Sightseeing in Kamakura - what to see. Complete travel guide

Minamoto no Yoritomo was the founder of Kamakura. In 1180, this shogun and his army came to this part of the country. Minamoto was impressed by the beauty of the area and its spectacular forests that looked like giants protecting this place. He decided to settle in this region and build a residence here. Initially, he built a fortress that could protect him from enemies. Minamoto used the surrounding forest as a guard. This is where the Japanese bakufu government was working as well.
Do you want to see the main shrine in Kamakura? In this case, visit Tsurugaoka Hachimangū. Until the 12th century, this temple was a shrine of two religions, namely, Shintoism and Buddhism. The Meiji period government didn’t like that and decided to remake the building, demolishing some of its parts. Nowadays, Tsurugaoka Hachimangū is a Shinto shrine. The popular religious landmark hosts an interesting annual event – the Yabusame Festival. Yabusame is a traditional Japanese archery type. During the vent, visitors can see courageous samurais who show their speed and dexterity in hitting targets while riding a horse. Many details in the design of Tsurugaoka Hachimangu are symbolic and remind us of the sad events in the history of the region.

There is a Buddhist shrine in Kamakura, Kotoku-in Temple. Tourists know about this temple because of a big bronze Buddha statue that meets visitors near the entrance. The age of the great sacred building is more than eight centuries. Initially, the temple was built in the 40s of the 13th century. At that time, the Buddha statue was wooden. The statue immediately became not only the symbol of Kamakura but also one of the biggest treasures in Japan.

In 1928, a museum opened in Kamakura. The main aim of this establishment was to preserve the unique art and crafts of the country for the next generations. The collection of the Kamakura Museum of National Treasures is very big and contains roughly five thousand different items including sculptures, paintings, and various craftworks made by local artisans. Nowadays, the building of the Kamakura Museum of National Treasures exhibits items of the “national treasure” rank. Seventy-three items are marked as important for the culture and heritage of Japan. During a visit to this museum, tourists can see Ukiyo-e gravures, scrolls, swords, and many other artifacts.

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City tours, excursions and tickets in Kamakura and surroundings
Reference information
Survived castles around Kamakura
♥ Castle 'Tamanawa Castle' Kamakura, 1.2 km from the center. On the map
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♥ Castle 'Uehara Castle' Chino, 36.4 km from the center. On the map
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♥ Castle 'Minato Castle' Akita, 44.2 km from the center. On the map
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♥ Castle 'Edo Castle' Tokyo, 45.1 km from the center. On the map
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♥ Castle 'Shakujii castle' Nerima, 46.7 km from the center. On the map
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♥ Castle 'Tamanawa Castle' Kamakura, 1.2 km from the center. On the map


♥ Castle 'Uehara Castle' Chino, 36.4 km from the center. On the map


♥ Castle 'Minato Castle' Akita, 44.2 km from the center. On the map


♥ Castle 'Edo Castle' Tokyo, 45.1 km from the center. On the map


♥ Castle 'Shakujii castle' Nerima, 46.7 km from the center. On the map


National and city parks around Kamakura
♥ Prefectural Natural Park 'Asahi' , 21 km from the center. On the map
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♥ Prefectural Natural Park 'Ibuki' , 30.4 km from the center. On the map
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♥ Prefectural Natural Park 'Ota' , 34.1 km from the center. On the map
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♥ Prefectural Natural Park 'Okitsu' , 37.5 km from the center. On the map
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♥ Prefectural Natural Park 'Koto' , 39.4 km from the center. On the map
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♥ Prefectural Natural Park 'Asahi' , 21 km from the center. On the map


♥ Prefectural Natural Park 'Ibuki' , 30.4 km from the center. On the map


♥ Prefectural Natural Park 'Ota' , 34.1 km from the center. On the map


♥ Prefectural Natural Park 'Okitsu' , 37.5 km from the center. On the map


♥ Prefectural Natural Park 'Koto' , 39.4 km from the center. On the map


Sights around Kamakura from our guide 'Extreme places on Earth'
Fuji Television Building
From the series “Top 16 Most Amazing Buildings of the Planet”
Check on the map:
Distance from Kamakura center - 40 km.
From the outside, the construction of the futuristic building seems incredibly complicated. The construction consists of the web of a lot of metal scaffolding. The huge panorama windows make the exterior of the building more refined. Travelers visiting this unusual sight will find out a lot about Japan's leading TV channel and look inside the main office. …
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House with Slide
From the series “The Most Bizarre and Fancy Living Houses”
Check on the map:
Distance from Kamakura center - 38.7 km.
The house was finished in 2009, the overall living area is more than 163 square meters. Apart from the slide and the games room, the house has a lot of other interesting design elements. The large windows on the walls and the roof, the glass elements on the floor, the various mirror screens and the modern accessories make the atmosphere unique. This wonderful house is perfect not only for the fun games, but also for the study. Inside is the large bright library furnished. …
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Search touristic sites on the map of Kamakura

