Kamakura · Hase and Gokurakuji

Kotoku-in (Great Buddha)

How to get there and what to see · facts checked 2026-10-24

Home of the Great Buddha of Kamakura, a National Treasure about 11.3 m tall, which you can even step inside (¥50).

Nearest station: 7 min walk from Hase Station
Hours: April–September 8:00–17:30, October–March 8:00–17:00 (last entry 15 minutes before closing)
Admission: Adults ¥300, elementary students ¥150, inside the Buddha ¥50 extra (check the official price list for junior high and high school students)

What to see

The Great Buddha (National Treasure): a seated Amida about 11.3 m tall and weighing about 121 tonnes.
Sitting in the open: since its hall fell, the Buddha has sat under the sky.
Inside the Buddha: open 8:00–16:30 for ¥50 (no photos inside).

History

The temple's main image is the bronze Amida Buddha, a National Treasure. The chronicle Azuma Kagami dates the start of casting to 1252. The hall that once covered it was brought down by storms and a tsunami, and by the end of the Muromachi period the Buddha sat in the open air as it does today.

Getting there

About seven minutes on foot from Hase Station on the Enoden line, which you can pick up at Kamakura Station. Buses from the east exit of Kamakura Station stop at Daibutsu-mae, right outside.

Address：4-2-28 Hase, Kamakura, Kanagawa

Directions in Google Maps →Official website →

Before you go

No eating in the grounds (sealed drinks are fine), no drones and no smoking. The Kangetsudo hall is under repair, so its Kannon statue cannot be seen for now. There is no parking.

Map of sights in Kamakura

Tap a red pin to open that sight's page.

Nearby sights

← Kamakura guide: trains from Tokyo

Sources

Hours, prices and history come from the official websites and public tourism pages listed here. They can change, so check the official site before you go.