Kamakura Private Tour: Temples, Great Buddha & Mountain Hike

Walk mountain passes between four temples, ending inside a 121-tonne Buddha.

A private guided tour of Kamakura's temples, shrines and the Great Buddha, covering five hours and at least five kilometers of walking through mountains and coastal paths. The route includes Jochiji Temple, the Daibutsu hiking course with its torii-gate tunnel at Sasuke Inari Shrine, the Great Buddha at Kotoku-in where you can enter the statue, and Hasedera Temple overlooking the ocean. An English-speaking guide leads the full day. Hotel pickup is available for an extra fee.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Kamakura temples and nature

• Visit Jochiji Temple and gardens
• Enjoy nature around the pass
• Walk Daibutsu Hiking Course
• Explore Zeniarai Benzaiten Shrine and cave
• Visit Sasuke Inari Shrine and torii tunnel
• See the Great Buddha and enter statue
• Tour Hasedera Temple and gardens
• Relax at Yuigahama Beach

The experience

What makes this tour different is the mountain hiking between temples. You start at Jochiji Temple, a Zen sanctuary built in 1281 and surrounded by bamboo groves and flowerbeds, where tradition says rubbing the belly of the Hotei statue brings good fortune. From there you walk the Daibutsu hiking course through the mountains, passing through nature before reaching a torii gate framing a mysterious hole in the hillside. This leads to Zeniarai Benzaiten Ugafuku Shrine, built in 1185, where a natural spring bubbles inside a small cave and locals wash money in the water believing it will double by summer.

The hiking route then takes you through Sasuke Inari Shrine, set deep in dense forest with a tunnel of over 100 red torii gates (similar to the famous Fushimi Inari in Kyoto) and hundreds of small white fox statues. The shrine marks where the first Shogun of Kamakura was said to have received guidance in a dream before a victorious battle. After the mountain section, you reach the Great Buddha at Kotoku-in: a bronze statue 13.35 meters tall, weighing 121 tonnes and cast in 1252. You can walk inside the statue itself, something most visitors don't expect to do.

The tour ends at Hasedera Temple, positioned halfway up Mount Kamakura with views south over Yuigahama Beach and the ocean. The temple houses an 11-headed Kannon statue 9.18 meters tall, one of Japan's largest wooden Buddhist sculptures, and has a small cave to explore in the gardens. If you visit in June or July, the grounds bloom with hydrangeas. From there you can relax at the beach facing south, where you'll always see the sun over the water. Your guide takes photos throughout the day and speaks English.

What’s included

• Entry to Jochiji Temple, Zeniarai Benzaiten Ugafuku Shrine, Sasuke Inari Shrine, Kotoku-in (Great Buddha), and Hasedera Temple.
• an English-speaking guide for the full five hours.
• photos of tour participants.
• all fees and taxes.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 09:30 and 10:00

Book up to23h before

AgesAdult (18 to 65 years) · Senior (66 to 80 years) · Youth (13 to 17 years) · Child (4 to 12 years) · Infant (under 4): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Moderate physical effortPublic transport nearbyNot recommended with heart problems

Operated by Trip Designer Inc.

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to hike between temples rather than walk from one street-level shrine to the next: the mountain passes and the torii tunnel are what make this route different from a standard temple walk, and they're only accessible on foot. A minimum of two people per booking is required, and the tour can be extended at 1,000 yen per person per half hour if you want more time at any stop.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (13 to 17 years); Child (4 to 12 years); Infant (under 4): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

How much walking is involved in the Kamakura private tour?

You'll walk at least five kilometers, including a mountain pass on the Daibutsu hiking course. Wear shoes that are easy to walk in, and the operator notes a moderate level of physical fitness is needed for the full route.

Can I actually go inside the Great Buddha statue?

Yes. The Great Buddha at Kotoku-in is hollow, and entry to the interior is included in the tour. You can stand inside the 13.35-meter bronze statue.

What is the Zeniarai Benzaiten Ugafuku Shrine and why do people wash money there?

Built in 1185, this shrine sits at the end of a mysterious hole in the hillside framed by a torii gate. Inside is a small cave with a natural spring, and locals wash their money in the spring water because legend says money washed there will double in value by summer.

Does the tour include hotel pickup?

Hotel pickup and drop-off are available for an additional 8,000 yen per person, payable on top of the tour price. Public transportation options are also available near the tour meeting point.

What is the red torii gate tunnel at Sasuke Inari Shrine?

Sasuke Inari Shrine has a tunnel made up of over 100 red torii gates, similar to the famous Fushimi Inari Taisha in Kyoto. The shrine also contains hundreds of small white fox statues and is set in dense forest in the mountains.

When is the best time to visit Hasedera Temple for the hydrangeas?

Hasedera Temple's grounds bloom with hydrangeas during June and July. The temple sits halfway up Mount Kamakura with views over Yuigahama Beach and the ocean to the south.