What's on in Kamakura, Japan through the year

Busy — Winter break (fuyuyasumi) in Japan, school holidays in 5 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in January.

Shoulder season — school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

Nothing new starts in February.

Peak crowds — Cherry blossom on Dankazura, Spring break (haruyasumi) in Japan

• Nature

  Cherry blossom on Dankazura

  25 Mar – 10 Apr · usuallyCrowded

  The raised avenue up to Tsurugaoka Hachimangu is planted the whole way, which makes it one long bottleneck for the ten days it is out. Go at opening or accept a shuffle.

Peak crowds — Cherry blossom on Dankazura, Kamakura Matsuri

• Festival

  Kamakura Matsuri

  12–19 AprMajor festivalCrowded

  A week at the shrine from the second Sunday of April, ending with mounted archery down the avenue. It is the busiest the town gets outside hydrangea season. Source ↗

Still on: Cherry blossom on Dankazura (25 Mar – 10 Apr (usually))

Busy — Golden Week in Japan

Nothing new starts in May.

Busy — Hydrangea season, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it

• Nature

  Hydrangea season

  1–30 Jun · usuallyWildflowers & bloomsCrowded

  Meigetsu-in and Hasedera are the two everyone comes for, and both run numbered entry when the queue outgrows the path. The Enoden fills from Kita-Kamakura by mid-morning on a June weekend. Source ↗

Peak crowds — Beach season at Yuigahama, Summer break (natsuyasumi) in Japan

• Opening

  Beach season at Yuigahama

  1 Jul – 31 AugSummer season opensCrowded

  The beach houses go up for two months from the opening ceremony on 1 July and come down at the end of August. Outside those weeks there are no lifeguards and nowhere to buy a drink on the sand. Source ↗

Peak crowds — Beach season at Yuigahama, Summer break (natsuyasumi) in Japan

Nothing new starts in August.

Still on: Beach season at Yuigahama (1 Jul – 31 Aug)

Busy — Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Reitaisai, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it

• Festival

  Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Reitaisai

  14–16 SepMajor festivalCrowded

  The shrine's own three days in mid-September, with yabusame horseback archery on the last. Fixed dates, unlike most of the Kamakura calendar, and the town books out for them. Source ↗

Shoulder season — school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

Nothing new starts in October.

Busy — one of its best months for weather

• Nature

  Autumn colour

  20 Nov – 10 Dec · usually

  Kamakura turns late — usually the last days of November into early December, a fortnight behind the mountains inland. Kita-Kamakura's temple gardens hold it longest.

Busy — Winter break (fuyuyasumi) in Japan, school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in December.

Still on: Autumn colour (20 Nov – 10 Dec (usually))