Japan Unlocking

Kamakura · Kita-Kamakura

Jochiji

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

Jochiji

Photo: Naokijp・CC BY-SA 4.0

Fourth of Kamakura's five great Zen temples: a Chinese-style bell gate, a thatched study hall and a cave shrine to the smiling god Hotei at the back of the valley.

Nearest station
8 min walk from Kita-Kamakura Station
Hours
9:00–16:30, every day (may close in bad weather)
Admission
Adults ¥300, junior high school age and under ¥100

What to see

  • Bell-tower gate: a Chinese-style gate, rare in Kamakura, with the bell and arched windows on the upper floor; rebuilt in 2007.
  • Three Buddhas of past, present and future (Amida, Shaka and Miroku) in the main hall, a Kanagawa Important Cultural Property.
  • Hotei: one of Kamakura's Seven Lucky Gods, in a cave at the back of the grounds. Rubbing his belly is said to give you energy.
  • Kanro-no-i: one of Kamakura's Ten Wells (no longer used for drinking).
  • Study hall: a thatched building from 1924.

Seasons

  • The temple's flower calendar (approximate): plum in February, cherry and azaleas in April, hydrangeas in June, bush clover in September, autumn leaves in December.

History

Founded around 1281 to mourn Hojo Munemasa, third son of the regent Hojo Tokiyori. It ranks fourth among the Five Great Zen Temples of Kamakura.

Getting there

An eight-minute walk from Kita-Kamakura Station on the JR Yokosuka Line.

Address:1402 Yamanouchi, Kamakura, Kanagawa

Directions in Google Maps →Official website →

Before you go

Do not step past the bamboo or stone markers or inside fences, and do not pick plants.

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.

Map data:© OpenStreetMap contributors