EN12 ／ ENODEN STORIES
Have a meal at an old-fashioned local restaurant between the Great Buddha and Kannon.
Have a meal at an old-fashioned local restaurant between the Great Buddha and Kannon.
Casting of Hase’s Great Buddha began in 1252. It was once sheltered by a hall, but disasters later destroyed the building, leaving the familiar seated statue in the open air. Nearby Hasedera offers another aspect of an ancient temple through Kannon worship, gardens and hillside sea views. Turn into Sakanoshita to see trains passing through the neighborhood beside Goryo Shrine. Allow plenty of time for temple visits and meals; seasonal flowers give the same route a changing character.
This stop, walk like this · Suggested 210–300 minutes
This station requires half a day's buffer time; additional time must be allocated for queueing and waiting during the hydrangea season and on holidays. Hasedera has hillside staircases, and photography is prohibited within the grounds of Goryo Shrine; surrounding roads and railway lines must also comply with on-site signage; viewing only the exterior or a single temple can shorten the visit accordingly.
From Hase Station, head north and observe the open-air bronze statue and temple space.
Return toward Hase Kannon, enter the gardens, and climb to the Kannon Hall and sea-view terrace.
Turn into Sakanoshita’s residential streets to visit the shrine. Photography is prohibited within its grounds.
For a full lunch, replace café recette with kaedena. in Hase, then visit Sakanoshita. Do not squeeze the temples and both restaurants into one short stop.
THE STORY OF EN12
Kotoku-in’s Great Buddha greets visitors with the scale of its open-air bronze statue, while Hasedera unfolds through gardens, the Kannon Hall and hillside sea views. Turn toward Sakanoshita, where Goryo Shrine and trains in the streets return Hase from famous temples to everyday neighborhood life. Arrange the three directions first, leaving time for unhurried visits.
For a full meal, fit kaedena.’s broth-cooked clay-pot rice between temple visits. For sweets in a traditional house, café recette’s French toast in Sakanoshita offers another pace. One focuses on freshly cooked rice and the other on bread-based desserts; choose according to your appetite.
WALK A LITTLE FURTHER
See the seated bronze Amida Buddha up close and appreciate the scale of this open-air statue. Check the temple’s announcements before visiting.
In its announcement of July 14, 2026, the temple states that entry inside the Great Buddha is suspended in the afternoon on days when a heatstroke alert is issued for Kanagawa Prefecture. Morning access may also change depending on temperatures and conditions inside the statue. Open temple grounds do not guarantee that the statue’s interior is accessible that day.
Kotoku-in does not allow food intended for eating while walking, or drinks in paper or plastic cups. Sealed water bottles and flasks for hydration are allowed. Ordinary personal souvenir photos are permitted, but selfie sticks may not be used inside the Great Buddha. Visit the Great Buddha first, then walk toward Hasedera and plan a meal along the way.
During the flowering season, the hillside viewing trail behind the temple becomes the hydrangea path. Blue, purple and pink blooms line the slopes and stone steps, with views over Kamakura and Sagami Bay from higher up. The temple has around 40 varieties and 2,500 hydrangea plants, making it a lovely place to combine flowers, Kannon Hall and the sea-view terrace in one visit.
Under the 2026 arrangements, timed-entry hydrangea path tickets can be reserved through the temple’s official website, and a limited number of same-day tickets are also available. Even after reserving a hydrangea path ticket, you must buy temple admission separately on the day. The period when the path requires a paid ticket depends on flowering conditions; check new announcements for the next season’s dates and reservation arrangements. There are about 80 steps before the path and another 130 steps along it, with no ramp. Allow enough energy for the climb and wear shoes with good grip.
An old shrine in Sakanoshita beside the railway. Photography is prohibited within the shrine grounds. When photographing nearby streets, keep off the tracks and avoid obstructing worshippers.
The Enoden level crossing is beside the torii. Follow road and railway rules when photographing trains, keeping off the tracks and leaving the shrine entrance clear. Put your camera away inside the grounds and focus on worship, the trees and the old shrine’s stone monuments. Call 0467-22-3251 to ask whether the collection hall is open.
The Great Buddha, Hasedera and Sakanoshita are in different directions. Check the map to plan the order, and allow extra time for trains and queues during flower season.
MapTASTE THE NEIGHBOURHOOD
A bread, dessert and coffee shop in a traditional house in Sakanoshita. Its signature French toast makes a pleasant stop between temple visits.
Closing at 17:00 does not mean that ordering is still possible after 16:00. The breakfast platter stops taking orders on weekdays at 10:30, on weekends and holidays at 10:00; if you'd like to have breakfast, it's best to arrive at the restaurant early, then head to Hasedera and the Great Buddha. Reservations for five or more people must be made by phone. Shoes must be removed upon entering the restaurant.
A reservation request sent through café recette’s website is confirmed only when the café replies. Online requests close 24 hours before the meal; parties of five or more must call. During busy periods, seating is limited to 80 minutes, and late arrival may mean waiting customers are seated first. Allow a buffer between temple visits, transport and the café; submitting the form alone does not reserve a seat. You remove your shoes before sitting down, so easy-to-remove footwear helps.
To begin your Hase visit with breakfast, note that recette opens at 9:30 on weekdays and 8:30 on weekends and holidays. Last orders for the breakfast platter are 10:30 on weekdays and 10:00 on weekends and holidays. The Monte Cristo (モンティクリスト), served with a drink and soup, is available on weekdays from 11:00, with last orders at 14:00. Choose these limited-time offerings before planning your route. Seasonal French toast changes according to current announcements.
Features a pot of rice cooked in a broth per pot and Japanese-style small dishes, located in the Hasedera area of Hase.
The store is located on the second floor, 3-8-13 Hase, ideal for visitors between Hasedera Temple and the Great Buddha. The prefectural tourism website and current store information show inconsistent closing times, days off, and dinner details; it is recommended to visit during the lunchtime slot starting at 11:00, first call to confirm the date and availability for reservation, then decide on the order of temple visits.
Next stop, a different sea breeze.
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