Shonan - 19 Places to Visit in Kanagawa’s Region by the Sea
Located in the southern part of Kanagawa Prefecture along the coast, the beautiful region of Shonan includes the cities of Hiratsuka, Fujisawa, Chigasaki, Hadano, Isehara, and the towns of Samukawa, Oiso, and Ninomiya, offering numerous tourist attractions such as Enoshima and many amazing beaches with views of Mt Fuji. In this article, you will get to know more about the amazing Shonan area and its sightseeing spots: from the most classic ones to some still under the radar and off the beaten track!
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Hiratsuka City
1. Kana Garden
You cannot talk about the Shonan area without first mentioning one of its most well-known tourist spots: Enoshima. Located in Fujisawa City, the beautiful island of Enoshima is a bit far from the closest train station but totally worth the effort. You can reach the island by crossing the Enoshima Ohashi Bridge by car, or you can walk across the Benten Bridge.
Selected as one of the 100 most beautiful places in Japan and also designated as a Historic Site and Place of Scenic Beauty by the government of Kanagawa, Enoshima is on the top of the list of famous locations in Shonan. With popular tourist attractions such as the Lighthouse Observation Tower and Enoshima Shrine, the island has a whole host of sightseeing options you should definitely check out. In recent years, this traditional tourist location has been receiving more and more visitors from abroad!
2. Sakitori Shrine
Surrounded by lush nature, Sakitori Shrine offers sights of majestic zelkova trees, cherry blossoms beautifully blooming in spring, and ancient cedar trees. The shrine is dedicated to the god of learning, so many visit to pray for success, employment, and study. Visitors can also test their fortune by looking for lucky four-leaf pine needles at the “Shiawase no Matsu,” (Pine Tree of Happiness), a sacred Japanese pine tree found on the precincts of Sakitori Shrine.
Sakitori Shrine is also well-known for its “daruma” lucky dolls. The shrine holds a special daruma ceremony during which the daruma are offered to the deity and purified while prayers are recited for six consecutive days. Don’t miss the view of the many daruma of those who got their wishes granted lining the altar when you visit!
Fujisawa City
3. Enoshima
You cannot talk about the Shonan area without mentioning one of its most well-known tourist spots: Enoshima. According to the legend, a thousand years ago this area was terrorized by the five-headed dragon Gozuryu. When the goddess Benzaiten descended from the heavens and the island of Enoshima arose from the sea as her home, answering the prayers of the locals, Gozuryu was finally tamed. The dragon fell in love with Benzaiten and vowed to protect the people and the area of Enoshima. Finally, Gozuryu made himself into a hill (known as Ryuko or Dragon's Head Hill) which overlooks the island, continuing to protect Enoshima and his beloved Benzaiten.
You can reach the beautiful island of Enoshima by crossing the Enoshima Ohashi Bridge by car, or you can walk across the Benten Bridge. Selected as one of the 100 most beautiful places in Japan and also designated as a Historic Site and Place of Scenic Beauty by the government of Kanagawa, Enoshima boasts plenty of popular tourist attractions such as the Enoshima Sea Candle and Enoshima Shrine.
Enoshima Samuel Cocking Garden is home to a wide variety of tropical plants that you can admire throughout the four seasons. Inside its gorgeous premises, you can find the Lighthouse Observation Tower also known as Enoshima Sea Candle, a symbol of Shonan that offers a magnificent view of the surroundings.
Enoshima Sea Candle also has special illumination events four times a year with lights of different colors representing each of the four seasons. The winter event called “Shonan no Hoseki” (Shonan’s Precious Stones) is especially beautiful and has even been officially recognized as one of the top 3 illumination events in the Kanto region.
Enoshima Shrine is one of the three most famous Shinto shrines in Japan dedicated to Benzaiten, the goddess of wisdom and music, among other attributes. In the premises of Hetsunomiya, one of the three shrines found in the complex, you will find Hoanden, the curious octagonal-shaped pavilion where Benzaiten is enshrined. The shopping street leading to the shrine is the perfect place for a gourmet adventure as you’ll find many street food vendors and stores selling local delicacies such as Asahi’s Maruyaki Tako Senbei, a kind of rice cracker made with whole octopuses thinly grilled to perfection.
Finally, located on the innermost part of the island, you’ll find the Enoshima Iwaya Caves which were created by thousands of years of tidal erosion. Buddhist masters, such as Kukai and Nichiren, are said to have practiced asceticism on these grounds. The caves are also revered as the sacred site of the Benzaiten faith and have special illumination and acoustics, which makes for a very otherworldly experience.
Stay on Enoshima Island: Ryokan Iwamotoro
4. Katase HigashihamaBeach and Katase Nishihama Beach
Katase Nishihama Kugenuma Beach is a very popular destination that offers a magnificent view of the island of Enoshima and Mt. Fuji. Another great feature of this beach, especially for families, is the fact that the water remains shallow a long way out, allowing parents to feel safe enough to let the children play freely. Nishihama Beach is also particularly appreciated by surfers!
Selected as one of the 88 most recommended beaches in Japan by the Ministry of the Environment, Enoshima Higashihama Beach bustles with thousands of couples and families when summer season kicks off. Its easy access, a few meters from Katase-Enoshima Station, and the great view of the Miura Peninsula makes this beach very popular among visitors from all over Japan.
5. Ryukoji Temple
Located in the Dragon’s Head Hill, Ryukoji Temple dates back to 1337 when Nippo, a direct disciple of the prominent Buddhist priest Nichiren, made a statue of his master to consecrate the site where the episode known as Tatsunokuchi Persecution (an unsuccessful attempt to execute Nichiren) took place. The stone block where Nichiren laid his head to be executed is enshrined here.
6. Ogiya
On the way to Ryukoji Temple, stop at Ogiya, a Japanese sweet shop with over 200 years of history, boasting traditional Japanese treats called “monaka” (red bean paste sandwiched between two wafers) inspired by the Enoden Line and a storefront with a vintage Enoden train car, retired from service in 1990.
Chigasaki City
7.Southern Beach Chigasaki and Chigasaki Park Headland Beach
The original name for this beach was Chigasaki Beach, but because this is where the lead singer of a very famous Japanese band called Southern All Stars was born, the beach was renamed Southern Beach Chigasaki. During summer, the place is bustling with people, but once the high season is over, it goes under the radar. Southern Beach Chigasaki offers some of the best spots to admire Eboshi Rock and Mt. Fuji. Here you will also find the C-shaped monument Chigasaki Southern C, a famous symbol and sightseeing site in the area.
Beloved by the locals, Chigasaki Park Headland Beach is located right in front of the Eboshi Rock, making for a great spot to enjoy Chigasaki’s many lovely panoramas while walking along the park’s 1-kilometer-long promenade and wooden deck. Here, you can also enjoy water amusements such as SUP or canoeing and even surfing.
8. Himuro Camellia Garden
The garden as well as the Old Himuro House were donated to the city of Chigasaki by Himuro Shoji, the former vice president of Mitsui Fudosan and opened to the public in 1991. With its 2800 square meters, Himuro Camellia Garden is home to around 1,300 trees and plants, including roses, Japanese pine trees, and 200 different types of camellias which are in bloom from mid-March to early April.
Among these the "Himuro Setsugekka," a white or pale pink variety of camellia with crimson stripes, is particularly beautiful. Walk through its grounds to admire the garden’s seasonal beauty and traditional buildings which were built in 1935 and are registered as a Tangible Cultural Property.
9. Chigasaki Satoyama Park
Chigasaki Satoyama Park has a massive area of 35.2 hectares overflowing with nature. The park has a wide range of attractions where families have a great time, such as a BBQ area, ponds, and a wide range of playground equipment – including a trampoline, roller slides, and long slides. The park aims to preserve a scenery reminiscent of old Japan such as bamboo forests and rice paddies, while offering the chance to enjoy seasonal flowers like cosmos, rapeseed flowers, and “soba” buckwheat flowers.
Hadano City
10. Nanohana View Terrace
Get magnificent views of Mt. Fuji, Hadano City, and the Sagami Bay from this off-the-beaten-path vantage point. On a clear day, you might even be able to spot Enoshima! Located on the Yabitsu Pass, the Nanohana View Terrace grants uninterrupted panoramic views of the valley below as well as gorgeous, tranquil moments under the cherry blossom during spring.
11. Hadano Tokawa Park
Located near the Mizunashi River, against the backdrop of the striking Tanzawa Mountain Range, Hadano Tokawa Park showcases a wide range of flowers throughout the year, with cherry blossoms and tulips in spring, hydrangeas and sunflowers in summer, and cosmos as well as the autumn leaves in fall. Visitors can have fun all day long, playing by the river, having a barbecue, experiencing farm work, and taking advantage of the park’s sports center. A teahouse is also available. Hare, visitors can unwind while gazing at the traditional garden while having a cup of matcha with Japanese sweets.
Stay in Hadano City: Jinya Ryokan
Isehara City
12. Mt Oyama - Oyamadera Temple and Oyama Afuri Shrine
Standing at 1252 meters, Mt Oyama is a popular hiking spot easily accessible from Tokyo that has been a place of mountain worship since ancient times. Among Oyama’s temples and shrines is Oyamadera, a temple founded in 755 that boasts a striking stone staircase cocooned in fiery foliage during autumn. On either side of the staircase are Buddhist statues and the center is lined with stone lanterns, making the landmark all the more mystical. The temple is also illuminated at night during the autumn months, making for a truly magical spectacle.
Not far from Oyamadera Temple, you’ll also find Oyama Afuri Shrine. Appreciated for the beauty of its autumn foliage, the shrine is believed to have been established 2,200 years ago.
In addition to hiking up the mountain, you can ride the Oyama Cable Car for delightful views of the surrounding nature. Along the way to the cable car station there are plenty of restaurants and food stalls, with tofu cuisine being extremely popular.
13. Hinata Yakushi Temple
Hinata Yakushi is also famous for “higanbana” spider lilies which grow in the area from mid-September to early October.
Samukawa Town
14. Samukawa Shrine
Boasting a history of 1,600 years, Samukawa Shrine enshrines the guardian deity of Happo-yoke which removes all calamities derived from cardinal directions and dates, and brings fortune and good luck. The shrine also hides the Kantakeyama Shinen, a secret garden with a pond and rest house that can only be entered by those who have received religious services. On New Year's Day, the shrine is adorned with Nebuta decorations that are lit up at night, creating an enchanting scenery worth seeing.
15 Ichinomiya Park
Built on the site of the former Samukawa Branch of the Sagami Line, Ichinomiya Park is a peaceful green oasis where you can still see part of the original rail tracks amidst gorgeous vegetation. Spring feels particularly mesmerizing when the park’s 70 cherry trees create a tunnel of pink blossoms right above the tracks. Complete with a playground, a pond, and a variety of splendid greenery, Ichinomiya Park was selected as one of Kanagawa's 50 Best Parks.
Oiso Town
16. Shonan Daira Observation Deck
Shonan Daira Hills refers to the flat area on the summit of Awatarayama Hill. Here you will find two different observation decks: the TV Tower Observation Deck and the Komayama Park Rest House Observation Deck, where you can enjoy a magnificent view of the sea and mountains, including the Sagami Bay and Mt. Fuji.
Shonan Daira Hills is a famous place not only for its superb nature but also for its beautiful cherry blossoms, attracting a large number of people to its grounds during early April. The view after dusk is also exceptional, so much so that it was even recognized as one of the 100 most beautiful nightscapes in Japan.
17. Yoshida Shigeru’s Former Residence
This traditional villa was the residence of one of Japan’s prime ministers, Shigeru Yoshida (1878-1967) who lived here in his later years. The villa originally dates back to 1884 when Sihgeru’s adoptive father bought the land and built the house and offers visitors the chance to appreciate Japanese traditional architecture while strolling through the spacious gardens. As the grounds are dotted with seasonal plants such as plum blossoms and “momiji” Japanese maple trees, you can enjoy seasonal delights all year round.
Ninomiya Town
18. Ninomiya Azumayama Park
Head to Ninomiya Azumayama Park to witness the unique sight of Mt. Fuji crowned by an expanse of bright “nanohana” rapeseed flowers. Beside its famous yellow carpet of nanohana in January and February, this hilltop park is blessed with 360-degree views of the ocean and surrounding mountains as well as a plethora of different flowers: cherry blossoms in March and April, azaleas between April and May, hydrangeas from June to July, and cosmos in August.
19. Ninomiya Seseragi Park
Known for its splendid expanses of flowers, Ninomiya Seseragi Park is a must-visit spot when its over 10,000 irises are in bloom around June. Visitors can admire the irises from up close while strolling on the wooden boardwalk amidst the flowers. If you are lucky enough you might even see the “hanatsumi musume” (flower-picking girls) at work donning their traditional attire.
Shonan - A Great Day Trip From Tokyo
From Enoshima to enchanting beaches and mystical shrines and temples, Shonan is packed full of attractions. Whether you prefer mainstream places everybody goes or locations off the beaten track, you can find it all here!
The information in this article is accurate at the time of publication.
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