Please enjoy matcha at the bamboo temple in Kamakura.

Please enjoy matcha at the bamboo temple  in Kamakura.

November 2022 Seasonal up date : 1

Japanese architecture, including temples and shrines, holds many charms, but among them, I particularly love dry landscape gardens, or karesansui. These gardens, which depict landscapes using rocks, sand, and gravel without water, exude a sense of openness akin to a resort, offering a tranquil space for relaxation. Enjoying matcha and sweets while admiring such a beautiful garden is a quintessential Kamakura experience, given the city’s abundance of temples, shrines, and important cultural heritage sites. In this guide, I will introduce cozy temples and Japanese gardens where you can enjoy a relaxing time savoring matcha amidst stunning landscapes.

Jomyoji Temple / Kisenan (Japanese garden tea room)

Jomyoji Temple, the fifth of Kamakura’s Five Mountains and a designated Important Cultural Property, exudes a stately charm. What sets it apart is the outstanding restaurant and tea house within its grounds. The Stone Oven Garden Terrace offers an English garden ambiance and afternoon tea, while the Kisen-an provides matcha and traditional sweets amidst a dry landscape garden. Both places exude subtle hospitality, making them perhaps among the most beloved spots in Kamakura. Their distance from the station also ensures a comfortably uncrowded experience. Additionally, the splendid autumn foliage is at its peak from late November.

This blog focuses on introducing Kisui-an, but for information about the Stone Oven Garden Terrace, please check out “Three Places for Afternoon Tea and Desserts in Kamakura.

A tea ceremony space spread out in the large hall. For those who are not confident in sitting in seiza (formal kneeling posture) at the chair and table seats, there is also a space where you can sit on the tatami mats with a red felt mat laid out, providing more flexibility for guests to choose their preferred seating style.
The entrance to Jomyoji Temple opens up to a verdant environment surrounded by lush greenery and trees.
Along the path leading to Kisen-an, you’ll encounter displays showcasing today’s dried sweets and traditional Japanese confections.
After removing your shoes, you enter the interior. The bamboo tied with a rope at the back, known as “kikkai,” serves both to signify restricted access and to guide the flow of movement within the space.


The set of fresh sweets and matcha costs 1,100 yen. On this day, the summer menu includes cold matcha. I’ll have half of the Mizuyokan. (Photo taken in August)
The dry landscape garden features a stone arrangement akin to artistry. The sand patterns drawn on the white gravel represent the flow of water. During summer, the garden is open from 10:00 to 16:30, and during winter, it closes at 16:00.

Houkoku-ji Temple / Kyukou-an (Matcha tea space )

Across the road from Jomyoji Temple, up a small path, lies Hokokuji Temple, famous for its beautiful bamboo grove. It has been awarded three stars in the Michelin Guide. Once you enter the grounds, you’ll be overwhelmed by the serene atmosphere and coolness exuded by the vast green bamboo. The sense of tranquility is especially refreshing during the summer months. This historically significant Zen temple, founded by the Ashikaga clan, offers the charm of enjoying its dry landscape garden and bamboo grove in peace. At the halfway point in the bamboo grove, you can enjoy delicious matcha at the Kyukoan teahouse while immersing yourself in the beauty of the bamboo garden.

The magnificent bamboo grove. To enter the temple grounds, there’s an admission fee of 400 yen, and you can purchase a matcha ticket for 600 yen at the entrance.
Take a leisurely stroll along the beautiful promenade leading to the bamboo grove.
The matcha is delicious anytime you visit. It’s frothy and light, with a delicate flavor.
Upon entering the temple grounds, you’ll find a promenade right away. Hokokuji Temple has parking space for several cars. It’s recommended to visit close to the end of the matcha serving hours, around 15:30, as the tea house is likely to be less crowded at that time.

Ichijyo-Ekan-Sanso and Cafe yamamom-tei

It is the detached residence of Ichijo Keikan, who served as regent and chancellor with imperial lineage, relocated from Kyoto and preserved as a national important cultural property, showcasing the court culture of the early Edo period. Similar contemporaneous architecture includes Katsura Rikyu. Nestled in the Satoyama landscape, the interior, adorned with tasteful designs and traditional motifs, is meticulously maintained, evoking a sense of sophistication and tranquility that invites sighs of admiration. Located on the right-hand side after passing Jomyoji Temple and Hokokuji Temple, heading towards Jomyoji from Kamakura Station. Additionally, in June, hydrangeas bloom, and from mid-November, the autumn foliage is stunning.

The gardens and buildings that were relocated from Kyoto.
The stones tied with ropes signify “restricted access beyond this point.”
“The Miyuki-mon Gate.” A gate that blends seamlessly with nature and exudes rustic charm.
Cafe Yamamoto Tei. Offers great views from both the outside and inside.
Matcha and a set of seasonal fresh sweets representing the harvest for 1,100 yen ~.
Inside Cafe Yamamoto Tei, attention to detail is evident in the fixtures, ceiling, and sliding paper doors (shoji).
The garden viewed from the seats has a secluded charm, adding to its romantic atmosphere.
A beautiful tea room, available for viewing only.
We also have an English version of the guide map with hand-drawn illustrations.

There are plenty of attractions, including a pleasant “azumaya” (gazebo) and a pathway along the Sukagawa River that turns into a beautiful autumn foliage trail in the fall. Additionally, the water divination using the garden’s water basin adds a fun and eventful experience. It’s not just a destination for autumn foliage or hydrangea seasons; it’s a renowned architectural gem with a splendid garden that you’d want to visit in every season.

The water divination, it costs 200 yen. You pick up a package at the entrance and proceed into the garden.
Pass through the Miyuki-mon Gate and on your right, in the basin filled with water, float only the white paper, and the letters will appear.

Enkaku-ji Temple /Butsunichi-an

Founded in the late Kamakura period, this temple is the second of the Kamakura Gozan (Five Mountain Monasteries), boasting numerous attractions and offering a spacious compound where you can leisurely spend your time whenever you visit. Located near Kita-Kamakura Station, it’s easily accessible, and you can even bring your dog into the precincts (excluding buildings) for a walk.

Open from December, 8:00 to 16:00. Note that closing times may be 30 minutes earlier, so it’s advisable to arrive early when visiting for autumn foliage.

The admission fee is 500 yen for adults and 200 yen for children. Despite the presence of group visitors, the spaciousness of the area ensures that it does not feel crowded at all.
Feeling the season through arranged flowers. (Taken in June 2022)
Enjoying a leisurely matcha at Butsunichi-an. Served with the famous pigeon-shaped sablé cookies from Toyoshimaya, known as “Small pigeon mameraku.”
With plenty of seating, the outdoor area provides a delightful ambiance.
The meditation dojo for practicing monks. In other buildings, regular Dharma lectures, meditation sessions, and photography classes are held, with the gates open wide to all.
Whenever you come, you’ll encounter scenes of children playing. During the hydrangea season, I once saw school trip students playing tag.
The entrance to the Hojo. If it’s open to the public, be sure to explore inside the building.
The backside of the Hojo. A dry landscape garden and pond stretch out, and you can sit on the indoor benches to enjoy the view from the other side.
For an additional 100 yen, you can enjoy a stroll through Shoryu-in, where you’ll encounter plantings that you’ll want to incorporate into your daily life.
While admiring the October cherry blossoms, you’ll find yourself connected to the cemetery.

Even with all the introduction so far, it’s impossible to fully capture the rich history and attractions of Engakuji Temple. I’m also intrigued by the Zen meditation sessions. Just going to the temple for matcha feels like it expands your own world in some way, creating a sense of curiosity and excitement.

Book designer. I've been living in the Shonan area for over 20 years, having moved from Tokyo. I live by the sea with my family and dog. Hobbies: Looking at visuals in Western magazines, enjoying sweets while working. Things I find beautiful: The pupils of cats, a dog's wet nose, the evening beach.



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