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Travel

A day in Kamakura

The sights to see and delicacies to taste in this historic yet easygoing Japanese surf town
By Gavin Yeung
Known as the laidback antidote to frenetic Tokyo, as well as being the country’s cradle of surfer culture, the Japanese seaside city of Kamakura is located an hour’s train ride from the capital, making it the go-to destination for burnt-out Tokyoites to decamp to. For those who weren’t able to join our House Trip to Kamakura (February 1), a day spent on your own terms in this former seat of the shogunate is never a bad idea. For a day's itinerary, read on...
A muted blue and brown interior detail with a wooden figure on a wooden tray and a single plant.

Hotel Aiaoi

Saito Building, 2-16-15, Hase, Kamakura; aiaoi.net

Just a stone’s throw from Yuigahama Beach, this quaint inn is housed in a stout, three-storey building from the 1950s, lending a warm patina to its concrete-and-wood interiors. The hotel is designed on an intimate scale and run much like a home by innkeepers (and avid travellers) Go Komuro and his wife Yuko.

Zeniarai Benten Shrine

2-25-16, Sasuke, Kamakura

The money-minded should seek out this 800-year-old Shinto shrine, where a purification ceremony is said to increase your wealth. Called misogi, the ritual requires pilgrims to wash their money in a bamboo basket using spring water from inside a cave. Spend the clean bills afterwards to ensure their value multiples.

The interior of a cafe in a bookstore.

Shonan T-Site

6-20-1, Tsujido Motomachi, Fujisawa; store-tsutaya.tsite.jp

Bookstore chain Tsutaya is looking to redefine the role of a bookstore using ambitious projects such as its Shonan T-Site, which combines books and independent designer lifestyle goods, with slow-food cafes scattered throughout. The Klein Dytham-designed structure is also a marvel to look at.

Akimoto

3/F, i-ZA Kamakura, 1-6-15, Komachi, Kamakura; akimoto-kamakura.com

Shirasu, or juvenile sweetfish, is a delicacy tied strongly to Kamakura. At Akimoto, it’s served fresh, piled high on a bowl of rice, with a shiso leaf, a soft-cooked egg and light soy sauce dressing. Round out your meal with an order of vegetable tempura, made using locally grown produce.

The exterior of an old bank at sunset.

THE BANK

3-1-1, Yuigahama, Kamakura

Designed by renowned art director Kaoru Watanabe and Wonderwall founder Masamichi Katayama and housed in a former bank, this stylish bar is a masterclass in historical revitalisation and serves some delicious cocktails, too.