Usual hours and prices, checked 2026-10-07 against the sources under “What this place is”. They can change for holidays and events — confirm before you go. Official site
Our guide
Engaku-ji, formally Zuirokusan Engaku Kōshō Zenji, is one of the most important Zen temple complexes in Japan and ranks second among Kamakura's Five Mountains. It was founded in 1282 by the Chinese Zen monk Mugaku Sōgen and keeps the classic layout of a Japanese Zen monastery; its Shariden and its Great Bell are National Treasures. It is one of the twenty-two sites in Kamakura's proposal for World Heritage listing.
It is right by Kita-Kamakura Station on the Yokosuka Line, about 200 m away — so close that the railway tracks cut across the formal approach, a path beside a pond crossed by a small bridge. Kenchō-ji is about 1 km away and Tsurugaoka Hachimangu about 1.5 km. We have not checked opening hours or fees.
Written by japan-spots.com (2026-09-22) from the sources credited on this page. Distances are straight lines between map positions.
Photos
Photos from Wikimedia Commons, each under its own licence — see credits
- Engakuji Sanmon Kamakura — Kentagon · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · resized
- 円覚寺山門 — Tsuyoshi chiba · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · resized
- 円覚寺居士林 — 江戸村のとくぞう (Edomura no Tokuzo) · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source · resized
- 円覚寺妙香池（2022年11月） — Tsuyoshi chiba · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · resized
- 円覚寺妙香池 — 江戸村のとくぞう (Edomura no Tokuzo) · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · resized
- 円覚寺参道入口2 — 江戸村のとくぞう (Edomura no Tokuzo) · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · resized
- 円覚寺仏殿 — 江戸村のとくぞう (Edomura no Tokuzo) · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · resized
- 円覚寺三門（山門） — 江戸村のとくぞう (Edomura no Tokuzo) · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source · resized
- 仏日庵 — Tsuyoshi chiba · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · resized
What this place is
Zuirokusan Engaku Kōshō Zenji (瑞鹿山円覚興聖禅寺), or Engaku-ji (円覚寺), is one of the most important Zen Buddhist temple complexes in Japan and is ranked second among Kamakura's Five Mountains. It is situated in the city of Kamakura, in Kanagawa Prefecture to the south of Tokyo. Founded in 1282 (Kamakura period) by Chinese Zen monk Mugaku Sōgen, the temple maintains the classical Japanese Zen monastic design, and both the Shariden and the Great Bell (大鐘, Ogane) are designated National Treasures. Engaku-ji is one of the twenty-two historic sites included in Kamakura's proposal for inclusion in UNESCO's World Heritage Sites. It is located in Kita-Kamakura, very close to Kita-Kamakura Station on the Yokosuka Line, and indeed the railway tracks cut across the formal entrance to the temple compound, which is by a path beside a pond which is crossed by a small bridge.
Visitor information checked: 2026-10-07 · Official visitor information
Background text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
What to expect at this type of place: Temple
Nearby station
Nearby station: Kita-Kamakura (Yokosuka Line), about 200 m from the spot in a straight line.
Worked out on 2026-09-14 from this place’s map position, using HeartRails Express station data and station names from Wikidata. The distance is a straight line, not a walking route, and says nothing about buses, transfers or timetables — plan the trip on Google Maps.
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