From Tokyo: Kamakura & Enoshima 1-Day Bus Tour
Description
Escape the fast-paced life of Tokyo and journey to Kamakura, the ancient capital of Japan and home of the Samurai. This tour offers history, culture, and natural beauty, all in one day. Begin your tour at Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine, Kamakura's most significant Shinto shrine and the spiritual heart of the city. Next, stroll down Komachi Street, a bustling shopping avenue brimming with local charm. Savor delicious local seafood, sample traditional snacks, and pick up souvenirs. Continue to Hase-dera Temple. The temple houses an impressive eleven-headed statue of Kannon, the Goddess of Mercy. Then, visit Kotoku-in Temple to see the Great Buddha of Kamakura, the iconic symbol of the city. This immense bronze statue stands over 11 meters tall. Conclude your tour with a visit to Enoshima, a small island. Explore its shrines, enjoy the panoramic ocean views, and relax in the tranquil surroundings, making it the perfect end to your journey.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Begin your journey at Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine, Kamakura's premier shrine and spiritual heart. As you pass through the grand torii gate, you'll find a serene landscape featuring tranquil ponds with koi, elegant bridges, and beautifully landscaped gardens. Take time to explore the main hall, Honden, and the various smaller shrines, each reflecting Japan’s rich cultural heritage. Afterward, enjoy a leisurely stroll down Komachi Street, a bustling shopping district full of local charm. This vibrant area is perfect for lunch, offering fresh seafood, traditional snacks, and unique souvenirs. Immerse yourself in the lively atmosphere and savor the flavors of Kamakura.
Kamakura's "Komachi Street" is a must-visit! This bustling shopping street leading to Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine is packed with unique snacks, Kamakura-exclusive souvenirs, and exquisite handmade crafts. Enjoy eating and shopping while soaking up Kamakura's distinctive energy and charm—endless treasure-hunting fun awaits!
Kōtoku-in Temple in Kamakura — Home to Japan's National Treasure, the Great Buddha of Kamakura! This majestic bronze Amida Buddha has sat serenely under the open sky for centuries, exuding awe-inspiring grandeur. Experience its immense scale up close—you can even enter the statue (tainai haikan) and explore the hidden interior of this iconic Buddha!
Visit Hase-dera Temple, renowned for its famous eleven-headed statue of Kannon, the Goddess of Mercy. This impressive wooden statue is one of the largest of its kind in Japan, nestled within beautifully landscaped gardens. From the temple grounds, you can also enjoy panoramic views of Kamakura.
The final stop on the tour is Enoshima, a charming island situated west of Kamakura. On clear days, you’ll be rewarded with breathtaking views of Mt. Fuji in the distance. Discover the island’s picturesque shrines, such as the Enoshima Shrine, which is nestled within lush greenery and offers a serene atmosphere. Enjoy the sweeping ocean views from various vantage points around the island, and take time to explore the quaint streets and coastal paths. Relax in the tranquil surroundings, making Enoshima the perfect, scenic conclusion to your journey.
Perched on the enchanting Enoshima Island, this historic shrine complex is dedicated to Benzaiten, the goddess of music, wealth, and wisdom. Wander through its three shrines (Hetsu-no-miya, Nakatsu-no-miya, Okutsu-no-miya) connected by picturesque paths, offering stunning ocean views and lush greenery.
The shrine is located on a small hill to the west of the main Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine. The oldest shrine pavilion on the grounds dates from the Muromachi period, and is surrounded by red flags dedicated by many people wishing for prosperous business.
The museum was established in response to the lessons learned from the 1923 Taisho Kanto Earthquake, which destroyed many temples and shrines in Kamakura and the surrounding area, and resulted in the loss of valuable cultural properties.
Shirahata Shrine is located next to Yanagihara Pond, just east of Wakamiya Shrine. Minamoto no Yoritomo (1147–1199), the founder of both the Kamakura shogunate (warrior-led government) and Tsurugaoka Hachimangu, and his son Sanetomo (1192–1219), the third Kamakura shogun are enshrined at the shrine.
The Kamakura Museum of Literature was built in 1936 (Showa 11) as the former Kamakura villa of Maeda Marquis family. You can view the rooms reminiscent of the past, with marble fireplaces and stained glass, as well as the important resources inside from related authors such as Yasunari Kawabata. In the garden filled with greenery, some 250 shrubs of roses bloom in Spring and Autumn. This building is the model for the villa in Yukio Mishima’s novel, “Spring Snow”.
Zeniarai Benten Shrine is a popular shrine in western Kamakura, which people visit to wash their money (zeniarai means "coin washing"). It is said that money washed in the shrine's spring, will double.
The observatory lighthouse in Enoshima's Samuel Cocking Garden was reopened after renovations on April 29, 2003. With a height of 59.8m (119.6m above sea level), its innovative construction has become familiar as a new symbol of Enoshima. Mt. Fuji and the Tanzawa mountains are visible from the observation deck, with the 360 degree panorama making for a truly spectacular view.
A narrow shopping street located after the bronze Torii (Japanese shrine gate) Many souvenir shops and restaurants in the area welcome tourists daily.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Depending on the number of participants, commentary in English and Chinese might be provided on the same bus.
- Search for the guide holding a pale blue flag at the meeting point.
- Infants under 3 years old are free of charge without seat. If a seat is required, please book under the child's price.
- The tour schedule may change without prior notice due to weather, road traffic conditions, and other unforeseen reasons. (There might be delays in returning to the designated location.)
- This tour will depart regardless of weather or traffic conditions, unless you are notified otherwise by the local operator. Trip Advisor / Viator and your local tour operator will not be responsible for itinerary changes due to unforeseen circumstances.
- In case of late arrivals, regardless of contact prior to the departure time, refunds will not be granted. Contact us 24 hours before the departure for reschedule if there is any possibility of late arrival.
- The tour may be canceled if the minimum group size of 10 people is not reached. Customers will be notified approximately 3 to 4 days before the departure date in such cases.
- Please arrive 10 minutes before departure at your selected meeting point, as your assigned bus & guide will be based on that specific location. The guide has a list of participants for each bus & may not be able to accommodate guests who arrive at a different meeting point. Late arrival or arrival at the wrong location will result in missing the tour, & refunds won't be issued. If you'd like to change your meeting point or are unsure about the meeting point, pls notify us at least 2 days before departure for assistance.
- The bus will be departing on time (no exception).
- Please adhere to the scheduled time. We are unable to accommodate delays or wait for any reason. The tour will depart promptly as scheduled to respect all customers' time.
- In case of late arrivals / arrival at wrong location, regardless of contact prior to the departure time, refunds may not be granted. Contact us 24 hours before the departure for reschedule if there is any possibility of late arrival or to confirm the exact location.
- We recommend checking the right meet-up location beforehand to avoid getting lost. Provided location are the exact points of the meeting point on google maps. If you are confused about meeting points, message us beforehand for more details. No refund request will be accepted for arrivals at wrong location.
- Please adhere to the scheduled time. We are unable to accommodate delays or wait for any reason. The tour will depart promptly as scheduled to respect all customers' time.
- Please check the photo in the product page & scan the QR code for the meeting point reference.
- Contact # may not be responsive outside of business hours, 9:30am~6pm JST (weekdays only)
- Regarding luggage, we allow one piece of luggage per person during the excursion. Please also ensure that the luggage is manageable and fits comfortably within our vehicle. Please also be aware that any items stored in the trunk will not be accessible in between stops on the tour, so keep all valuables with you.
- There is only one drop-off point at the end of the tour : Near Shinjuku Station (West Exit)
- In general, we do not send out confirmation emails prior to departure. If you would like more information or need to clarify something, please contact us and we will send you the relevant details.
Reviews(246)
Our guide was friendly, professional and well informed. Would have liked mire commentary along the long drive to Kamakura. Perhaps drop Enoshima. Interesting but adds time to a ling day, especially the long drive back in heavy traffic. Need better info about bus parking location at each stop. Too easy to get lost coming back, although staff was as helpful as possible when this happened.
Dear valued customer, Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed your first day in Japan and that your guide was friendly, professional, and knowledgeable. We also appreciate your thoughtful suggestions regarding the amount of commentary, the inclusion of Enoshima, and the bus parking information at each stop. Your comments are valuable and will be shared with our operations team as we continuously work to improve the tour experience. Thank you for joining us, and we hope to see you again on another tour in the future! Best regards, VIP Japan Tours
The guide shared some really interesting facts about the places we were visiting and was very friendly. We enjoyed our trip and the opportunity to choose where to go instead of being on a strict schedule.
Excellent English speaking skills! She kept us informed on what was on the itinerary and key points when visiting the destination! Very interesting and interactive!
Dear valued customer, Thank you for your wonderful review! We’re thrilled to hear that you had such a positive experience with our guide Yuki. Her excellent communication skills, engaging personality, and dedication to keeping guests informed truly make each tour special. We’ll be sure to share your kind words with her. Thank you for choosing our tour, and we hope to welcome you on another adventure in Japan soon! Best regards, VIP Japan Tours
Good to see different sights and to get out of Tokyo for a day. Wish there had been more description and/or history of what we were seeing. We had a little rainy weather due to a typhoon blowing in, so some places were closed on Enoshima. The drive back from
Dear valued customer, Thank you for taking the time to share your experience! We're glad you enjoyed visiting Kamakura and Enoshima and appreciated the opportunity to explore beyond Tokyo. We sincerely apologize that the time spent on Enoshima felt longer than expected, especially without a restroom break. We also understand your desire for more historical information throughout the tour. Your feedback is valuable and will be shared with our team. We're sorry that the rainy weather and approaching typhoon affected your visit and led to some closures on Enoshima. We hope you were still able to enjoy the beautiful scenery despite the conditions. Thank you for joining us, and we hope to see you again on another tour in the future! Best regards, VIP Japan Tours
Well organised, Yuki was brilliant. I would do it again if I had the time. The selections of stops were well picked.
This was an amazing tour, our guide was very knowledgeable and was giving us all of the information we needed to understand the Japanese culture and landmarks.
Pan was very friendly and informative. Learnt a lot about Kamakura and Enoshima throughout the trip. It was organised well and had enough time at each location to freely explore without rushing. Highly recommend this tour if you're here for the first time 😁
Dear valued customer, Thank you for sharing your experience with us. We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed the experience and found our guide Pan friendly and informative throughout the trip. It’s great to know the pace of the tour allowed you enough time to explore comfortably while learning more about the local culture and history. We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you again on another adventure in Japan soon! Best regards, VIP Japan Tours
This tour was great and even had to experience it in the pouring rain. Our guide was amazing and the tour was accurate to the description. The only thing I would adjust is less time at enoshima island at the end. I think 2 hours was too long. But loved the experience!
Dear valued customer, Thank you for your thoughtful review of our Kamakura & Enoshima tour! We’re so happy to hear that you still had a great experience despite the pouring rain, and that your guide helped make the day enjoyable. We also appreciate your feedback about the time spent at Enoshima Island — comments like yours are very helpful as we continue improving our tours. Thank you again for joining us, and we hope to see you again on a future trip in Japan! Best regards, VIP Japan Tours
Very good experience. The driver was also very good, kind, and helpful and gave useful advice
Dear valued customer, Thank you for sharing your experience with us. We’re happy to hear you enjoyed the beautiful views, the shrines in Kamakura, and Mt. Fuji view during the trip. We also truly appreciate your kind words about our staff. We’re glad to know their kindness, helpful support, and advice made your experience more comfortable and enjoyable. Thank you again for traveling with us, and we hope to welcome you on another tour in Japan in the future! Best regards, VIP Japan Tours
Nice visit to various shrines, temples and monuments. Amazing giant Buddha. Souvenir shopping on Komachi Street.
Dear valued customer, Thank you for sharing your experience with us. We’re happy to hear you enjoyed visiting the shrines, temples, the Great Buddha, and shopping along Komachi Street. We appreciate your comments and we hope to welcome you again on another tour in Japan! Best regards, VIP Japan Tours
