An hour from Tokyo, Enoshima (江の島) is a tiny, touristy island connected by a bridge to the mainland. Located in Kanagawa Prefecture in Fujisawa City (藤沢市) and enclosed by Kamakura, it is full of places to see and makes a nice day trip from Tokyo regardless of the season.

I've visited Enoshima many times and in this article I'd like to share with you my recommendations for making the most of your time in Enoshima.

How to Get to Enoshima?

Enoshima is easily accessible from central Tokyo. I usually stop at Katase-Enoshima station on the Odakyu line, with only a 15-minute walk to reach the small island. You will see the train station itself is quite cute!

Things to Do in Enoshima

1/ Enjoy the Food and Shopping in Benten Nakamise Dori Street

One of the first things to enjoy after crossing the Enoshima Benten Bridge (江の島弁天橋) and arriving on the island is Benzaiten Nakamise Dori Street (江の島弁財天仲見世通り), full of small stores and restaurants where you can find small souvenirs or taste Japanese street food, including local seafood, ice cream or beer.

2/ Visit Enoshima Shrine & Temple

Enoshima Shrine is actually composed of three shrines: Hetsumiya (辺津宮), Nakatsumiya (中津宮) and Okutsumiya (奥津宮). The walk along the stairs from one shrine to another is very pleasant and offers beautiful views of the surrounding nature and the seaside.

I also recommend you to visit Enoshima’s Buddhist temple, Enoshima Daishi (江の島大師). The temple's architecture, statues and lanterns exude a sense of serenity, and has an overall lovely atmosphere.

3/ Relax in the Samuel Cocking Garden

Flowers being a kind of addiction for me, Samuel Cocking Garden (江の島サムエル・コッキング苑) is one of my favorite places in Enoshima. It's a very well maintained botanical garden with nice little paths and an observation deck called SeaCandle, one of the symbols of Enoshima.

4/ Explore the Enoshima Forested Hill up to Iwaya Cave

The walk to the south side of Enoshima is charming. There are several small cafes and restaurants with observatories and beautiful views of the Pacific ocean and Sagami Bay along the way. Lovers' Hill is the perfect place for a romantic walk. The Lovers' Dragon Bell (Ryuren no Kane, 龍恋の鐘) rings in the area when couples ring it, as it is said that couples who do so will always stay together.

Once you arrive at the south of the island, at Chigogafuchi Abyss (稚児ヶ淵), you can visit Iwaya Cave (江の島岩屋) for a few hundred yen, with its two caves, its statues and a beautiful walk along the sea shore.

5/ Relax in one of Enoshima's Cafés

With all this exploring, it can be nice to have a break to relax in one of Enoshima’s cute cafés. There are several options to choose from and here are two options I have tried and would recommend : enjoying a kakigori (かき氷), a Japanese shaved ice dessert flavored with syrup and a sweetener, often condensed milk with a nice sea view at Yurantei (遊覧亭), try one of the Japanese sweets served at Shima-no-chaya Aburaya (島の茶屋あぶらや), look at their pretty postcards and pet the local cat.

6/ See the Sunset on the Southern Coast of Enoshima

After a good day of exploring, it is very rewarding to find a nice spot on the rocky waterfront and enjoy the sunset on a sunny day. Here are some photos of the sunset when I visited in early November (the sun was setting around 4:45pm at this time of year).

7/ Enjoy Enoshima Each Season

Enoshima is an excellent day trip regardless of the season! 

If you visit in summer, you can start or end your day at Katase Higashihama or Nishihama Beaches and swim in the ocean.

It is crowded in the summer, as you would expect. But to be honest, compared to some of the comments I had read online about how crowded this beach could be, it was not as bad as I expected. And I went on a Saturday in August! But I am used to going to the Mediterranean beaches in France that are SUPER crowded, so that must be the reason.

The only thing we did not particularly like was the poor quality teenage music playing from the speakers on the beach. But the further you get from Enoshima and the station, the less crowded it becomes.

There are also beautiful night illumination events organized through the year. In summer, the Lantern Festival takes place with lanterns and light shows displayed around the island.

In the fall, the Samuel Cocking Garden hosts a candlelight illumination that is well worth a visit. As soon as the sun disappears, thousands of candles are lit and the atmosphere becomes definitely magical and romantic. 

Important tip: if you plan to attend the illuminations in November, be sure to buy your tickets when you pass by the garden during the day, as access to the garden is no longer free after 5pm. As a precaution, I had thought to buy my tickets on the afternoon of our visit because there was no line at the vending machine when I passed by the garden. And I did the right thing, because as we exited the Samuel Cocking Garden in the early evening, after we had finished enjoying the illuminations, there was a very very long line of people waiting to buy their tickets.

Where to Have Lunch on Enoshima

There are plenty of options when it comes to restaurants at the entrance of Enoshima and along Benzaiten Nakamise Dori Street. The local food to try is Shirasu, a type of whitebait, that you can eat as Shirasu Don (Shirasu Rice Bowl) or Nama Shirasu (Raw sashimi slices of Shirasu). The taste of shirasu is quite light, and accommodated with a little soy sauce, it’s delicious!

But my recommendation in around Benzaiten Nakamise Dori Street is not for Shirasu, but for fried tuna or Tuna Katsu, with local beer, which we tried in Shimawarashi (島童子). It was so tasty! I recommend you take their Tuna Katsu Teishoku, as it also includes a small Shirasu Don. 

The second time we came, we did not feel like eating fish and ended up at a ramen restaurant at the entrance of the island (吉祥ラーメン 江の島店). The portions were large (I could not finish) but the ramen broth was not particularly good, so I would not recommend this place as I think there are nicer options around. But if you are hungry, and want to eat something filling and quickly before exploring the island, this can do the trick!

If you are looking for a restaurant during your stroll through the island, then my recommendation goes to Enoshima-tei (江之島亭) for its delicious fresh seafood bowls and views of the ocean. Note that you'll probably have to queue for a table, as it's a popular place.

Where to Stay Around Enoshima

If you are thinking of staying overnight in Enoshima to enjoy this wonderful island for longer, here are a few recommendations:

• Iwamotoro — Located on the island's main street, this ryokan offers two superb onsen, a swimming pool overlooking the Pacific ocean and Mount Fuji, and a hearty breakfast. You can also enjoy wonderful views from the room, and waking up to the sun and Fuji in the distance can be an amazing way to start a new day on Enoshima!

• IZA Enoshima Guest House and Bar — For a more budget-friendly option, this guesthouse provides both dormitory beds and cozy single rooms. Conveniently situated on the main street leading to Enoden Station, it’s surrounded by plenty of local shops and cafes.

Enoshima’s Highlights

To Conclude

I love going to Enoshima and never get tired of spending a day there. This little island is definitely one of the nicest day trips from Tokyo, all year around. I hope my article can help you have a memorable time there.

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This article was originally published on November 19 2022 and updated on June 22 2024.

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