2026 Full-Day Course: Tsurugaoka Hachimangu (鶴岡八幡宮) and Its Shin'en Peony Garden (神苑ぼたん庭園)

This is a day to admire large winter-blooming peonies at the Shin'en Peony Garden (神苑ぼたん庭園) within the grounds of Tsurugaoka Hachimangu (鶴岡八幡宮), a symbol of Kamakura (鎌倉). The peony garden is a special garden that opens only during peony season; the New Year peonies typically bloom from around January 1 to mid-February, with opening hours of 9:00-16:00 and admission of 500 yen (based on the official Reiwa 6 New Year notice, please check the official website for the latest opening information before your visit). Walking the strolling garden paths in the crisp winter air, you'll find crimson and white peonies blooming inside straw enclosures that protect them from the cold, a scene unique to quiet winter Kamakura (鎌倉). In the morning, walk Dankazura (段葛) to the approach and worship at the Hongu (本宮) main hall, and in the afternoon, take your time exploring the peony garden, a course perfectly suited to a New Year stroll through Kamakura (鎌倉).