Kamakura of Kanagawa Prefecture is popular among tourists as a historical city. There are a lot of shrines and temples in Kamakura. Besides historical architectures, there are also locations near the sea where you can enjoy swimming and hiking. We would like to introduce some recommended hiking courses where you can visit historic sites along the way.
Kamakura Hiking Trails
Kamakura has several hiking trails. There are a variety of courses, ranging from easy to expert. The hiking trails are natural mountain paths. You will need equipments such as climbing shoes and clothes for hiking. Below are three major hiking courses.
Ten-en Hiking Course
The Ten-en Hiking Course is about 7km long. It is for people who have strong legs and confidence in their physical strength. There is a mountain ridge path called "Kamakura Alps" due to its difference in altitude from start to the end. You can enjoy nature while walking along it.
Daibutsu Hiking Course
"Daibutsu Hiking Course" is about 3km long. The path runs through the famous Great Buddha, shrines and temples. It is recommended as you can visit tourist spots along the way.
Gionyama Hiking Course
The “Gionyama Hiking Course” is a 1.5km route to Gionyama. There is an observation deck at the top of the mountain where you can enjoy the view of Kamakura.
Highlights of hiking trails
There is a mountain ridge path called "Kamakura Alps" along the "Ten-en Hiking Course", which you can enjoy the overlook of Kamakura's cityscape and sea-view along this full-fledged trail. "Daibutsu Hiking Course" is a trail that runs through the famous Great Buddha of Kamakura. It is attractive because one can enjoy seasonal flowers and trees that color the temple, such as plum blossoms, cherry blossoms, hydrangea and autumn leaves. The “Gionyama Hiking Course” also has seasonal flowers such as plum blossoms, narcissus, hydrangeas and autumn leaves along its trail. The view from the top of Gionyama is also spectacular. This course is recommended for those who wants to know the history of Kamakura as it runs through the historical sites of Kamakura.
Access to hiking courses
It is best to reach the entrance of the hiking courses by walking from the nearest train station. Each hiking course has several entrances, but we will only focus on the main entrances here. "Imaizumidai Jutakuchi-iriguchi", the entrance to "Tenen Hiking Course", has a 40-minute walking distance from JR “Kita-kamakura Station”. "Jochiji-iriguchi", the entrance to “Daibutsu Hiking Course", has a 15-minute walking distance from JR “Kita-kamakura Station”. "Yakumoeki-iriguchi", the entrance to “Gionyama Hiking Course”, has a 15-minute walking distance from JR “Kamakura Station”.
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