ulysses_powers from Tsurugaoka Hachimangu in Yukinoshita, Kamakura, Kanagawa / CC BY-SA 2.0

Tsurugaoka Hachimangu is the principal Shinto shrine of Kamakura, founded in 1063 and moved to its present hillside site by Minamoto no Yoritomo in 1180 as the spiritual centre of Japan's first shogunate. The vermilion main hall sits at the top of a broad stone stairway, looking back down the Dankazura — a raised cherry-lined causeway that runs straight from the shrine to the sea. Two lotus ponds flank the approach, and the grounds hold a treasure hall and a museum of Kamakura-period art. Admission to the grounds is free and the shrine is open from early morning to evening year-round.

Best season

Year-round

Late March to early April for cherry blossom along the Dankazura approach; pleasant year-round

Crowd level

Popular

Rating

4.4· 29,082 reviews

Opening hours

Daily 6:00 AM – 8:00 PM

Usual hours — confirm with the official site for holidays + seasonal closures.

Admission

Entry to the shrine grounds is free. The Treasure Hall (Homotsuden) costs ¥200 for adults and ¥100 for elementary school children. The Kamakura Bunkakan Tsurugaoka Museum charges its own separate admission.

Nearest station

Kamakura Station · 15 min walk

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