KAMAKURA (鎌倉)

Updated April 11, 2019

I was here: one day in November 2008.
Number of days recommended: one o two.
My score: 3/5.

Kamakura is a popular one day excursion from Tokyo. Surrounded by mountains to the north, east and west, and by Sagami Bay to the south, the Minamoto clan shogun at the end of the 12th century found out that its location made it a natural fort, and in 1192 it became the first feudal capital of the country, coinciding with a great rise of Buddhism. Barely held the title just under 150 years, when Kyoto became the capital, but it was more than enough to magnify the city as any capital deserves. Today it is a small and quiet city with a huge heritage of temples and sanctuaries, connected by trails so surrounded by nature, that at times you wonder if you have not lost in a forest. And it also has beaches, that are ususally crowded in high season by bathers and surfers.

Many attractions to not be interested in a city just an hour by train from Tokyo, and this is well known by Japanese and international tourists alike. There is no excuse for not dedicating it a day of our trip, regardless of the full of temples cities we had already seen.