2026 Full-Day Autumn Leaves Course at Engaku-ji

Spend a day enjoying the autumn foliage of the old capital at Engaku-ji, the second-ranked Zen temple of the Kamakura Five Mountains. The leaves are usually at their best from mid-November to early December. Known as one of the first temples in Kamakura to turn color, its maple trees blaze red throughout the grounds, from around the stone steps leading to the Sanmon gate to the area around the Great Bell. The maples at the sub-temple Ryuin-an are also vivid. Admission is 500 yen for adults and 200 yen for elementary and junior high school students. With excellent access just steps from Kita-Kamakura Station, it can be enjoyed both in the clear morning air and the soft afternoon light. In the morning, visit nearby Meigetsu-in to admire the garden behind the main hall and the 'Window of Enlightenment,' specially opened to the public only during the autumn leaves season. This is a leisurely walking course around Kita-Kamakura in autumn, wrapped in the calm atmosphere of Zen.