Kamakura is a city in the coastal Shonan region of Kanagawa Prefecture.
The beaches of Kamakura are popular in summer but watch out for the giant hawks that swoop down and grab hamburgers from unwitting tourists.
Kamakura is also blessed with a beautiful natural environment with wooded ranges of hills dotted with lots of historic temples and shrines – many dating from the Kamakura period more than 700 years ago when Kamakura was the centre of the Kamakura Shogunate which controlled all of Japan.
The JR Yokosuka Line connects Kamakura with Tokyo. Also of note for trainspotters is the Shonan Monorail and the very cute and very old Enoden Line.
For a detailed must-see list, see our Kamakura mega guide.
Kamakura makes for a nice (and easy) hiking spot with the surrounding hills, read more about the hiking trail here.
And there’s some superb cafes in Kamakura, like our favourite Mill Coffee and Stand
