Little Kyoto of Eastern Japan
Located in Kanagawa Prefecture, Kamakura (鎌倉) is a coastal town which takes less than an hour from Tokyo. In the late 12th century, Minamoto Yoritomo (源賴朝) established a national military government as the first samurai and turned it into a political center. This regime ruled Japan over a century, until the gradual replacement of the Minamoto era (室町時代) in Kyoto.
Nowadays, Kamakura has become a popular tourist destination. With numerous temples, shrines and historical monuments, this town is regarded as the “Little Kyoto of Eastern Japan”. Found in 1334, Houkokuji (報国寺) Hokokuji is one of the best spots to find our own piece of Zen. Either embraced by the tall and sweeping bamboo, or enjoy the peace and tranquility with a cup of tea.
In Kotoku-in Temple (高徳院), the 13.35-meter-tall Great Buddha of Kamakura (鎌倉大仏) is the second-tallest bronze Buddha statue in Japan, right after the Great Buddha of Nara in Todai-ji Temple (東長寺). Casting began in 1252 during the Kamakura period, the statue was housed in a wooden temple hall originally, but remained in the open air after the tsunami in the 14th century.
“Here in Kamakura, though you are the Buddha— Shakyamuni, what a handsome man you are, standing in this summer grove.” – Yosano Akiko
Not only the moss-covered stones under the Zen air inspired poets in the past, but the town itself also inspired the current pop culture. The Kamakura Station (鐮倉高校前) is the iconic opening sequence of the anime “Slam Dunk (男兒當入樽)”, where Hanamichi Sakuragi (桜木花道) and Haruko Akagi (赤木晴子) wave to each other across the tracks. What a pilgrimage site.
If the weather is good enough, visitors could observe the Enoshima (江の島). That island was the filming location of the Netflix Korean rom-com “Can This Love Be Translated? (愛情怎麼翻譯？)”, where the multilingual interpreter Joo Ho-jin (周浩鎮) and the actress Cha Mu-hee (車茂熙) encountered their fateful meeting in the first episodes, featured a scenic seaside walk.
From 10th October 2026 to 3rd November 2026, Shonan Candle (湘南キャンドル) took place in the Enoshima Samuel Cocking Garden. Featuring around 10,000 hand-lit wax candles, this event is the largest candle event in Japan, and has transported visitors to an extraordinary world. Don’t miss the soft glow from the Lighthouse Observation Tower as well as Enoshima Shrine.
*“鎌倉の御仏なれど釈迦牟尼は美男におはす夏木立かな” original quote in Japanese.
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