Tokyo Day Trips: Hiking Kamakura

Basically the main attraction at Nikko, the Toshogu Shrine, was covered in scaffolding so we had to find something else to do. Enter Kamakura. This is off the beaten path for most tourists. However, it gets quite crowded on the weekends with locals who are trying to take a short break from the city. A break was exactly what this trip was. After five days of pounding concrete, the rolling hiking trails of Kamakura were just what our bodies needed. The varying inclines and short climbs massaged our aching muscles, giving them a much needed break from the constant strain of monotonous city walking. It was, also, just nice to be in the woods and away from the hustle of everyday urban life. We already knew that Japan is a famous hiking destination and on this day we had a little taste of why.

Kamakura 

This small little city is located on the outskirts of Tokyo about an hour’s train ride from Shinjuku Station. Kamakura’s main claim to fame is a giant statue of a seated Buddha. In fact, it’s the second largest Buddha statue is Japan. If you’ve been reading my blogs, you know where the largest one is. Along with the “Great Buddha,” Kamakura is home to numerous temples and shrines. So many, in fact, that Kamakura is often referred to as “Tokyo’s Kyoto.” Among these temples are five great Zen temples, which include Japan’s second oldest Zen temple.

The small city applied for World Heritage recognition, but was denied. Honestly, I think UNESCO was just trying to cut Japan off: “Sorry, but your country has surpassed its World Heritage allowance for this century. Try again later.”

Many of Kamakura’s temples are connected via a system of hiking trails. In addition to being enjoyable in their own right, these trails are a great way to travel around the area. On our trip, we hiked the main two trails Tenen and Daibutsu. There is a third trail, but we decided to skip it in favor of a convenient exit. Both trails are beautiful. In several places, the path has been directly cut into the rock and, of course, everything is overgrown with roots and moss. So, the smell of green, living things follows you everywhere.

Both trails are, also, littered with hollows and small caves. Be sure to look for them and peek inside. Many are home to graves, memorials and (most commonly) trail guardians. The most notable of these was a Buzz Lightyear figurine someone had left on the Tenen trail. Bet he feels confused.

O, I almost forgot. Remember all those cool samurais with their shiny swords? This is where they lived. The hiking trails I’m about to start talking of were carved out by these guys. Of course, the samurai are long gone, but their old traditional Japanese houses still exist and are even occupied. As you can imagine, this is a rather upper class neighborhood in Japan with lots of old money. You’ll get to see it on your visit. The area is located right by the first trail head. The two trails are very similar and each one takes about an hour and a half to complete. However, the Tenen trail does offer better views and it’s a little bit more off the beaten track than Daibutsu.

Tenen Trail

This trail offers sweeping views of Kamakura and the surrounding area. In my opinion, it’s the most beautiful of the two trails. Tenen trail connects Zuisen-ji Temple with Kencho-ji Temple. You’ll want to start at the Zuisen-ji Temple entrance and then hike to Kencho-ji Temple. The trail entrance is located beside Zuisen-ji Temple, not inside of it. So you do not have to visit the temple if you don’t want to. That said, there are a few good reasons not to skip it. First, it has bathrooms. Second, it, also, has a really cool old traditional cemetery and third; the gatekeeper can help you find the trail head in case you missed the signs for it. We did, so keep a sharp eye out. The trail begins with a steep ascent up into the woods. Surrounded by boulders and tiny cliffs, this is possibly the most picturesque part of the trail.

Tenen trail is an easy straight path at first, but there are some splits and things are not always clearly marked. Your best bet is to follow signs for Kencho-ji Temple. Be especially careful when you come to the kitchen. (Yes, there is a kitchen in the middle of the woods. This could only happen in Japan.) Here, two of three different trails intersect and there isn’t any English. To figure things out, we had to Google the Japanese characters for Kencho-ji Temple and read the signs by comparing the pictures. If memory serves me correctly, you want the path located above the kitchen that goes to the left, aka: not the path that runs along the bamboo.

(That’s right. Just in case you forgot that you were in Asia, there is a bamboo grove in the middle of the hardwood forest. I kept trying to get pictures of the squirrels jumping around and playing on the stalks of bamboo, but I suspect they were on rodent crack and it didn’t work out.)

Hopefully, you get yourself sorted without too much difficulty and make your way to Kencho-ji Temple. Tenen trail terminates above the temple, offering beautiful views of the temple complex from above. Yes, you have to go through the temple to get out, which is fine. You don’t have to pay and it’s a charming Zen temple with lots of naturalistic gardens and winged guardians lurking about.

This is Kamakura’s oldest and most important Zen temple. The complex is rather large and made of many buildings. One of the temple’s most striking features is a gold enameled gate. Things this elaborate are no longer made in Japan and it’s stunning. Also, keep your eyes peeled for monks going about their day in traditional wooden sandals. Secretly wishing to be a character from a Miyazaki film, I was fascinated with these shoes. I came extremely close to buying my own pair, but faced the fact that I would never actually wear them and settled for pictures instead.

Daibutsu Trail

Your next adventure is an easy walk from Kencho-ji Temple. After exiting the temple, keep walking for about ten minutes before turning to reach Jochiji Temple and the Daibutsu trail head. You may need to refer to Google Maps, but we had no problem finding the path. In general, this trail is better marked than the Tenen Trail and the signs are in English. Just keep following the path for the Great Buddha. As you may have guessed, this trail connects Jochiji Temple with Kamakura’s main attraction. In fact, Daibutsu translates to Great Buddha.

Feeling a little bit of temple fatigue (It’s a real thing), we opted to bypass Jochiji Temple. So, I can’t tell you too much about it other than it’s one of Kamakura’s top five Zen temples. However, I think it’s near the bottom on the list.

The end of the trail will put you out on a sidewalk. From there, walk straight to reach the Great Buddha. It’s not far, less than five minutes maybe. You’ll have to spend a little bit of money to get in. It’s $500 JPY per adult. Look on the bright side, there are bathrooms inside and the Buddha is very memorable. You’ll see it on a lot of postcards and occasionally in the news, so it is really cool to have seen it in person. Like other Buddhas, its expression is serene and there’s a pleasant smelling incense alter resting in front of the statue. Japanese incense is very famous and the pleasant smell is one of the first things you will notice about the place.

Getting Around

Getting to Kamakura is ridiculously easy. You’ll need to depart from Shinjuku Station on the red Shonan-Shinjuku Line destined for Zushi and get off at the stop for Kamakura. Be careful, there’s a split in the line so make sure your train is bound for Zushi. There are trains every half hour and there’s no need to reserve seats. To get everything done, you’ll need to depart Shinjuku station around eight or nine in the morning.

From Kamakura station, it’s a combination bus ride and walk to the Tenen trail head at Zuisen-ji Temple. This website explains how to get there pretty well, except for the last part. When you reach Zuisen-ji Temple, the trail head is on the right. IT IS NOT INSIDE THE TEMPLE.

Getting back to Tokyo from the Buddha is, also, really easy. From the Great Buddha, walk ten minutes to Hase station and catch a local train headed to Kamakura. From there, hop back on the Shonan-Shinjuku Line and go home.

Final Thoughts

Do it! Wear comfy shoes and dress for hiking. Pack lots of snacks and maybe even a picnic lunch. Alternatively, you can eat at a Family Mart between trails. There’s one located within shouting distance of the Daibutsu trail head. Just don’t turn, keep walking straight and you’ll immediately see the Family Mart. You should know Family Mart food in Japan is awesome. Try it at least once so you can compare it with food back home and feel disgusted with your country. The Family Mart, also, has bathrooms. Basically, it’s a great place to stop and rest before starting in on your second hike of the day.