Visit date(s):  October 23, 2024 (Autumnal equinox holiday)

Nearby sites on trip: None nearby

Overnight location: Tokyo, less than half hour walk from Tokyo station

Location(s): This order is mostly downhill from kita-Kamakura station, returning to Tokyo via tram and Kamakura station:
Engaku-ji
Kencho-ji (photo)
Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gu
Wakamiya Oji
Kotoku-in, including the Daibutsu

Travel method(s):  Train, tram and foot (9 km!). Most sites are built into hillsides, so there are a lot of hills and stairs. 

Travel duration:  Train trip: normally ~ 1 hour each way. There were 2 delays for safety checks on our return trip. 

Visit duration:  More than 5 hours in Kamakura. We also visited Zeniarai-Benten, Sasuke-Inari-Jinja and Hasedera during the visit.

OUV:  The view from Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gu down Wakamiya Oji is certainly impressive, demonstrating town planning.  The temple buildings and landscapes illustrate the traditions, ideas and beliefs of samurai culture.  Overall worthy.

Best of:  The first 2 temples we visited are both zen — serene and calm places. 

Worst of:  Tsurugaoka Hachiman gu was very crowded.