Great Buddha of Kamakura: Best Time & Tips

Q: How do I get to the Great Buddha from Tokyo?

JR to Kamakura, then the Enoden to Hase, a 7-minute walk.

How busy is the Great Buddha?

The bronze Amida Buddha, cast in 1252, has sat in the open air since a tsunami destroyed its hall in 1498. It's Kamakura's most visited sight, about an hour from Tokyo, so it's busy with day-trippers and school groups from mid-morning, especially at weekends.

Time	What to expect	Verdict
8-9:30 am	Quiet courtyard	Best
10 am-3 pm	School groups and day-trippers	Busiest
Last hour	Easing	Good

When	Crowds	Why
June	Very high	Hydrangea season in Kamakura
Golden Week, summer	Very high	Holidays and beaches
Autumn	High	Leaves and good weather
Winter weekdays	Lowest	Quiet

🔑 The free skip-the-line hack

Before you go, check how busy the Great Buddha is likely to be. BeatTheCrowd shows the live crowd level and an hourly forecast for any date.

Check today’s crowds at Great Buddha of Kamakura (Kōtoku-in) →

Tickets and prices

Ticket	Price
Adults	¥300
Children	¥150
Inside the statue	About ¥50 extra

No booking or skip-the-line. The interior has short queues at busy times.

What to see

The Great Buddha itself, about 11.3 m tall and 121 tonnes.
Inside the statue: see the seams of the bronze casting.
The giant straw sandals donated to the Buddha, on the wall behind.
Kangetsu-dō hall at the back of the grounds.

Best (and worst) times to go

8 am, before the day-trippers.
Weekdays over weekends.
Worst: June weekends and Golden Week.

🔑 The free skip-the-line hack

Our hourly forecast for the Great Buddha shows how busy each hour is expected to be on your date.

Check today’s crowds at Great Buddha of Kamakura (Kōtoku-in) →

A Kamakura day plan

Great Buddha at 8 am.
Hase-dera, 5 minutes away, when it opens at 8 am. Hase-dera guide.
Enoden to Kamakura Station, then Tsurugaoka Hachimangū and Komachi-dōri.
Afternoon: Enoshima by Enoden, or hiking trails to Kenchō-ji.

Beat the Enoden crowds

The Enoden is packed at weekend midday, with queues to board at Kamakura and Hase. Ride early, or walk between Hase and Kamakura (about 25 minutes).

Plans by visitor type

Short on time

Great Buddha and Hase-dera: 2 hours.

Families

Kids enjoy going inside the Buddha. The grounds are flat.

Limited mobility

The grounds are flat. The inside of the statue has narrow steps.

Getting there

Take the JR Yokosuka Line from Tokyo to Kamakura (about 1 hour), then the Enoden to Hase, a 7-minute walk.

Practical info

Hours	8 am to about 5-5:30 pm
Toilets	Near the entrance
Time needed	30-45 minutes

Mistakes to avoid

Arriving at noon on a Saturday.
Queuing for the Enoden at midday instead of walking.
Skipping the inside of the statue.

Is it worth it?

Yes. It's one of Japan's most iconic statues, and quick to visit. Combine it with Hase-dera for a classic Kamakura morning.

Check today's crowd forecast for the Great Buddha.

FAQs

How much is the Great Buddha of Kamakura?

¥300 for adults, plus about ¥50 to go inside the statue.

Can you go inside the Kamakura Buddha?

Yes, for a small extra fee.

What time does the Great Buddha open?

At 8 am.

What is the best time to visit?

8-9:30 am. Check our live crowd tracker for your date.

How tall is the Kamakura Buddha?

About 11.3 m.

How do I get to the Great Buddha from Tokyo?

Heading to Great Buddha of Kamakura (Kōtoku-in)?

See how busy it is right now and the quietest hours for your date, then walk in when the line is short.

Check live crowds →

More Kamakura guides

All Kamakura guides →

Hase-dera

Sources

How we research: every guide is written by the BeatTheCrowd team from official sources and recent traveller reports, cross-checked against each other, and dated so you know how fresh it is. Last checked 21 October 2026. Prices and rules change, so always confirm on the official site before you book.

Great Buddha of Kamakura: Crowds, Tickets and Going Inside