Kōmyō-ji

photo by Urashimataro · PD-self

It opens at six in the morning, and from 15 October at seven: no other temple does this.

It stands at the eastern end of the town beach, where tourists do not get to, and it is large and empty. The real draw is the opening time: it opens at six in the morning, that is before anything else in town, and if you want to see Kamakura with nobody around, you start here. ⚠️ The main hall, which is a national cultural property, has been under restoration for years: services are held in a temporary hall.

The leading temple of the Jōdo school in the Kantō, in Zaimokuza. The 大殿, the great hall, is designated a national cultural property and is undergoing conservation work that began around 2019 and is expected to last about ten years; in the meantime the 開山堂 serves as the main hall.

ℹ️ Open 6:00–17:00; **from 15 October to 31 March 7:00–16:00**. The temple office is open 9:00–16:00. There is no ticket: you leave an offering. The gate can be visited for 500 yen **only by groups of twenty people or more**, between 10:00 and 16:00. ⚠️ The 大殿 is under restoration and cannot be visited.

🚉 Kamakura · 25 min walk

Sources: komyoji-kamakura.or.jp · trip-kamakura.com · otera.jodo.or.jp

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