Tenen Hiking Trail

The Tenen Hiking Trail is the longest and wildest of Kamakura's ridge walks, a forest path that runs along the northern and eastern heights of the town and takes in Ohira-yama, at about 159 metres the highest point within the old city. Where the shorter Daibutsu Trail is a gentle stroll, the Tenen course is a proper half-day hike, rewarding walkers with deep woodland, glimpses of the sea and, in places, some of the broadest views to be had anywhere in Kamakura. For visitors who want to swap temple courtyards for birdsong and forest air, it is the finest walk in the area.

The classic route links two temples. Most hikers begin at Kencho-ji, the great Zen monastery near Kita-Kamakura, and climb through its grounds to Hansobo, the mountain shrine at the temple's rear guarded by statues of long-nosed tengu goblins. From behind Hansobo the trail proper begins, ascending steep stone steps to a first viewpoint before rolling along the wooded ridge. The path undulates through mixed forest, passing weathered yagura, the cave tombs cut into the soft rock by Kamakura's medieval samurai, and small stone Buddhas half-hidden among the roots, giving the walk a quietly spiritual atmosphere.

The high point, both literally and scenically, is Ohira-yama. From the open ground near the summit the whole of Kamakura spreads out below, the town, the beaches of Yuigahama and Zaimokuza, and the blue arc of Sagami Bay beyond, with Mount Fuji sometimes visible on the clearest winter days. It is a natural place to rest and eat before the long descent. From here the trail continues east and south, dropping at last toward Zuisen-ji, a serene temple famous for its rock garden and its plum and flowering trees, which makes a beautiful and fitting end to the walk.

The trail is moderate and takes roughly two to two and a half hours of walking, longer with stops. It is well marked but genuinely rugged in parts, with steep steps, exposed roots and rocky sections that become slippery and even hazardous after rain, so it should be avoided in wet weather and tackled only in good daylight; start early to be sure of finishing before dusk. Proper hiking or trail shoes are important, and you should carry water and food as there are no shops between the ends. Simple restrooms exist at the temple trailheads and one rest area along the way.

Autumn is the trail's finest season, when the maples along the ridge blaze red and gold in late November, though spring's fresh green and flowering trees run it close. Both trailheads are easy to reach: Kencho-ji is a short walk from Kita-Kamakura Station on the JR Yokosuka Line, covered by the Japan Rail Pass, and note that entering via the temple involves its 500 yen admission. Walked from Kencho-ji to Zuisen-ji, the Tenen Trail offers the most complete taste of Kamakura's forested hills and the medieval history hidden within them.