Kanagawa in Half a Day: Hachimangu Shrine — Guide Kappa
December, 2024
This is a private guided tour report by Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.), a network of 1,000+ government-licensed, English-speaking local guides across all 47 prefectures of Japan.
Tour Itinerary
- 10:00 Meet at Kamakura Station
- 10:30-11:30 Visit Hachimangu Shrine
- 11:30-12:50 Visit Yoritomo's grave, Zuisenji Temple
- 12:50-13:15 Travel by bus
- 13:15-14:30 Visit the Great Buddha, up to the entrance of Hasedera Temple, then disband
Tour Itinerary in Detail
This private tour of Kanagawa began at 10:00, when the guide met the guests at Kamakura Station, and finished at 13:15. The day ran to 3 hours and 15 minutes from start to finish.
From there the group visited Hachimangu Shrine at 10:30, Yoritomo's grave, Zuisenji Temple at 11:30 and Travel by bus at 12:50.
Travel between the sites was by public transport: Wakaremichi to Kamakura Station by train (220JPY); Kamakura Station to Hase by train (200JPY). Across 2 sections the fare came to 420JPY per person.
What Can You See on a Private Kamakura Tour? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests were a group visiting from Europe. They had initially considered visiting Hachimangu Shrine, the Great Buddha, Hasedera Temple, and shopping along Komachi Street, but since they wanted to see history rather than shop, we added the tomb of Yoritomo, Egara Tenjinsha Shrine, and Zuisenji Temple. With this much added, we could not fit everything into the available time, so at Hasedera Temple I only guided them as far as the entrance. At Zuisenji Temple the autumn leaves were still remaining, and they took photos again and again, so I believe they enjoyed it. Afterward, the Great Buddha and Hasedera Temple were extremely crowded, so I felt it was good that we were able to avoid the congestion, at least in the morning.
Click here for more details: Kamakura Customized Half-Day Tour with Licensed Local Guide
Transportation cost per person
| No. | Transportation | Route | Fare |
| Section 1 | Train | Wakaremichi～Kamakura Station | 220JPY |
| Section 2 | Train | Kamakura Station～Hase | 200JPY |
| Total | 420JPY | ||
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does this Kanagawa tour start and finish?
The guide met the guests at Kamakura Station at 10:00, and the tour finished at Visit the Great Buddha, up to the entrance of Hasedera Temple, then at 13:15.
How long does the tour last?
About 3 hours and 15 minutes in total, from 10:00 to 13:15.
Which places does this itinerary cover?
This tour visited Hachimangu Shrine, Yoritomo's grave, Zuisenji Temple and Travel by bus.
How much did transport cost on this tour?
Public transport came to 420JPY per person across 2 sections. Transport fares are paid by the guests and are not included in the guiding fee.
Is the guide licensed, and what language is the tour in?
Kappa is a government-licensed national guide-interpreter of Japan and guided this tour in English. Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.) works with more than 1,000 licensed guides across all 47 prefectures. Not affiliated with the Japan Guide Association.
Can the itinerary be changed for my own trip?
Yes. This report describes one private tour as it actually ran. Every Kanagawa itinerary is built around the guests, so the places, the pace and the starting point can all be changed before the tour.
Thank you for your entry in this tour. Nice to meet you in this mail.
Your tour guide Kappa is my nickname. Kappa is a traditional, imaginary creature who came into being in Japan over 300 years ago. She is good at swimming, like me, for I like swimming. I would like to make our tour operated smoothly as Kappa does when she swims in the river or pond. It is my pleasure to introduce many aspects in our tour, especially cooking, for it is my hobby and I went to the professional cooking and SAKE school, respectively. If you have any questions or requests about Japanese cooking, of course our tour, I am very delighted to answer to you anytime!
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Our guide, Kappa-san, modified the typical Hakone tour to accommodate our interests, and is very helpful and knowledgeable. Since the day was very hot (95°F / 35°C) we favored activities that were more shaded or cool, including a walk on a cedar-lined section of the old Tokaido path.
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Kappa, our guide met us at the train station and took us all over Kamakura. We saw shrines, the big Buddha, gardens, and the Oceanside! Kappa shared a lot of history about Kamakura, and it was nice to have this background when we were exploring these incredible sites! Highly recommend!
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Kappa was an amazing guide who created a thorough and thoughtful itinerary for us over
the course of 6 hours. We saw SO much in such a short time and would definitely
recommend her!
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My wife and I were treated to a wonderful walking tour of Tokyo with Kappa. Kappa was very accommodating in designing a tour specifically tailored to our interests. Kappa is a wealth of knowledge regarding the city history, temples and shrine, and Japanese art history. She is a lovely person too. I highly recommend Kappa if you want to learn about Tokyo