What other travelers are saying about Zuisenji Temple, Kamakura
Amazing shrine, beautiful colors at the end of December. Not crowded at all when we visited at 11am.
Many cherry trees, Sakura season seems to be incredible there.
The access road to the temple pass threw a residential where the street are very narrow. Still accessible with a small bus if you’re confident. Parking available at the entry.
Located in the somewhat remote Momijigayatsu Valley (Valley of the Autumn Leaves), a visit to Zuizenji Temple is well worth the 30 minute walk from Kamakura Station and the 200 yen entrance fee. It is classified as a historic site and is home to several objects classified as Important Cultural Properties and is a noted Place of Scenic Beauty.
The temple was established in 1327 by Muso Soseki, who was both its founding priest and chief architect. What is special about Zuizenji is the care that Soseki took to create the gardens, which are such a prominent feature that the buildings on the property seem modest by comparison, blending into the natural surroundings. We visited in mid-March, when the Chinese Violet Cress (諸葛菜) we’re in full bloom.
A stop at one of the small cafes in the area on the return trip can round out a very pleasant afternoon in this particularly scenic and historical part of Kamakura.
Lovely temple. When we went there was no one else there and there are a few parking spots. I love the old mossy broken stairs and the new stairs both leading to the top
My family and I visited Zuisen-Ji Temple on July 19, 2020, and parked our vehicle in the parking lot near the admission office at the entrance of the temple. My spouse got out first to make sure we were allowed to park there, and paid the 200 yen each, for our visit. I was in the car, getting my son ready, and grabbing our belongings. We made the quick trip up to the temple and spent about 15 minutes walking around before returning. When we arrived at the bottom, my wife went to the bathroom, and I stood outside, examining the plants and bugs with my son. Suddenly, the elderly man in the admission building began yelling at me “parking no, GO,” beating on the window of the building, and was very aggressive. I showed him our tickets thinking maybe he thought I had not paid since my wife is Asian and I am white, but he persisted. We passed only one couple at the temple, it was around 1 pm, so they weren’t closing, and the parking lot had only one other vehicle parked. We were parked in the designated area, had only been there 20 minutes max, and were doing absolutely nothing wrong. I have lived in Japan for five years, and I have never been treated so poorly.
Zuisenji Temple is open daily from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, with last entry at 4:30 PM. The admission fee is ¥200 for adults and ¥100 for children. The temple remains open year-round, allowing visitors to experience the grounds in all seasons.
The plum blossoms are especially famous and usually reach their peak in mid-March, while the autumn leaves are the last to reach peak color in Kamakura around mid-December. June is also an excellent time to visit when hydrangeas are in full bloom. The temple's nickname as the "flower temple" comes from its extensive plantings that provide visual interest throughout the year.
Take a bus from the east exit of Kamakura Station at bus stand 4 (near Starbucks) on the bus going to Daitonomiya, which takes about 10-15 minutes and stops right in front of Kamakura-gu shrine. From the Daitonomiya bus stop, it's a 15-minute, 1.1km walk to the temple. Alternatively, you can walk directly from Kamakura Station, which takes approximately 40 minutes covering 3.8km.
Zuisenji boasts the only remaining garden from the Kamakura Period, designed by Zen Master Muso Soseki. The rock garden incorporates massive sculptures carved directly into the natural cliff face, including a large cave called Tennyodo used for meditation. The garden uses the surrounding mountains as natural hedges, creating an intimate valley setting that has earned it designation as a national place of scenic beauty.
Zuisenji is located in the far eastern hills of Kamakura, making it one of the more distant and less accessible temples in the city. This remote valley location means it attracts fewer visitors than central attractions like Kotoku-in or Tsurugaoka Hachimangu, offering a more peaceful and contemplative atmosphere. The temple also serves as a starting or ending point for the Tenen hiking trail, which connects to Kencho-ji temple in 60-90 minutes.
