History and Culture

Kamakura is an ancient city that gave rise to its own unique culture. One of Japan’s former capitals alongside Nara and Kyoto, Kamakura was also the birthplace of the country’s first samurai government, the Kamakura shogunate (1185–1333).
Kamakura’s samurai regularly honed their skills in martial arts so that they would always be prepared for the battlefield. Items related to samurai warrior culture, such as elaborate armor, famed swords, and hanging scrolls depicting battles were brought to Kamakura from all across Japan. Yabusame, the art of shooting three arrows successively while riding a horse, also originated in Kamakura. These days, you can still see Yabusame practiced at Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine as a Shinto ritual.

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  12~13th century

  Minamoto no Yoritomo (1147–1199) was appointed Shogun by the Imperial Court in 1192, after which he established the Kamakura shogunate.
  After Yoritomo’s death, the Hojo clan took control of the area. In the 13th century, trade with the Chinese Song and Yuan dynasties flourished, which brought in a variety of Chinese cultural elements, including Buddhist statues and lacquerware.
  Accordingly, the samurai who established the Kamakura shogunate actively adopted Chinese culture, with a strong focus on Zen Buddhism, in the process of building a political structure and bolstering power. This gave rise to samurai warrior culture. Buddhist temples in Kamakura at the time were not only for memorial services—they also served as places for samurai families to undergo spiritual and moral training and acquire learning and culture. Cultural practices such as painting, sculpting, and the tea ceremony were also cultivated there.
  The spirit of Zen in particular seems to have been part of the Kamakura samurai ethos, greatly influencing Kamakura’s culture and permeating the cultural landscape to this day. In recent years, mindfulness has been attracting attention across the globe, rekindling interest in Zen culture.

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  14~18th century

  The Kamakura shogunate fell in 1333.
  After its collapse, the Ashikaga clan, who served as the Kamakura Kubo (governor-generals of Kamakura) under the Muromachi shogunate (1336–1573), actively protected and restored Kamakura’s shrines and temples. However, Kamakura’s influence declined from the mid-15th century onward due to the Ashikaga clan relinquishing control over the city. In the 17th century, Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543–1616), who founded the Tokugawa shogunate (1603–1868) in Edo (present-day Tokyo), recognized Kamakura’s importance as the cradle of the samurai government and restored its major shrines and temples, such as Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine and Kenchoji Temple.

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  Kamakura from the 19th Century Onward

  Since the 19th century, Kamakura has gained prominence for its beaches, resorts, and holiday homes, with renowned literary figures also migrating to the area. Many tourists are still brought to Kamakura today, enthralled by its history, culture, and nature.