🏯 Kamakura Great Buddha (Kotoku-in) Guide – Highlights & Best Ways to Enjoy It

The Great Buddha of Kamakura (the Amida Nyorai statue at Kotoku-in Temple) is one of the most famous tourist attractions in Kamakura. It is one of Japan's three great Buddha statues, and has been standing there for over 800 years since the Kamakura period, exposed to the elements. ✨ Here, we will introduce you to some tips on how to avoid the crowds and enjoy the Great Buddha to the fullest! 🏛 1. Basic information about the Great Buddha of Kamakura 📍 Location: 4-2-28 Hase, Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture (inside Kotoku-in) ⏰ Opening hours: 8:00-17:30 (until 17:00 from October to March) 💰 Admission fee: 300 yen for adults, 150 yen for elementary school students (20 yen extra for visiting the inside of the Great Buddha) 🚆 Access • Get off at Hase Station on the Enoshima Electric Railway → about 7 minutes walk • Take the bus from Kamakura Station: Get off at Daibutsu-mae • 🚗 No parking (there are paid parking lots nearby) 🔥 2. Sightseeing & Tips 🔹 Best time to enjoy the Great Buddha of Kamakura ✅ First thing in the morning (8:00-9:30) 🌅 → Few tourists, so you can enjoy the quiet atmosphere! ✅ Evening (16:00~Closed) 🌆 → The Great Buddha illuminated by the setting sun is fantastic✨ Great for photos◎ 🚨 Time to avoid: 10:00~15:00 → Many sightseeing tour groups, it tends to get crowded💦 🔹 Visiting the interior is a must! (Time required: 5 minutes) 💰 For an additional 20 yen, you can enter the Great Buddha! • You can see the internal structure of the Great Buddha, which was cast in the 14th century🔍 • It is surprisingly spacious, and you can experience the casting technology of the Kamakura period! 💡 Tip: The interior is muggy in the summer, so it is recommended to go first thing in the morning or in winter 🔹 A spot to enjoy with the Great Buddha ✅ Take a photo from behind the Great Buddha📷 → On the back of the Great Buddha, there are support brackets that are remnants of the Great Buddha Hall that once stood there! ✅ Recommended for the autumn leaves and cherry blossom seasons🌸🍁 → Enjoy the combination of autumn leaves in autumn and cherry blossoms and the Great Buddha in spring 🍽 3. Nearby gourmet and souvenir spots 🍵 ① Kamakura Fuhan – Fluffy "Fu Manju" • A popular Japanese sweets shop near the Great Buddha • The cool, chewy red bean paste wrapped in mugwort gluten is exquisite✨ 📍 Access: 5 minutes walk from the Great Buddha 🍜 ② Ramen HANABI – Right next to the Kamakura Great Buddha! • A popular ramen shop in Kamakura🍜 • Light salt ramen is the specialty✨ 📍 Access: Right next to the Daibutsu-mae bus stop ☕ ③ Kamakura Hase Coffee & Galette • A stylish cafe where you can take a break after sightseeing at the Great Buddha✨ • Buckwheat flour galettes and Kamakura roasted coffee are delicious 📍 Access: 7 minutes on foot from Hase Station 🎯 4. Summary of the strategy (recommended plan) 🚆 Model course (half day) 🔹 8:00 Arrive at Kotoku-in Temple → Quiet viewing of the Great Buddha before it gets crowded 🔹 8:30 View the inside of the Great Buddha (+20 yen) 🔹 9:00 Get fu manju at "Kamakura Fuho"🍵 🔹 9:30 Have an early lunch at "Ramen HANABI"🍜 🔹 10:30 Go for a stroll around Hasedera Temple or the Enoshima Electric Railway 💡 Tips ✔ It's easier to avoid crowds if you go first thing in the morning ✔ Visit early in the season for autumn leaves and cherry blossoms ◎ ✔ The inside tour is worth the extra 20 yen! The Great Buddha of Kamakura is the highlight of Kamakura sightseeing, where you can feel the history and nature! The key to success is to avoid the crowds and visit first thing in the morning🔑✨ #domestictravelstrategy #kamakura #kamakuratourism #kamakuratrip #japan #japantrip #kamakura