How to Get to Kamakura
Kamakura lies around 60 minutes to the south of Tokyo making it easy to get to from the capital and other major cities. On this page you will find the following information:
— 20 Things to Do Around Kamakura & Where to Stay
Following the victory of the Minamoto clan over the Taira clan in the Gempei War of 1185, the new military government – called the ‘Kamakura Bakufu’ was established in the Kamakura and Minamoto Yoritomo was declared shogun. From that year onward, the Minamoto clan followed by the Hojo Regents controlled the Emperor – still resident in Kyoto – and controlled Japan from Kamakura in what today is referred to as the ‘Kamakura Period’ of 1192 to 1333.
Throughout that period, Kamakura functioned as the seat of power for all of Japan with numerous temples, shrines, palaces and administrative buildings manifesting the importance and wealth of the city. Today, many temples and shrines remain, making Kamakura one of Japan’s most popular destinations and all within easy reach of Tokyo. Located an hour by train to the south of Tokyo, Kamakura can be enjoyed as a daytrip from the capital or as an overnight or multi-day visit.
WHERE IS KAMAKURA?
Kamakura sits approximately 60km to the south of central Tokyo – around 60 minutes by train – and 25km to the south of Yokohama – 30 minutes by train. Located nearby the coast of Sagami Bay, Kamakura is an easy daytrip from Tokyo and Yokohama and can easily be combined with a visit to nearby Hakone – which lies 50km to the west. Once the seat of power of the Kamakura Shogunate – from 1185 to 1333 – Kamakura was at that time the largest settlement in Japan and today is a town that retains much of its historic character through the preservation of its many temples and shrines along with a busy calendar of festivals throughout the year. Kamakura is easy to reach by train from Tokyo, Yokohama, Hakone and other starting points making it one of Japan’s most popular destinations for international visitors.
HOW TO GET TO KAMAKURA
Kamakura is a small city with most of its famous temples and shrines located within easy reach of Kamakura Station and Hase Station – only 4 minutes by train from Kamakura Station. In this section you will find information how to reach Kamakura Station from the following starting points:
TOKYO — NARITA AIRPORT — HANEDA AIRPORT — YOKOHAMA — HAKONE — NAGOYA — NAGANO — KANAZAWA — KYOTO — OSAKA
We endeavour to keep this information as up-to-date as possible and in recognition that most international visitors will be using the train network to move around Japan, most directions are for using the trains. If there is alternative option i.e. express or local bus, that is notably faster or economical, we also include that information.
FROM TOKYO / approx. 60 minutes
There are multiple ways to reach Kamakura from Tokyo. The easiest and fastest option is to use the Yokosuka Line from Tokyo Station to Kamakura Station – a journey of 55 minutes / JPY940. Services on this line also stop at Shinagawa – a popular accommodation area in Tokyo – allowing visitors to head to Kamakara from Shinagawa Station – a journey of 50 minutes / JPY730.
FROM NARITA AIRPORT / between 2 to 2.5 hours
From Narita Airport, the fastest option to reach Kamakura is to take the Keisei Skyliner to Nippori Station and transfer to the Yamanote Line bound for Shimbashi Station. Once at Shimbashi, transfer to the Yokosuka Line bound for Kamakura – a total journey of around 2 hours /JPY3510. Alternatively, you can take the Sobu Rapid service directly from Narita to Kamakura – a journey of 2.5 hours / JPY2310.
FROM HANEDA AIRPORT / between 1 hour
From Haneda Airport, take the Keikyu-Kuko Line to Keikyu-Kamata Station and transfer to the same service bound for Yokohama Station. Once at Yokohama, transfer to the Shonan-Shinjuku Line bound for Kamakura – a journey of 60 minutes / JPY720.
FROM YOKOHAMA / approx. 30 minutes
From Yokohama Station, take a service on the Yokusa Line to Kamakura Station – 30 minutes / JPY350. Services run regularly throughout the day.
FROM HAKONE / approx. 70 minutes
From Hakone-Yumoto Station, take the Hakonetozan Line to Odawara Station and transfer to the Tokaido Line bound for Ofuna Station. Once at Ofuna, transfer to a service on Yokosuka Line bound for Kamakura Station – a total journey of around 70 minutes / JPY1290.
FROM NAGOYA / between 130 to 160 minutes
The fastest way to travel from Nagoya Station to Kamakura starts by using the Tokaido Shinkansen to Odawara Station and transferring to the Tokaido Local Line to Ofuna Station. Once at Ofuna, transfer to a service on the Yokosuka Line bound for Kamakura – a total journey of around 130 minutes / JPY9450. Alternatively, take the Tokaido Shinkansen to Shinagawa Station and transfer to the Yokosuka Line bound for Kamakura Station – a journey of 160 minutes / JPY11,650.
FROM NAGANO / approx. 170 minutes
The journey from Nagano to Kamakura takes time but is straightforward. From Nagano Station, take the Hokuriku Shinkansen to Tokyo Station and transfer to the Yokosuka Line bound for Kamakura – a total journey of around 170 minutes / JPY7810 to JPY8910 (depending on which service you choose).
FROM KANAZAWA / approx. 4 hours
Kanazawa lies at significant distance from Kamakura but thanks to Japan’s remarkable train network, the journey between the two cities is easy. From Kanazawa Station, take the Hokuriku Shinkansen to Tokyo Station and once there, transfer to a service on the Yokosuka Line bound for Kamakura – a total journey just under 4 hours / JPY15,060.
FROM KYOTO / between 170 to 190 minutes
From Kyoto Station, use the Tokaido Shinkansen Line to Shinagawa Station and once there, transfer to the Yokosuka Line bound for Kamakura – a journey of 190 minutes / JPY14,520. There are slightly faster options but those require multiple transfers.
FROM OSAKA / approx. 3.5 hours
From Shin-Osaka Station, take the Tokaido Shinkansen to Shinagawa Station and transfer to the Yokosuka Line bound for Kamakura Station – a journey of 3.5 hours / JPY15,070.
20 THINGS TO DO AROUND KAMAKURA & WHERE TO STAY
As the seat of power during the Kamakura Period, the eponymous city of Kamakura is one of Japan’s most historic and popular destinations – most famous for its temples including the ‘Five Great Zen Temples’, shrines and of course the ‘Great Buddha of Kamakura’. Our ’20 Things to Do Around Kamakura & Where to Stay’ page has information about those and other great destinations along with our suggestion of the best areas to stay when there.
PLAN YOUR VISIT TO JAPAN
Heading to Kamakura using the rail system is quick, easy and comfortable. Unfathomable in its size and efficiency, moving around the country by train opens-up all regions of Japan for exploration. Our ‘Plan Your Visit’ page has everything you need to know about visiting Japan – from tips on the best time to travel, times to avoid, entering and exiting the country, money matters, staying connected, accommodation, staying safe and healthy and plenty more to ensure that you get the most out of your time here.
