Planning a Trip

Getting There

Take the JR Yokosuka Line bound for Zushi, Kurihama, or Yokosuka; it departs every 10 to 15 minutes from the Yokohama, Shinagawa, Shimbashi, and Tokyo JR stations. The trip takes almost 1 hour from Tokyo Station and costs ¥890 one-way to Kamakura Station. From Shinjuku, take the JR Shonan-Shinjuku Line 1 hour to Kamakura for the same price.

Visitor Information

In Kamakura, there's a tourist information window (tel. 0467/22-3350; www.city.kamakura.kanagawa.jp) inside Kamakura Station near the east exit. You can pick up a map here and get directions to the village's most important sights and restaurants. It's open daily 9am to 5:30pm April to September, 9am to 5pm October to March.

Orientation & Getting Around

Kamakura's major sights are clustered in two areas: Kamakura Station, the town's downtown with the tourist office, souvenir shops spread along Komachi Dori and Wakamiya Oji, restaurants, and Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine; and Hase, with the Great Buddha and Hase Kannon Temple. You can travel between Kamakura Station and Hase Station via the Enoden Line, a wonderful small train, or you can walk the distance in about 20 minutes. Destinations are also easily reached by buses departing from Kamakura Station.

Free Sightseeing Guides -- University students of Kanagawa Prefecture volunteer their time to guide foreign visitors in Kamakura as a way to practice their English. You'll find them most weekends outside the east exit of Kamakura Station from about 10am to noon, available for tours on a first-come, first-served basis. To make sure you have a guide, or to reserve for another day of the week, contact Nishimoto Hiroaki at tel. 080/1526-1000, or send an e-mail to hiroakiarea7177@yahoo.co.jp at least 2 weeks in advance, stating your name, country, number of people in your group, time and date of your request, and phone number of your hotel in Japan. Although the service is free, you should pay for the student's transportation and meal, if applicable.