, guidance to addition places I wanted to visit in Tokyo and an email detaling our journy during that day. It was a perfect day and if I will be back to Tokyo, Toshi will be my first call. Thank you Toshi ????
Thank you, Tal! It was quite an enjoyable day for me too! We managed to see both the traditional and edgy parts of Tokyo in 7 hours. The East Garden of the Imperial Palace was so beautiful with azaleas, we could hardly believe we were in the center of Tokyo! In Odaiba, the high-tech train gave us a fantastic Tokyo Bay view. Please come back soon! I propose visiting the suburb of Tokyo, like Yokohama and Kawagoe. Hope to see you soon!