Kamakura and Enoshima sit on the same coast about 25 minutes apart by train, and combining them into one day trip from Tokyo is one of the best uses of a free day. Kamakura has Zen temples in forested hills connected by hiking trails. Enoshima is a small island with shrines, sea caves, and views of the Shonan coast. Together they give you temples in the morning, a coastal walk midday, and an island to explore in the afternoon.
Just want Kamakura? A full day there is excellent on its own. The hiking trails and temples fill 6-7 hours without feeling rushed. Want both? Start at Kita-Kamakura by 9am, do the Daibutsu Trail and a few temples, then take the Enoden to Enoshima after lunch. Just want beach and island? Go straight to Enoshima from Shinjuku on the Odakyu Line (¥650, about 70 minutes). Coming in June? This is hydrangea season, and Kamakura is one of the best places to see them. The rain makes them better.
What's the best route?
Most first-timers arrive at Kamakura Station and walk up Komachi-dori, the main shopping street. It works, but there is a better way. Get off one stop earlier at Kita-Kamakura Station and start the Daibutsu Trail. This 3km hiking path runs through wooded hills, passing Engaku-ji and Jochi-ji temples before reaching Zeniarai Benzaiten (a cave shrine where you wash coins for good luck) and eventually the Great Buddha. The trail itself takes about 90 minutes, but with temple stops it fills a morning. You arrive at the coast having avoided the crowds entirely, and the walk between temples through ancient forest paths is as good as the temples themselves.
After the Great Buddha, walk downhill to Hasedera Temple (¥400, known for its ocean view from the terrace and a massive wooden Kannon statue). From there, you are close to the coast. Walk along Yuigahama Beach if you want sand and salt air, or head to the Enoden station at Hase. The Enoden tram runs along the coast to Enoshima in about 25 minutes (¥220), passing through residential neighborhoods so narrow the train nearly brushes the houses. The stop at Kamakura Koko-mae is the famous Slam Dunk railroad crossing with an ocean view, worth watching through the window even if you do not get off.
On Enoshima, walk up through the shrine gates, take the outdoor escalators if you want to skip the stairs, and head for the Sea Candle observation tower (¥800) for a panoramic view of the coast and, on clear days, Mt. Fuji. Continue to the far end of the island to reach the Iwaya sea caves (¥500). The whole island walk takes about 90 minutes. When you are done, take the Shonan Monorail from Shonan-Enoshima Station to Ofuna, where you connect to the JR Tokaido Line back to Tokyo. This avoids the Enoden back to Kamakura and saves 20 minutes.
What should you not miss in Kamakura?
The Great Buddha at Kotoku-in (¥300) is the headliner and earns it. The outdoor bronze statue is over 11 meters tall and you can go inside for an extra ¥50. But the three stops that make Kamakura more than a one-sight trip are Hasedera, Hokokuji, and Zeniarai Benzaiten.
Hokokuji Temple has a bamboo grove you can walk through (¥400 entry, or ¥1,000 with matcha tea in the garden). It is quieter and more intimate than the bamboo grove at Arashiyama in Kyoto, which makes it the better experience for most people. It is east of Kamakura Station, which means it does not fit naturally into the Kita-Kamakura hiking route. If you want to include it, start your day at Hokokuji (bus from Kamakura Station, 10 minutes), then loop back to the station and take the JR one stop north to Kita-Kamakura for the trail.
Zeniarai Benzaiten is a Shinto shrine inside a cave where you wash your money in a spring. The approach involves walking through a tunnel cut into the rock. It is on the Daibutsu Trail between Kita-Kamakura and the Great Buddha, so you hit it automatically if you take the hiking route. Nearby Sasuke Inari Shrine has a tunnel of red torii gates that gets compared to Fushimi Inari in Kyoto, without the crowds.
What about the food?
Shirasu (baby whitebait) is served everywhere in Kamakura and Enoshima. You can get it raw on rice, dried, or mixed into other dishes. The fishing ban runs January 1 to March 10, so fresh shirasu is unavailable in winter. Outside that window, it is one of the more memorable local dishes you will eat on a Greater Tokyo day trip.
Komachi-dori near Kamakura Station is the main food and shopping street. It is touristy but fun, with food stalls, sweet potato soft serve, and small shops. Note: Kamakura passed a local ordinance discouraging eating while walking on the street, so eat at the stalls or find a bench. On Enoshima, the seafood restaurants along the approach serve shirasu bowls and grilled fish, but eat indoors or watch for the black kites that patrol the outdoor eating areas.
How do you get there?
The JR Yokosuka Line from Tokyo Station to Kamakura runs every 10-15 minutes, takes about 55 minutes, and costs ¥950 one way. IC cards work. For Kita-Kamakura, get off one stop earlier (same line, same price). From Shinjuku, the Odakyu Line runs to Katase-Enoshima via Fujisawa for ¥650, about 70 minutes with one transfer. If you plan to ride the Enoden multiple times, the day pass costs ¥800.
At the end of the day, avoid backtracking. If you finish on Enoshima, take the Shonan Monorail from Shonan-Enoshima to Ofuna (8 minutes), then the JR Tokaido Line to Tokyo Station. This is faster than riding the Enoden back to Kamakura and then JR home.
When is the best time to go?
June is Kamakura's peak season because of the hydrangeas. Hasedera and Meigetsuin temples are covered in them, and they look even better in the rain. Cherry blossom season in late March and early April is good too, though less distinctive than Kamakura's hydrangea identity. Autumn has some foliage, but Nikko beats Kamakura for fall colors. Summer means beach weather and surfing along Yuigahama and Shichirigahama, but also heat and humidity.
The one timing rule that matters more than season: go on a weekday. Weekends bring day-trippers from all over Kanto, and May brings school excursions. Komachi-dori on a Saturday in spring is shoulder-to-shoulder. The same street on a Tuesday in April is pleasant. The temples and trails absorb the crowds better, but even the Daibutsu Trail gets busy by late morning on weekends. Arrive early.