Kamakura is often called "the city of the samurai" because the former political capital of Japan was established and then controlled by warlords for nearly three centuries.
Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine is Kamakura's most important Shinto shrine. Tsurugaoka Hachimangu is dedicated to the Minamoto clan's deity, Hachiman, the god of war.
With its mossy steps, thatched roof, and pennants, the oldest temple in Kamakura is reminiscent of the temples lost in the countryside or in the Japanese mountains.
Hidden in the wooded area around the Great Buddha , accessible by one of the many hiking paths of Kamakura , is Zeniarai Benzaiten, the temple of the miraculous source and carrier of wealth.
Also nicknamed Takedera (bamboo temple), Hokokuji is one of the many Zen temples of Kamakura. A temple rarely visited by foreign tourists, but rich in wonder.
Tokeiji Temple: read a guide to Tokeiji Temple in Kamakura, known as the Divorce Temple, which was a refuge for battered wives in the Edo period of Japanese history.
Engakuji Temple: Engakuji Temple in Kamakura near Tokyo was founded to honor the dead of both sides following the failed Mongol invasions of Japan in the 13th century.