Kamakura Highlights with Local Expert - from Tokyo
One day fun excursion to Kamakura, a small, coastal city just one hour south of Tokyo. Sometimes called the Kyoto of Eastern Japan, Kamakura offers numerous temples, shrines and other historical monuments as well as beautiful beach and forestry hills. Refer to this model plan, and I will customize your tour based on your tastes and requests. Count on me, Kamakura specialist!
Itinerary
This itinerary can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Send me a message with your requests!
Meeting Point
At your hotel or at any convenient spot for you in central Tokyo area
Your hotel or any place of your convenience in metropolitan Tokyo area
- meet and start the excursion
Kamakura station
- take enoden street car or taxi
Great Buddha of Kamakura
- a large bronze statue of Amida Buddha in Kotokuin temple
Hasedera temple
- a lovely Buddhist temple called as Kamakura's Western Pure Land full of seasonal flowers, famous for its eleven-headed statue of Kannon, the goddess of mercy
Enoden ride
- fun street car ride along the seashore * we could walk to Gokurakuji temple before that
local restaurant for lunch
- based on your request
Tsurugaoka Hachimangu shrine
Kamakura's most important Shinto shrine originally found in the late 11th century walking along Dankazura path, the street I used to walk to my junior high school in teens
Engakuji or Kenchoji temple
- the site Zen Buddhism started in Japan in the 14th century and where thousands of monks have trained
- the precincts are large and beautiful in every season perfectly maintained by the monks
Kitakamakura station
- You will find some other lovely ancient Zen temples when you walk to the station.
* We could extend the tour for Yokohama (China town and Minato Mirai area) for a couple of hours based on your request and our discussion
Tokyo station or any place of your convenience
- the end of the tour
Ending Point
At Tokyo station or any place of your convenience
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
■ guide fee
■ hotel pick-up (in Tokyo metropolitan area)
■ transportation fee (you and guide): about 3000 yen/each in total, e.g. ① JR round trip between Tokyo and Kamakura(about 2,000 yen/adult) ②Enoden and local bus, etc.
■ lunch
■ admission fee: e.g. Great Buddha (300 yen/adult), Kenchoji temple (500 yen/adult), Hasedera temple (400 yen/adult), etc.
Tour Important Information
■ Please wear comfortable shoes and outfits for walking.
■ It takes about one hour from Tokyo area to Kamakura, so it is recommended to start the tour at 8:00 am (or even earlier.)
■ I'm usually flexible to put 1 or 2 extra hours and make the tour longer or to add Yokohama visit on the way back. Please consult me if you want even on the tour date.
It's my personal story, but I moved from a large city Nagoya to Kamakura with my family when I was 10 years old. Despite a little girl, I instantly noticed how historically interesting the town was and loved the milder climate there. It also surprised me there were so many atmospheric narrow winding streets and slopes. It was the best site for kids to have a little adventure! Since then, I have been walking around the city of Kamakura with friends, family, or even by myself. I know every corner of the city and its seasonal beauties. So, let me know your interests and tastes, and I will make the best itinerary for you.
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 Tomoko H.
Hi everyone! Hearty welcome to Japan.
I’m Tomoko.
I am an English-speaking licensed tour guide, and a registered nurse as well.
“Fun Discovering Experience Walking like a Local!” – F-D-E-W-L!
That’s what I suggest.
【Experiences】
My work history is as follows.
1) high school teacher ---12 years
2) nurse--8 years + 2 years as operational manager for Kamakura city vaccination team (during COVID period)
3) tourism related jobs such as tour conducting, guiding, and backyard supporting---10 years
As a tour conductor, I’ve visited about 20 foreign countries (possibly yours?) as well as countless number of towns and villages in Japan.
I’ve enjoyed these jobs while being a mother.
Through these experiences with lots of people from different backgrounds, I've found it a great pleasure to share the joy of learning and experiencing something new!
【Guiding Areas】
<Basic> Tokyo, Kamakura, Hakone, Fuji, Yokohama, Nikko, and other neighboring areas from Tokyo
I’m a specialist in Tokyo and Kamakura as I have lived and enjoyed walking a lot in those cities for decades. To be honest, even after all my years here, I still enjoy exploring like a tourist as Tokyo is such an enormous city with great diversity and is constantly changing.
Kamakura is a historical small city with nice beaches and hills and lots of hidden spots of beauty. Almost every time I go out, I feel I’m still making new discoveries. That’s why I cannot stop exploring.
I would take you to some neighboring areas like Hakone, Yokohama, Nikko, and Mt. Fuji area (Lake Kawaguchiko), etc.
<Based on Requests > *if my transportation & accommodation are covered
Nagoya, Kyoto, Nagano(Nagano city, Snow Monkey park, Kisoji trail, etc.), Hida (Takayama, Shirakawa-go), Kanazawa, Oita, Yamagata, Akita, etc.
My original family is from Nagoya, so I know their culture and even their language(dialect) well. Later in my life, I have lived in Oita, Kyushu(far south west of Tokyo) for nearly 10 years and traveled a lot in Kyushu. I love traveling Tohoku, the northern Japan area, too. I’ve planned and enjoyed visiting many of those local areas in the north, too. So, I could share those experiences with you even while having tours in Tokyo or online.
【Personality and others】
- I love meeting people, listening and talking to them.
- I'm friendly and caring, I hope:)
- I love nature and enjoy hiking and skiing.
- I love seasonal flowers and good local food.
- You will see a lot about Japanese culture, nature, and lifestyle with me.
What has made you decide to come to Japan, by the way? Is it its scenic beauties, exotic culture, history, food, anime, or what else? Is it your business that has brought (or will bring) you here? Let me have a clue and customize your tour. I will make the best tour suggestion for you.
Why don’t you contact me now? I’m looking forward to seeing you soon!
Thank you! Arigato-gozaimas!
Reviews
Hope P.
“A Fun Day in Tokyo”
We had a wonderful day exploring Tokyo with Tomoko. She was extremely accommodating and thoughtfully adapted our itinerary to make it easier for my travel companion to see the city when walking was difficult. Tomoko has an excellent sense of humor and a warm, engaging personality that makes the day fly by. She easily wove in our spontaneous requests for shopping and sightseeing, and even shared one of her favorite neighborhood antique shops with us—a highlight of the day! We came away with many memorable moments, great stories, and a lasting appreciation for all that Tokyo has to offer. Thank you, Tomoko!
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Tomoko H.
Dear Hope, I also fondly remember the day I spent with you and Rickey. After leaving the hotel and checking out the basement food floor of the Ginza department store, we decided to enjoy a taxi tour around town. It was great to visit the shops you requested, like Tower Records and the Godzilla Shop, and to show you different areas with their own unique atmosphere from the car window. And above all, I'm so glad you enjoyed the matcha served in authentic antique tea bowls, the seasonal wagashi sweets, and the tea ceremony room. The owner's family was also very happy about your visit. Thank you so much again. -Tomoko
Amanda P.
“Memorable day in Tokyo”
Choosing Tomoko as our guide was the best decision. She quickly went from guide to cherished friend. The whole tour felt like meeting up with an old friend that was showing us around. Prior to the tour she listened and understood what we were hoping to get out of the tour. Tomoko put together a great itinerary and had wonderful insights on everything. Her instincts about when we needed a break were great. This was our first trip to Japan and Tomoko helped us feel at ease. We learned so much and will remember our time with her forever. I have already recommended her to friends.
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Tomoko H.
Thank you for the wonderful review, Amanda. The day spent with you and Mike was very relaxing and memorable. Since you're interested in local Japanese foods, I really enjoyed taking you around places like Tsukiji, the basement food hall at Ginza Mitsukoshi, and the local grocery store in Yanaka that I often use. It was also a pleasure to walk with you from Ueno Hirokoji to Ueno Park, Kan'ei-ji Temple, and Yanaka Cemetery, sharing stories about the various histories of the Tokugawa shogunate era and seeing your interest in them. Since you had just returned from Nikko, it felt like the fun of fitting puzzle pieces together as we went. I'm grateful to have spent time with two such gentle young people who are open to different cultures and foods. And if you get the chance, try nattō and umeboshi again sometime. Best wishes to you! Tomoko H
Ana H.
“A wonderful day”
We are a group of 6, with 2 young adults. Tomoko was wonderful in every aspect. She made things more than just enjoyable for all of us, young and young at hearts. We visited shrines that were meaningful but not so crowded, made last minutes changes and enjoyed everything very much. I hope to meet her again sometime! All the best and thank you, Tomoko!
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Tomoko H.
Thank you very much for your prompt review. It was an extremely hot day, but we enjoyed the cool breeze at the café next to the giant bell at Engakuji Temple, met Enma, the king of hell, drew a lucky fortune at Hachimangu Shrine, and walked a lot despite the heat. You are amazing walkers! The Great Buddha was waiting for us patiently under the blazing sun. At Hase-dera, we enjoyed the breathtaking views, and walked along Zaimokuza seashore. We also indulged in special chocolate, traditional Japanese sweets from a shop celebrating its 250th anniversary, and had a delightful dinner at a traditional Japanese-style room in Enoshima. Laughter really is contagious. It was a really fun day filled with laughter. I hope you keep having fun on your trip. I look forward to seeing you again in Osaka, and someday in Romania, Ana, Sorin, Sofia, Petru, Manuela, and Marius - Ne vedem, mulțumesc.
$427/ per group
More tours by Tomoko H.
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Nikko Highlights - One Day Excursion from Tokyo
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Other Popular Day Trip Tours in Kamakura
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Kahoko's Excursion from Tokyo to Kamakura
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One day trip to Kamakura
Kamakura is a very popular tourist destination and has a lot of beautiful places such as Buddhist temples with gardens, and Shinto shrines. The city has a lot of Japanese restaurants which offer lovely dishes. We’ll visit some of the most popular spots in Kamakura, such as Hokoku-ji temple (with a bamboo garden), Hase-dera temple (one of the oldest temples in Kamakura), and Kotoku-in temple which is well known for the Great Buddha. I hope you have a lovely day in Kamakura!
One day trip to Kamakura
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Exciting Kamakura - One Day Tour from Tokyo
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Private Kamakura - One day trip from Tokyo with Kaori
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