最近どう?
Let’s face it, traveling in Japan can be expensive. I’ve wanted to see and do so much, but shinkansen tickets and airplane tickets can eventually brake the bank. For anyone in Tokyo who wants a change of pace and scenery, but wants to do so on a budget, I recommend going to Kamakura and Enoshima Island!
Kamakura is about an hour and half train ride from Tokyo station, and Enoshima island is about 30 minutes away from Kamakura. It’s possible to visit both of these places in the same day, or to take your time and spread out your activities over a few days. I went with my parents in November when they came to visit me, and students that study abroad with IES Abroad in the spring semester get to do a day trip to Kamakura as well.
I went to Enoshima Island first. It’s a fairly small Island, you can walk around the entirety of it in just few hours. There’s a lot of folklore surrounding the area, and it will also be the venue for sailing in the 2020 Olympics. They have temples, a botanic garden, sea caves, and lots of street food.
After Enoshima we went back to Kamakura. There are countless shrines in Kamakura, but I only went to two. Hase-dera temple was my favorite, and may be one of my favorite shrines that I’ve seen in Japan.
I also saw the famous daibutsu.
If you’re even in Tokyo, try and spare a day to head down to these gorgeous beach spots!
Sara Macconnell
<p>Hi! My name is Sara MacConnell and I'm studying abroad in Tokyo in Fall 2018. I've been taking Japanese classes since I was a freshman in high school, so I'm very excited to spend a whole semester getting to put my language skills to use! I'm a rising senior at the University of Puget Sound where I study Japanese and Business Administration. On campus, I'm involved in greek life, I'm the publicity chair for Students Against Sexual Assault, I do costume design for the theater department, and I work in my school's study abroad office. My favorite things to do are photography, hiking, cooking, trying new restaurants, and watching Netflix with my friends.</p>
