As amazing as Tokyo is, it can get overwhelming, chaotic and at times even feel claustrophobic. If you’re staying here for any length of time, you will need a break and what better place than a trip to the seaside. Although there are numerous options out of Tokyo, this blog will focus on Kamakura and Enoshima.

There are a few ways to do this but having been there a number of times, the most rewarding visit was when I started in Kamakura early in the morning and finished in Enoshima just in time for sunset. Furthermore I would highly recommend walking and not taking the train. Although this is a scenic route, it’s also popular on Instagram and TikTok, meaning that anytime after 10am the train is packed to the point of people being squashed up against windows. I took that train once and it wasn’t fun.

The walk itself is around 10km however can easily double if you include exploring all the side streets. Finally the reason for this specific direction is the sunset from Enoshima is beautiful while in Kamakura early morning light is better in my opinion.

Getting Here

There are many ways to get to Kamakura and the route you take really depends on where you are coming from. With that said the easiest route is from Shimbashi as there is a direct train without any changes. It takes around an hour and a bit to get there but your route choice can impact that. If you intend on doing the walk and are buying journey specific tickets, make sure to get a ticket from Enoshima back to Tokyo. Better yet just get a Suica or ICOCA card that you can top up and use everywhere for everything.

Photography

When it comes to photography there is a lot to shoot here. From still life in the quiet backstreets to surfers, temples, Mt Fuji and more. Having looked through my work from the past 3 trips , I found the majority of photos to sit between 35mm and 50mm (full frame). With that said I have a bunch of photos at 135mm especially with Mt Fuji due to the added compression.

Kamakura

When you first arrive in Kamakura you have two options. If it’s clear, then I suggest grabbing the local train to Shichirigahama Station. You can jump on this train at the same station where you arrived from Tokyo and if you’re early enough it should be pretty quiet.

When you get off at Shichirigahama Station, head down towards the sea and if it’s clear, you will have an amazing view of Mt Fuji.

On the day I did this, there was some haze but you could still make it out. If the weather is overcast then I suggest heading to the main temples before the crowds arrive. Specifically Hase-dera Temple and the Great Buddha of Kamakura. Although there are many other temples, these two get the busiest.

From then on I suggest avoiding the main road and getting lost down all the tiny backroads. Eventually they all lead to the sea and in my opinion are more photogenic and interesting than the main street with all the tourists. Just double check on the map before you take one of these back streets as some might be dead ends. With that said some of these dead ends resulted in great photos.

Finally don’t forget to walk up and down the beach especially if the tide is out. Great for photography and so relaxing. Also cool place to spot some sea life or collect shells.

If you take your time and weave around Kamakura, you can easily spend 4-5 hours if not more here. With that said if you’re still in Kamakura by lunchtime, I suggest starting to walk towards Enoshima. If you’re heading towards the sea to start your walk, I suggest popping into Woodberry Cafe for some amazing healthy food and great coffee.

Along the Route

There are two ways to go to Enoshima. First option is to follow the train tracks while the second is to follow the road along the sea. My personal suggestion is to do a mix of both. In some areas you can’t hug the train tracks while in others they weave right through small villages.

I started by the sea and then kept an eye on where the train tracks run through. If it looked interesting, I would quickly walk up to have a look and see if there is a path. There’re 1000 different routes you can take so I will let you explore and get lost.

Enoshima

Enoshima is a little island and you have a few options. Which one you take will depend on how much time you have before the sun sets and whether the boats run or not. My recommended approach is to walk across the island, pop into the observation tower to see the view and then end up right by the sea on the far end of Enoshima. Here you will have some amazing views and if the sea is not rough, you can walk along the rocks.

If the boats are running, you can jump in and head back to the mainland after which you can walk to Katase Nishihama Beach to watch the sunset along with everyone else. If the boats are not running or you won’t have time, then I suggest staying for the sunset and walking back later. Finally head to Enoshima station where there are many trains heading back to Tokyo.