Hachiman-gu Shrine

Properly known as Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū, this imposing shrine is Kamakura’s most important Shinto shrine, and on holidays and festivals this is made apparent by the happy crowds of visitors.

The shrine grounds are particularly lovely, including as they do a pond (the lotus blossom in mid-summer) and Japanese-style bridges, and the wide steps leading up to the main building give the shrine a stately air.

The shrine is open from 7a.m. to 9p.m. and entrance is free. The shrine can be reached on foot from Kamakura Station’s east entrance in about ten minutes and from the Enoden Station in about the same amount of time.