Kamakura

Kamakura is a small coastal city just south of Tokyo, hemmed between wooded hills and a surf beach. In the 12th century it became the seat of Japan's first shogunate, and the temples and shrines of that warrior capital still fill its green valleys.

The bronze Great Buddha at Kotoku-in has sat in the open air since a tsunami swept away its hall centuries ago, calm and green with age. Tsurugaoka Hachimangu shrine anchors the town's main axis, and the hydrangea steps of Hase-dera bloom in June. Komachi-dori packs the walk from the station with snack shops.

Frequent trains make Kamakura one of the easiest day trips from Tokyo, though an early start beats the crowds to the Buddha. Surfers share Yuigahama's sand with day-trippers all summer, and hiking trails link the temples through the hills. June hydrangeas and autumn leaves are the seasonal draws.