Engaku-ji Temple Tours and Tickets

There are plenty of ways to experience Engaku-ji Temple. Looking at ratings and reviews previously given by customers, these are the best tours available right now:

• Kamakura 8-Hr Private Walking Tour With Licensed Guide From Tokyo
• Kamakura 4hr Private Trip With Government-Licensed Guide
• Tokyo Private Car Tour: Kamakura, Enoshima & Yokohama Highlights
• Kamakura 6hr Private Walking Tour With Government-Licensed Guide
• Yokohama and Kamakura 6hr Private Trip Government-Licensed Guide

Admission to Engaku-ji Temple is ¥500 for adults and high school students, and ¥200 for elementary and junior high school-aged students. No discount is available for groups, but visitors with a disability certificate and one caregiver can enter for free. The temple hosts special events, such as Zen scripture transcription and Zen practice, which have their own admission fees, although some are free.

Engaku-ji Temple is open daily, except during extreme weather. Opening hours vary slightly by season: opening is 8.30am year-round, but from December to February it closes at 4.30pm, and from March to November it’s 5.30pm. Last admission is 30 minutes before closing time, but most visitors will want to plan a longer visit.

Engaku-ji Temple is right beside Kita-Kamakura station on the JR Yokosuka line. There are various ways to get there from Tokyo. From Shinjuku, take the Saikyo line to Musashi-Kosugi, then change to the Yokosuka line; or take the Shonan-Shinjuku line all the way to Ofuna, then change to the Yokosuka line. The journey from Tokyo takes 60–90 minutes.

Yes, you can participate in meditation sessions at Engaku-ji Temple, as it’s a working Zen Buddhist temple. Daily meditation sessions in the early mornings are open to visitors and suitable for both beginners and more experienced practitioners. Other Zen practices and sermons are held on weekends. A calendar of upcoming events is on the temple’s website.

Parts of Engaku-ji Temple are wheelchair accessible, but as the temple was established in the 13th century, visitors should expect some obstacles to accessibility. Wheelchair users may be able to navigate some of the paths, especially with a companion, but most of the buildings are inaccessible. Visitors with a disability certificate and one caregiver are offered free entry, however.