2026 Full-Day Garden Stroll Course at Engaku-ji (円覚寺)

This course lets you spend a full day savoring Engaku-ji (円覚寺), a Zen temple embraced by the cedar groves of Kita-Kamakura. Visiting hours are 8:30 to 16:30 (leave by 17:00) from March to November, and 8:30 to 16:00 (leave by 16:30) from December to February; the temple is basically open year-round (though it may close due to typhoons or snow). Admission is 500 yen for adults (high school age and up) and 200 yen for children (elementary and junior high school students). In the morning, head to Tokei-ji (東慶寺), just a short walk from Kita-Kamakura Station. Take a leisurely walk through the quiet morning grounds of this ‘Temple of Flowers,’ enveloped in seasonal blooms. In the afternoon, it's finally time for Engaku-ji. Slowly tour the spacious grounds that stretch further and further back from the main gate atop the stone steps, taking in the green of the trees and the historic buildings. This is a day to immerse yourself in the quiet of Zen temples in Kita-Kamakura, where the atmosphere changes the moment you step off the train.