Hasedera Temple
By Andrew Liyan · Last updated: October 16, 2026
Hasedera rewards more time than its neighbor, the Great Buddha: a hillside temple on several levels with a 9.18-meter gilded wooden Kannon, a carved cave and a terrace looking over Yuigahama to the Miura Peninsula. Allow about an hour, longer in June, when the hydrangea path needs its own ¥500 ticket. With time for only one Hase stop, choose Hasedera if you can manage stairs and the Great Buddha if you cannot.
- Area
- Hase, Kamakura
- Best For
- Kannon statue, Sea views, Gardens, Hydrangeas (June)
Visiting Hasedera Temple
Hasedera sits on a hillside in the Hase neighborhood of Kamakura. It is not the older Hasedera in Sakurai, Nara Prefecture: the two share a founding legend but are separate temples, and this guide covers the Kamakura temple only. Its formal name is Kaikozan Jishoin Hasedera, and it has long been known as Hase Kannon.
Temple tradition holds that the main image, an eleven-headed Kannon, was carved in 721 and that the temple was founded in 736. The gilded wooden statue is 9.18 meters tall, which the temple describes as among the largest wooden Buddhist images in Japan. It stands in Kannon-do, the main hall, rebuilt in 1986 after the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake left the earlier building badly damaged.
The temple is planned on levels, and that shapes the visit. A lower garden with a pond and the Benten-kutsu cave sits near the gate; stairs climb past Jizo-do to the upper level, where the main halls, the Kannon Museum and the Kaiko Terrace look out over the town and the sea.
Hasedera or the Great Buddha if you only have time for one
Short answer
Hasedera if you want more to do and can climb stairs: several halls, a cave, gardens and a sea view. The tourism association's routes allow about 50 minutes; allow an hour to see it without rushing. The Great Buddha if time or mobility is tight: one outdoor statue, about 40 minutes, with a ramp route. They are five minutes apart on foot, so with two hours in Hase you can see both.
- Main sight
- Hasedera: 9.18 m gilded wooden Kannon inside Kannon-do
- Great Buddha (Kotoku-in): Bronze Amida Buddha, 13.35 m with pedestal, outdoors
- Time allowed in the tourism association's routes
- Hasedera: About 50 minutes
- Great Buddha (Kotoku-in): About 40 minutes
- Adult admission
- Hasedera: ¥400; Kannon Museum ¥500 extra
- Great Buddha (Kotoku-in): ¥300; statue interior ¥50 extra
- Last entry
- Hasedera: 4:30 PM (5:00 PM April to June)
- Great Buddha (Kotoku-in): 15 minutes before the 5:00 PM or 5:30 PM close; statue interior by 4:20 PM
- Climbing
- Hasedera: Upper halls and terrace are up stairs from the lower garden
- Great Buddha (Kotoku-in): Ramp beside the steps up to the statue
- Views
- Hasedera: Terrace over Yuigahama and the Miura Peninsula
- Great Buddha (Kotoku-in): The statue against a wooded courtyard
- Best for
- Hasedera: Gardens, a sea view and several halls in one stop
- Great Buddha (Kotoku-in): A short stop for Kamakura's signature image
| Hasedera | Great Buddha (Kotoku-in) | |
|---|---|---|
| Main sight | 9.18 m gilded wooden Kannon inside Kannon-do | Bronze Amida Buddha, 13.35 m with pedestal, outdoors |
| Time allowed in the tourism association's routes | About 50 minutes | About 40 minutes |
| Adult admission | ¥400; Kannon Museum ¥500 extra | ¥300; statue interior ¥50 extra |
| Last entry | 4:30 PM (5:00 PM April to June) | 15 minutes before the 5:00 PM or 5:30 PM close; statue interior by 4:20 PM |
| Climbing | Upper halls and terrace are up stairs from the lower garden | Ramp beside the steps up to the statue |
| Views | Terrace over Yuigahama and the Miura Peninsula | The statue against a wooded courtyard |
| Best for | Gardens, a sea view and several halls in one stop | A short stop for Kamakura's signature image |
How the grounds fit together
Short answer
Hasedera climbs in stages. The lower garden, pond and Benten-kutsu cave are at the bottom near the gate. Stairs lead past Jizo-do to the upper level with Kannon-do, Amida-do, the Kannon Museum and the Kaiko Terrace. The view path, lined with hydrangeas, climbs higher again.
Lower garden and Benten-kutsu
Past the pond near the entrance, the Benten-kutsu cave is said to be where Kobo Daishi stayed in retreat. Figures of Benzaiten and her sixteen attendants are carved into its walls.
Turn back here if stairs are a problem. Everything beyond this point is up stairs.
Jizo-do
Partway up the stairs. The small Jizo figures around the hall are dedicated by families in memory of children and ancestors, so this is a place for a quiet look rather than photos of strangers' offerings.
Kannon-do and Amida-do
The upper level holds the 9.18-meter Kannon in Kannon-do and, in Amida-do, a seated Amida that tradition links to Minamoto no Yoritomo, which is why it is called the Yakuyoke Amida. The rotating sutra library (Kyozo) beside them can be turned only on the 18th of each month, 1 to 3 January, 8 April and 10 August.
Kannon Museum and Kaiko Terrace
The museum (separate ticket) shows temple treasures and explains Kannon worship. The terrace beside the halls looks over the town, Yuigahama and the Miura Peninsula; the temple says Izu Oshima is visible on clear days.
Turn back here if you are short on time. You have seen the main halls and the sea view.
View path (hydrangea path)
The highest part of the visit, looking out over Sagami Bay. In June it is lined with more than 40 kinds of hydrangea, about 2,500 plants, and needs the separate seasonal ticket.
Visiting in hydrangea season
Short answer
During peak bloom, usually late May to late June, the hydrangea path has a paid period. Hasedera sells a ¥500 Hydrangea Ticket (elementary students and up) on top of normal admission, both on the day and by online reservation, and tickets are limited: when they run out, you cannot enter the path.
Watch for the announcement. The temple fixes the paid period by how the flowers are blooming and announces it, with the booking link, on its website. In 2024 that notice went up on 24 May.
Book on Thursday. Reservations for the following week open every Thursday at 10:00 AM, up to four people per booking.
Choose a one-hour slot. Each ticket has a 60-minute entry window. You cannot enter the path before your window starts, so arriving early only means waiting.
Pay admission on the day. Admission (¥400, elementary ¥200) is paid at the gate even with a reserved Hydrangea Ticket.
- If tickets are gone
- Pay normal admission only. The temple notes that it also plants and displays hydrangeas around the grounds outside the path, so a June visit without a ticket still includes some of the bloom, along with the halls, the cave and the terrace.
- Buying on the day
- Same-day tickets also carry a fixed entry window, chosen from what is left. If the wait is long you may leave the grounds and come back, showing both your admission ticket and your Hydrangea Ticket.
- Entry windows
- Windows start at 9:00 AM and every 20 minutes after that (9:00 to 10:00, 9:20 to 10:20 and so on). If you miss yours, the temple may move you to a late-afternoon window; online bookings can be cancelled until the day before.
- The climb
- About 80 steps to the path entrance and about 130 on the path, with no slopes, according to the temple.
Before you go
Short answer
Three of Hasedera's own rules catch visitors out: the Kannon Museum and the car park keep shorter hours than the grounds, and pets cannot go into the halls.
Leaving the Kannon Museum until late
Instead: Museum entry runs 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, earlier than the grounds, and it closes on some days for exhibition changes. Check its calendar before you go.
Parking for the whole day
Instead: The temple car park is for temple visitors only and closes at 4:30 PM (5:00 PM April to June); cars left after closing cannot leave until the next morning.
Bringing a pet into the halls
Instead: Pets must stay fully inside a closed carrier or pet cart and cannot enter the halls; assistance dogs are welcome everywhere.
Things to Do at Hasedera Temple
See the Eleven-Headed Kannon
The 9.18-meter gilded wooden Kannon holds a staff in its right hand and a vase in its left and stands on a rock base, the form known as the Hasedera-style Kannon.
Visit Amida-do
The seated Amida beside Kannon-do is known as the Yakuyoke Amida: tradition says Minamoto no Yoritomo commissioned it to ward off misfortune in his 42nd year. The temple notes it originally belonged to Seigan-ji, a nearby temple that no longer exists.
Enter Benten-kutsu
The cave in the lower garden has Benzaiten and sixteen attendants carved into its walls. It is included in admission; the passage is low in places.
Visit the Kannon Museum
Temple treasures and displays on Kannon worship, on a separate ticket. The museum keeps shorter hours than the grounds and closes on some days for exhibition changes; see Before you go.
Eat at Kaikoan
Kaikoan, the temple's own restaurant, is inside the grounds. Check its hours on arrival.
How to Get to Hasedera Temple
Hasedera is in Hase, three Enoden stops from Kamakura Station. How to Get to Kamakura covers the JR routes from Tokyo and Yokohama.
By Enoden
From Kamakura Station or Fujisawa, take the Enoden to Hase Station; the temple is about 5 minutes' walk.
By Bus
Buses from Kamakura Station stop at Hase Kannon, about 5 minutes' walk from the temple.
From the Great Buddha
Kotoku-in is about 5 minutes away on foot, so the two share one trip to Hase.
By Car
The temple car park has 30 spaces for visitors only (¥350 per 30 minutes) and closes at 4:30 PM, or 5:00 PM from April to June.
Best Time to Visit Hasedera Temple
Morning on any day; late May to late June for hydrangeas (separate ticket); 18 November to 18 December 2026 for the full view of the Kannon.
The temple plants flowers that bloom in every season and posts flower reports on its website.
More than 40 kinds of hydrangea, about 2,500 plants, bloom along the view path. During the paid period the path needs a separate ¥500 ticket, sold on the day and online.
Year of the Horse opening, held every twelve years: the whole Kannon, including its normally hidden feet, can be seen. It pauses on the morning of the 18th for the monthly service.
Entry Fee & Hours
| Category | Price (JPY) | Approx. (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Adult | ¥400 | ~$3 |
| Elementary school student | ¥200 | ~$1.50 |
| Category | Price (JPY) | Approx. (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Adult (junior high school and older) | ¥500 | ~$3.50 |
| Elementary school student | ¥200 | ~$1.50 |
| Category | Price (JPY) | Approx. (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Elementary school student and older, in addition to admission | ¥500 | ~$3.50 |
- •The temple does not publish a step-free route. The entrance area and lower garden are close to level, but the main halls, the Kannon Museum and the terrace are reached by stairs, and accessibility reviews report no elevator. In June the hydrangea path adds more: the temple says its entrance is about 80 steps up and the path itself about 130 steps, with no slopes.
Nearby Attractions
Combine with Hasedera Temple on the same day
Great Buddha of Kamakura (Kotoku-in)
Yuigahama Beach
Zeniarai Benten Shrine
Goryo Shrine
A Shinto shrine known for its hydrangeas and for the Enoden running right past its entrance.
Distance: Approx. 10 minutes walk
Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine
A Hase afternoon that ends with the sea view
Hasedera works as the longer second stop after the Great Buddha, with the beach a short walk further. Times on site follow the city tourism association's model routes.
Great Buddha, then Hasedera
Go inside the Great Buddha before 4:20 PM, then give Hasedera the longer slot.
Start
Enoden from Kamakura Station to Hase, about 7 minutes, or a bus from the East Exit to Daibutsu-mae, about 10 minutes.
First stop
The Great Buddha at Kotoku-in, about 7 minutes from the station; allow about 40 minutes.
Second stop
Walk about 5 minutes to Hasedera: lower garden and cave, then the upper halls and terrace, about 50 minutes.
Finish
Hase Station is 5 minutes from the gate; or walk on to Yuigahama Beach before the Enoden back. Zeniarai Benten Shrine is about 30 minutes on foot from the Great Buddha if you would rather walk toward Kamakura Station.
Hydrangea season, built around your slot
For the paid bloom period, when the path runs on one-hour entry windows.
Before the trip
Book a Hydrangea Ticket online when the week's slots open, Thursdays at 10:00 AM, or plan to buy one on the day while they last.
Arrive
Hase Station, then 5 minutes on foot. Pay admission at the gate and see the lower garden and Kannon-do while you wait for your window.
Your slot
Enter the hydrangea path within your 60-minute window; you cannot go in earlier.
After
Walk 5 minutes to the Great Buddha, and go inside the statue before 4:20 PM.
Frequently Asked Questions
References
View references
Hasedera (Kamakura)
- Visiting information and access (Japanese) (opens in a new tab)
- About Hasedera: halls and grounds (Japanese) (opens in a new tab)
- June hydrangea path notice, 2025 (Japanese, archived) (opens in a new tab)
- Flower report, 20 June 2025 (Japanese) (opens in a new tab)
- Year of the Horse opening, 2026 (Japanese) (opens in a new tab)
Hasedera Kannon Museum
Kamakura City Tourism Association
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