Kamakura · Kita-Kamakura

Engakuji

How to get there and what to see · facts checked 2026-10-24

The great Zen temple right outside Kita-Kamakura Station, home to a National Treasure relic hall and the largest temple bell in the Kanto region.

Nearest station: 1 min walk from Kita-Kamakura Station
Hours: March to November 8:30–16:30, December to February 8:30–16:00 (you can stay 30 minutes longer). Open every day, except closures for typhoons or snow.
Admission: Adults (high school and up) ¥500, elementary and junior high students ¥200

What to see

Shariden (National Treasure): the finest example of the Chinese-style architecture that reached Japan in the Kamakura period. It is normally seen only from outside; the Kamakura tourism association says it opens at New Year and in early November.
Ogane bell (National Treasure): 259.5 cm tall, the largest temple bell in the Kanto region, donated by Hojo Sadatoki in 1301.
Sanmon gate: the great two-storey gate, rebuilt in 1785 and listed as an Important Cultural Property of Kanagawa.
Butsuden: the main hall with the temple's crowned Shaka Buddha. It fell in the 1923 earthquake and was rebuilt in 1964; look up for the white dragon painted on the ceiling.
Myoko-chi pond: a pond from the temple's earliest days, restored in 2000 to match an early Edo-period drawing.

Seasons

Cherry blossoms from late March to mid-April, hydrangeas through June, and autumn leaves from mid-November to mid-December (the temple's own guide; dates vary by year).

History

Founded in 1282 by the regent Hojo Tokimune, with the Chinese Zen master Mugaku Sogen as its first abbot. Tokimune built it to mourn everyone who died in the Mongol invasions, friend and enemy alike.

Getting there

A one-minute walk from Kita-Kamakura Station on the JR Yokosuka Line, which runs direct from Tokyo Station. From Kamakura Station, Enoden buses bound for Ofuna, Kamiooka or Hongodai stop at Kita-Kamakura Station.

Address：409 Yamanouchi, Kamakura, Kanagawa

Directions in Google Maps →Official website →

Before you go

Tripods and monopods are not allowed, and neither is sketching or painting in the grounds. The upper floor of the gate is normally closed.

Map of sights in Kamakura

Tap a red pin to open that sight's page.

Nearby sights

← Kamakura guide: trains from Tokyo

Sources

Hours, prices and history come from the official websites and public tourism pages listed here. They can change, so check the official site before you go.