Kamakura is an ancient city, once a political center of the first military (Samurai) government of Japan.
It’s an ideal sightseeing site for a day trip from Tokyo, about one hour by train.
We visit must-see places according to your request.
The next schedule is a recommended sample tour.
We meet at your Hotel in Tokyo or in Yokohama. (Hotel pick up)
Or at JR Kamakura station.
at your hotel in Tokyo/Yokohama or JR Kamakura station (EAST Exit)
Meet at your hotel in Tokyo or Yokohama.
If you'd like, we can meet at EAST Exit of JR Kamakura station.
In this case, we can start the tour immediately at 9:00 and visit one more site or spend more time for shopping etc.
Houkokuji is one of the Zen temples in Kamakura, nick-named Bamboo temple.
You can enjoy strolling in the beautiful bamboo grove and calm atmospher of Zen temple.
You can try Japanese maccha tea at a nice cozy cafe in the beautiful bamboo grove.
If you prefer to experience to sit on the Japanese style of tatami-mat room to have maccha tea, I take you to the Jyomyoji temple
which is 5 minutes walking distance from Hokokuji temple.
It's ranked the 5th of Five Great Zen Temples in Kamakura. The tatami mat room is facing to the Zen garden.
Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine was founded by the Kamakura shogunate.
A family shrine of Minamoto Clan.
At the ritual dance stage in the precincts, Japanesse style wedding ceremonies are often held.
You may come across the wedding ceremony,.
Lunch at a restaurant in Komachi street or at Hase (near the Buddha)
This street is suitalble place for buying various kind of souvenirs and having delicious lunch.
Halal lunch is also available.
Enjoy walking around the exciting and delightful Komachi street.
We drop in the Sword Smith.(samurai's sword, Japanese cooking knoves etc.) when the shop opens.
The highlight of Kamakura tour.
A bronze statue of Amida Buddha, which was designated as a National Treasure.
They said this is the only one National Treasure we can touch.
We can enter the inside of the statue, as well.
Hase Temple is very old temple founded in 736, almost 450 years older than the foundation of Kamakura government.
The main image of this temple is a tall eleven-headed wooden statue. It 's worth to see.
The last spot of this tour, we visit one of the following spots according to your preference.
* Kamakura High School Train Crossing:
The new popular sightseeing spot, "Kamakura High School Train Crossing " of the Enoden (Enoshima railway).
It became so popular that it came up in Manga (comic book) "Slam Dunk" and others.
* Yuigahama Sea Coast:
The beach was considered sacred ground to the Minamoto clan.
The Shogun would always purify his body here before visiting shrines in Izu or Hakone.
It was once an intense battlefield between Kamakura era and Muromachi era.
* Mushin-an: Japanese traditional style of cafe.
The entrance of this cafe is just next to the Enoden railway. It's really amazing experience to see the train are passing cafe front.
We finish the tour at JR Kamakura station or at Komachi street.
A guide gives you a detailed information how to return to your hotel.
JR Kamakura station or Where You'd like near the station (ex. Komachi street)
** including:
guide fee,
guide lunch,
hotel pick up fee in Tokyo (in 23 wards) or Yokohama
**excluding:
transportation fee for you and a guide during the tour,
your lunch, maccha tea
admission fee to the temples an shrines for you (and a guide )
( A national licensed-guide is free admission to the almost of the temples and shrines)
Private tour
Only for you and your group
(1)The tour price:
** including:
guide fee,
guide lunch,
hotel pick up fee in Tokyo or Yokohama
**excluding:
transportation fee for you and a guide during the tour,
your lunch,
admission fee to the temples an shrines for you and a guide.
( A national licensed-guide is free admission to the almost of the temples and shrines)
(2) Other expenses:
Transportation fee from Tokyo to Kamakura is about 1,000 yen (one-way/adult, by JR +subway)
transportation fee in Kamakura is about 900 yen (bus, Enoshima railway train)
admission fee : about 1000 yen in total.
maccha tea with a small confection 600 yen
(3) Halal lunch is available:
Shizuko is amazing tour guide.
Dear Alexander and your family, Thank you very much for your warm comment to my guiding. It was too hot to walk around Tokyo even if we walked looking for the shade. I was really happy that your 5 years old daughter walked together with us very well. I believe your teenage daughters enjoyed shopping as much as they want at Takeshita-street. And I hope you enjoyed the rest of your days in Japan to the fullest. Thank you again. Kind regards, Shizuko.
Ms Shizuko is a marvellous guide with superb attention to detail. Correspondence prior to tour was informative. The tour itself was just brilliant. Ms Shizuko has a lot of knowledge and provided a really unique and insightful experience. Ms Shizuko was punctual, polite and cheerful, she also took our well being into consideration, since we’d arrived in Tokyo less than 24hrs earlier.
Dear ‘femi, Thank you very much for your great review. I’m very happy to hear that you enjoyed the tour. And I hope you enjoyed a Pedestrian Paradise in Ginza, next day. How is Nathan? Is he playing the game bought at Cyber Space? I can’t forget his question about the history of Japan (Why Japan, which was far behind from other developed countries, could catch up with them finally?) That’s one of the most important questions in talking about Japanese history. What a smart boy he is! With talking with all of you, I also enjoyed the tour. Thank you for choosing me as your guide. If you have a chance to visit Japan again, please contact me. Thank you again. Kind regards, Shizuko
Shizuko was terrific. I wanted a custom tour of east Tokyo, had a few of the usual places in mind and 2 or 3 slightly off the beaten track, and she put it all together in a way that made a long day very interesting and enjoyable for all of us. Shizuko was punctual, polite and cheerful; always considerate of our interests and needs; and always knowledgeable about what we were seeing and where we were going and of Japanese history, religion, and culture in general. In short, she was wonderful. I highly recommend her as a guide.
Dear Douglas, Thank you very much for sending me such a heartfelt review. I’m so glad to know that you enjoyed the tour. Because I wish I could have taken a little more time to guide each spot. The tour schedule you requested was ideal one for a glimpse of Japanese tradition, culture and even daily life at off the beaten track of a part of Yanaka. I really enjoyed very much guiding and walking such nice places with you and everyone. I’ve been laughing at everyone’s jokes all the time. Thank you very much again for choosing me as your guide this time. I hope you enjoy the rest of your time in Japan to the fullest. Kind regards, Shizuko
We spent 2 1/2 days with Shizuko walking and taking the subway all over Tokyo. We saw a couple of Cherry Blossom flowers since this year we were just a couple of days early. There was not a place in Tokyo we missed. While our first day was rainy, we still got to see many sites. We learned how to use the Suica card to get around and how to navigate the subway system. Even though we took many subways to get to the destination, we will managed to put on over 10,000 steps a day. She even printed out detailed instructions for our driver to get us to an infrequently used cruise terminal in Yokohama. Everything was customized to our needs. Just a fabulous 2 1/2 days even with the bad weather and lots of tourists trying to eat lunch at the same time. I highly recommend Shizuko if you need a guide in Toyko.
Dear Edward, Thank you very much for your great review with warm consideration. I was really happy to received it. I appreciate very much that you always encouraged me during the tour. At the first day of the tour, we’ve been to many must-see spots in Tokyo in a heavy rain and strong wind. And the second day, (it was nice weather) we’ve been to Imperial Palace and the East Garden, we walked a lot and had a late lunch and visited the Ueno Park. And the third day, we visited two famous cherry blossom viewing spots, but cherry blossoms hadn’t bloomed yet, though how much I wanted you see them. Today in Tokyo, it’s getting warmer and cherry trees are finally blooming beautifully. I hope you have already enjoyed the cherry blossoms in full bloom somewhere in Japan. It was really nice meeting you. Please continue to enjoy wonderful cruising. A thousand thanks for choosing me as your guide in Tokyo. Kind regards, Shizuko