Kanagawa prefecture packs more variety into a single train journey than almost any region in Japan. Within 90 minutes of Tokyo you can stand before a 13-metre bronze Buddha, gaze across a sulphur-smoking volcanic crater toward Mt. Fuji, or wander a Meiji-era harbour district that looks like it belongs in Shanghai. This guide ranks the top 20 spots — including several hidden corners that even regular Japan visitors miss entirely.

Kamakura: Ancient Samurai Capital

1. Kotoku-in — The Great Buddha (Kamakura Daibutsu)

Japan’s second-largest bronze statue (11.4 metres seated, 93 tonnes) has sat in the open air since its wooden hall washed away in a 15th-century typhoon. The face retains extraordinary serenity up close. Admission ¥300; open daily 8:00–17:30. For an extra ¥20 you can climb inside the hollow figure through a small door in the back — the echo of the interior is haunting. Arrive before 9:00 to beat the school groups. Access: Enoden line to Hase Station, then 10 minutes on foot.

2. Tsurugaoka Hachimangu

Kamakura’s defining landmark sits at the top of a ceremonial boulevard (Wakamiya Oji) lined with 1,800 cherry trees. The shrine was established in 1063 and served as the spiritual heart of the Minamoto shogunate. The sweeping stone steps, two sacred ponds (one has a small island containing a Benten shrine), and the raised main hall make this one of the most photogenic shrine complexes in eastern Japan. Free entry; open sunrise–sunset. The Reitaisai festival in mid-September includes yabusame (horseback archery) — spectacular if you time your visit.

3. Hase-dera Temple

Set on a hillside above Hase, this temple owns the tallest wooden Kannon statue in Japan (9.18m, gilded, 11 faces). The cave beneath the main hall — lit by hundreds of small oil lamps and lined with carved Buddhas — is one of the most atmospheric spaces in Kamakura. The hydrangea garden above the cave terraces blooms June–July, making this the single most photogenic spot in the city during that season. Admission ¥400.

4. Zeniarai Benten (Ugafuku Jinja) — Hidden Gem

Most visitors pass straight by the narrow tunnel in the cliff face. Push through and you emerge into a hollow cavern shrine dedicated to Benzaiten, goddess of luck. The custom is to wash your money in the spring water flowing through wire baskets — legend says it will multiply. The cave incense, the offerings of coins and sake, and the near-total darkness make this feel genuinely ancient and eerie. Free entry. Access: 10-minute walk uphill from Kamakura Station west exit — follow the white snake signs.

5. Kakuon-ji — The Secret Garden Temple

This is Kamakura’s best-kept secret. Kakuon-ji sits in a sealed valley behind Tsurugaoka Hachimangu, accessible only with advance reservation (phone booking required, ¥300 per person). The guided walk takes you through an enclosed garden, past the only painted Yagura cave tombs in Kamakura, and into a small hall containing a profound black lacquer Amida Buddha and a rare Fudo Myo-o statue. The cave Buddhas are extraordinary — carved directly from the valley cliff. Almost no foreign tourists ever visit. Phone: 0467-22-1195.

6. Hokoku-ji — The Bamboo Temple

A grove of 2,000 Moso bamboo stalks fills the rear garden of this Rinzai Zen temple, creating a cathedral of green light. Admission to the bamboo garden includes a bowl of matcha tea served at a small pavilion inside the grove. Admission ¥300 (bamboo garden + tea ¥900); open 9:00–16:00. Come on a weekday morning when the light filters through the stalks at its most theatrical. Access: 15 minutes by bus from Kamakura Station (Kenchoji-ji bus line, Jomyoji stop).

7. Egara Tenjin — Oldest Tenjin Shrine in Kanto

Most guidebooks ignore this shrine completely. Egara Tenjin (founded 1104) sits at the top of a long stone stairway through cedar trees, five minutes' walk from Kamakura Station’s east exit. It predates the famous Yushima Tenjin in Tokyo by over 400 years and receives perhaps 30 foreign visitors a year. The plum trees bloom in late February, the cedar avenue is permanently atmospheric, and you will almost certainly have it to yourself. Free entry.

8. Kencho-ji and the Kiritoshi Passes

Kencho-ji is the first and finest of Kamakura’s Five Great Zen Temples (Gozan), founded 1253. The juniper trees in the main courtyard were planted when the temple was built — they are over 750 years old. Admission ¥500.

Behind Kencho-ji, the Kiritoshi hiking passes cut through the hills on paths originally hacked through the rock by samurai armies as defensive corridors. The most dramatic passes — Kewaizaka and Nagoshi-no-Kiritoshi — slice through near-vertical cliff faces barely wide enough for one person. Walking them connects the Kita-Kamakura temples district to the Zushi coast through cedar forest, with almost no other tourists on weekdays.

9. Kamakura Daibutsu Hiking Trail

The 3km ridge trail (大仏ハイキングコース) is arguably the best way to arrive at the Great Buddha, but almost nobody uses it. Starting from Jochiji temple near Kita-Kamakura Station, the path winds through mountain cedar forest along a narrow ridge before descending into the garden of Kotoku-in from above. The contrast between 90 minutes of silent forest trail and the sudden appearance of the giant bronze figure below is extraordinary. Total hiking time 60–90 minutes, minimal elevation gain, suitable for ordinary walking shoes.

Yokohama: Port City and Cosmopolitan Waterfront

10. Minato Mirai 21

Yokohama’s showcase waterfront district has aged well. The Landmark Tower (296m, Japan’s second-tallest building) offers observation deck views across Tokyo Bay. The Cosmo Clock 21 Ferris wheel (115m, a former world’s largest) glows at night. The entire waterfront walk from the Red Brick Warehouse to Yamashita Park takes 30 minutes and is especially atmospheric on weekday evenings. Sky Garden observation deck ¥1,000.

11. Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse (Akarenga Soko)

Two restored 1911 Meiji-era customs warehouses now house boutique shops, craft beer bars, and an events plaza on the water’s edge. The buildings themselves are the attraction — the deep red brick facades, industrial iron fittings, and European warehouse architecture look remarkable at sunset. Free entry to buildings. The summer craft beer festival (August) and winter ice skating rink are local institutions.

12. Yokohama Chinatown (Chukagai)

Japan’s largest Chinatown — 500+ restaurants across 0.2 square kilometres — has operated continuously since 1859 when Yokohama port opened to foreign trade. The Kantei-byo temple (dedicated to Guan Yu) at the centre is spectacular: red and gold lacquered, permanently thick with incense smoke. For eating, head to the side streets rather than the busy main Chukagai Odori — the crowds thin dramatically after one or two turns off the main drag. The giant nikuman (pork steamed buns, ¥200–350) sold from street windows are the essential street food.

13. Yamate Bluff District

Perched on the hill above Motomachi shopping street, Yamate contains seven preserved Western-style buildings from the Meiji and Taisho eras — the former residences of Yokohama’s foreign merchant community. The Harbour View Park at the bluff’s edge looks across Yokohama Bay to the Minato Mirai towers. The French girls' school (Ferris University), the rose garden, and the quiet residential lanes feel entirely unlike the rest of Japan. Free to walk; museum houses ¥200 each.

Hakone: Volcanic Resort and Fuji Views

14. Owakudani Volcanic Valley

The most dramatic landscape in Kanagawa: an active volcanic crater where sulphur steam vents hiss from pale yellow crags and the egg-boiling pools produce kuro-tamago (black-shelled eggs allegedly worth 7 extra years of life, ¥600 for five). Admission free; ropeway required (Hakone Freepass covers this). Visibility to Mt. Fuji is best December–February. The crater path is occasionally closed when volcanic activity increases — check the Hakone Ropeway website before visiting.

15. Lake Ashi (Ashinoko) and Hakone Jinja

The Hakone Jinja torii gate stands in the lake, its orange pillars rising from the water against Fuji on clear mornings — one of the iconic images of Japan. Approach by the short walk from Moto-Hakone pier at 7:00–8:00 for near-guaranteed solitude and the best light. The Lake Ashi cruise aboard the kitschy pirate ship (Hakone Freepass included) delivers excellent Fuji views from the open deck. The walking path along the old cedar-lined Tokaido road from Moto-Hakone to Hakone-machi (30 minutes) is stunning in autumn foliage.

16. Hakone Open-Air Museum (Chokoku-no-Mori)

Seven hectares of landscaped hillside garden contain over 120 sculptures — Rodin, Maillol, Moore, Picasso. The Picasso Pavilion holds more than 300 original Picasso works. The Stained Glass Maze is a climbable glass tower that dazzles in afternoon light. Admission ¥1,600; closed Tuesdays. Access: Hakone Tozan Railway, Chokoku-no-Mori Station. This is the most accessible world-class art museum outside Tokyo.

Shonan, Miura and Further Afield

17. Enoshima Island

A 15-minute walk over a causeway from Katase-Enoshima Station leads to this small island packed with shrines, sea caves, and lighthouse views. The Samuel Cocking Garden (¥200) on the summit contains a lighthouse tower with 360-degree coastal views. The three Iwaya Caves at the island’s far end were carved by the sea and contain Shinto and Buddhist carvings going back 1,200 years (¥500). At low tide, the island’s rocky tidal flats expose extraordinary rock pools — check the tide table and walk the perimeter path at low water.

18. Jogashima Island, Miura Peninsula — Hidden Gem

Kanagawa’s southernmost point is a wild cape of volcanic rock where the Pacific crashes against sea stacks and arched stone bridges. Jogashima is unknown to most Tokyo visitors. A 30-minute perimeter walking trail loops the island past the lighthouse, eroded rock formations, sea caves accessible at low tide, and views back to Mt. Fuji across Sagami Bay. The island’s single village has restaurants serving the Miura Peninsula’s famous fresh tuna. Access: Keikyu line to Misakiguchi, then bus to Jogashima (30 min).

19. Hayama — The Emperor’s Village

The imperial family’s summer villa occupies a headland of Hayama, a small fishing town on Sagami Bay south of Yokohama. The villa grounds are not open to the public, but the village itself — quiet lanes, a working fishing harbour, excellent sashimi restaurants, and a view of Mt. Fuji across the water — is genuinely special and almost entirely tourist-free. The Hayama Marina has a small beach with arguably the best Fuji view of any coastal town in Kanagawa. 45 minutes by bus from Zushi Station (JR Yokosuka line).

20. Yokosuka Dobuita Street — Hidden Gem

The main shopping street of Yokosuka’s entertainment district, directly outside the US Naval Base Yokosuka gate, evolved from the 1950s bars and tailor shops that served American sailors into something genuinely fascinating. Dobuita Street (どぶ板通り) is lined with 1950s-style bars, US Navy surplus shops, American-style diners, and tattoo parlours. The Navy curry restaurants along this street serve the curry that the Imperial Japanese Navy adapted from the British Navy in the Meiji era — a uniquely Japanese-American story. Access: Keikyu line to Yokosuka-Chuo Station, 5 minutes on foot.

Practical Tips for Kanagawa

Best base: Kamakura for temples and hiking; Hakone-Yumoto for overnight onsen stays; Yokohama for urban exploration and nightlife.

Passes worth buying:

  • Hakone Freepass (from Shinjuku, 2-day ¥6,100 / 3-day ¥6,500): covers Odakyu Romancecar, all Hakone trains, ropeway, and Lake Ashi cruise
  • Kamakura-Enoshima Pass (from Tokyo, ¥1,640): covers Enoden line and Enoshima access

Best seasons: Cherry blossom (late March–April) for Tsurugaoka Hachimangu and Hase-dera; hydrangea (June) for Hase-dera and Hakone Tozan railway; pampas grass (October) for Sengokuhara; clear winter days (December–February) for Mt. Fuji views from Hakone and Jogashima.

Getting there: Kamakura is 60 minutes from Tokyo Station on the JR Yokosuka line. Hakone is 85 minutes from Shinjuku on the Odakyu Romancecar. Yokohama is 25 minutes from Shinagawa on the JR Tokaido line.