One Day in Kamakura & Enoshima: History, Culture, Illumination, and Romantic Mt. Fuji Views along the Coast

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Our first destination was Ichijo Ekan Sanso, where we came to view the autumn leaves. This is a historic villa built in the early Edo period, designed and supervised by Prince Ichijo Ekan, the ninth son of Emperor Go-Yozei. It was originally located in Kyoto before being moved to Kamakura. In the past, it was used as a place to receive distinguished royal guests.

The villa features beautiful Japanese architecture with a thatched pine roof. The door handles are crafted with Japanese character patterns, and the ceilings are exquisitely decorated with different designs for each room. Since it is very rare to be able to visit a building with such royal connections, we highly recommend that tourists visiting Kamakura book a tour to see the interior of the villa.

KOKE-SHKA was founded by Japanese artist Genqui Numata. The purpose of the shop is to connect "Kokeshi," Japanese wooden dolls, with "Matryoshka," Russian nesting dolls, as both have similar origins. This shop serves as a meeting point for those who are passionate about these vintage wooden dolls. If you like Japanese crafts which are considered rare and not available in general stores. I recommend stopping by this shop.

The shop's facade is painted white with a lovely atmosphere. Upon entering, you will find hundreds of wooden dolls lined up along both walls. Each one features charming colors and patterns, including specially designed dolls that are unique masterpieces, making them perfect one-of-a-kind souvenirs.

The shop is open only on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, Mondays, and public holidays. If you plan to visit, don't forget to check the opening hours beforehand.

After that, we took the Enoden Line for lunch at Amalfi della Sera, located near Shichirigahama Station. Since we had some time before our reservation, we headed to Shichirigahama Beach to enjoy the views of Mt. Fuji and snapped some photos with the classic green Enoden train in the area just below the path to the restaurant.

Amalfi DELLA SERA is a famous homemade Italian restaurant in Kamakura. Their signature dishes include pizza, spaghetti, and homemade desserts. The highlight isn't just the delicious food, but the view from the restaurant, which offers a vista of the sea and the city, and you can even see Mt. Fuji from your table though this depends on the weather each day. This restaurant is perfect for those looking for a special meal.

For today, we ordered a set course where each person can choose one main dish. The menu focuses on homemade Italian cuisine using local ingredients, so we chose the Shirasu (whitebait) pizza, which is a local specialty. It has a slightly salty taste but is overall very delicious. The course also includes a salad, dessert, and a drink to finish the meal. It is perfect for those who want to relax with a partner or family. However, the journey to the restaurant might be a bit tiring because you have to cross the railway tracks and climb a steep staircase up the hill, but I can tell you it’s absolutely worth it for the view you get.

After fully enjoying both the food and the scenery, we continued our journey to Enoshima Station to catch the sunset at the West Promenade.

The West Promenade is a seawall located near the mouth of the Sakai River, connecting Enoshima Island and the Shonan coast. Its highlight is a long wooden boardwalk that extends into the sea, with a small white lighthouse standing at the very end. People often come here to stroll, fish, or take photos in the evening especially to catch the view of Mt. Fuji turning red as the sun begins to set.

We spent quite a while taking photos here. The evening view was breathtaking, whether we were looking right toward Mt. Fuji or straight ahead at Enoshima Island.

As sunset approached, we walked across to Enoshima Island to catch the illumination event taking place there.

The Enoshima illumination was the perfect highlight to conclude our trip. Beyond its romantic atmosphere, it is ranked as one of Japan’s top three most beautiful illumination events. The displays were spread across the island, with over 100,000 lights transforming the Samuel Cocking Garden and the Enoshima Sea Candle area into a glowing wonderland. Highlights included the shimmering crystal chandelier tunnel and the brilliant light displays surrounding the tower itself. It’s an experience so enchanting that anyone who visits will surely want to return.

Alternatively, if you cross over to Enoshima Island during the day, I recommend visiting the illumination inside the Enoshima Iwaya Caves. The lights there are on from 9:00 to 17:00 and are just as beautiful. (Admission: Adults ¥500, Children ¥200)