Kamakura: Great Buddha and Hasedera

A morning at the Great Buddha and Hasedera works well when you have only a short day. Both temples open at 8:00, they are a few minutes’ walk from Enoden Hase Station, and you can finish by early afternoon. Begin early, keep your bags light, and decide your return time before you leave.

What do the two temples cost?

At Kotoku-in, general admission is 300 yen and children aged 6 to 12 pay 150 yen. Entering the statue costs another 50 yen ¹. At Hasedera, adults pay 400 yen and elementary school children pay 200 yen ².

At the Bank Negara selling rate of RM 2.603 per 100 yen on 19 October 2026, 300 yen is about RM 8 and 400 yen is about RM 10 ^{1 2 3}. Two adults visiting both temples pay 1,400 yen, about RM 36 ³.

When should you arrive?

Kotoku-in opens at 8:00 and closes at 17:30 from April to September, and at 17:00 from October to March ¹. The inside of the Great Buddha is open 8:00 to 16:30 all year, with entry until 10 minutes before closing ⁴.

Hasedera’s admission desk is open 8:00 to 16:30, and to 17:00 from April to June ². An 8:00 start gives you quiet paths and leaves the afternoon free.

How do you move between the two?

Both temples are near Enoden Hase Station. Kotoku-in is a seven-minute walk from the station ¹, and Hasedera is about five minutes on foot ². The Enoden Noriorikun one-day pass costs 800 yen for adults and 400 yen for children ⁵.

That pass pays off only if you ride the line several times. For two temples, single fares are simpler.

What does a short-hop day look like?

1. Leave Tokyo early. Kamakura Station is 55 minutes from Tokyo Station on the JR Yokosuka Line ⁶, so you can arrive before 8:30.
2. Ride the Enoden to Hase Station.
3. Visit the Great Buddha first, and step inside if everyone is comfortable going in.
4. Walk to Hasedera and see the hillside garden.
5. Eat a light lunch, then return to Tokyo by early afternoon.

For a flight home, send your large bags ahead with takkyubin and read forwarding luggage to your hotel or the airport. If you leave from Haneda, see a hotel night before the flight.

Is it enough, or should you stay overnight?

A day trip is enough for the two temples. If you want the beach, the old streets and a slower evening, the Kamakura overnight guide explains the trade-off. For other options from Tokyo, compare day trips by effort level.

See the Kamakura page and the Tokyo page for the wider picture.

What should a Malaysian family prepare?

Wear shoes you can walk in for steps and slopes. Bring a light jacket in winter. If elders travel with you, keep the plan to one temple and a seat in the shade.