Kamakura or Nikko

Hi,

I understand that Kamakura and Nikko is very similiar??

Due to the limited time I have in Tokyo, I can only allocate 1 day to either one. Which one would you suggest to be the better one? Nikko or Kamakura?

Thank you in advance!!

Kamakura or Nikko

this is a question that comes up so often in this forum...take a look at some past responses.

Nikko is big and impressive and full of trees. Kamakura has wonderful shrines %26amp; temples %26amp; shops %26amp; restaurants. Pick which you like.

Kamakura or Nikko

First, it is cheaper and much more convenient to go to Kamakura. A little over an hour from Shibuya on the Shonan Line. Get off at Kita Kamakura and walk into town visiting the temples along the way. There are also interesting walks in the mountains behind the temples/shrines. You will see signs for teahouses that serve traditional sweets. Once in Kamakura, you can feel the Shonan beach experience.A wealthy little town with an interesting shopping street and restaurants. On the way back to Tokyo why not stop in Yokohama? It is very easy and then a 40 min. ride on the express back to Shibuya. Nikko is beautiful-especially in the snow but it really is a slog. First to get there and everything closes up early so you really feel likeit is a ghost town. With Kamakura you can experience thehistoric places, the Japanese beach town atmosphere and Yokohama by night without the long train rides!!! I%26#39;ve been to both at least 10 times so....

Kamakura is a more relaxing trip and easier on your pocket. It has lots of historical sites and the town is very nice to walk around.

Nikko has the UNSECO World Heritage sites but you must gain a good understanding of history and know something about Japanese architecture to appreciate it fully. To me, the tourist element is very high. I liked Lake Chuzenji and Kegon Falls better as both provide spectacular natural scenery.

Thank you guys for the answer..

Another question if you don%26#39;t mind..

I bump into this info about Matsuri Festival? Any ideas what is it n whether it is good to see? Kamakura happened to have the particular festival on the day I will b in Japan. Wondering if the festival will tilt the scale towards Kamakura..

Cheers

Honestly I think Nikko is a superior place to visit, especially if you head up to the waterfalls and onsen areas, the bus ride up the curvy mountain is fantastic.

I think of Kamakura as the ';poor mans'; day trip. It%26#39;s not bad, there%26#39;s nothing wrong with it, but Nikko is a World Heritage Sites area with many more superior sights (in my opinion).

Again nothing wrong with Kamakura itself. But if I had to chose between the two, I would go with Nikko.

chummyyummy,

%26gt;%26gt;%26gt; I bump into this info about Matsuri Festival? Any ideas what is it n whether it is good to see? Kamakura happened to have the particular festival on the day I will b in Japan. Wondering if the festival will tilt the scale towards Kamakura.. %26lt;%26lt;%26lt;

When are you going to be in Japan???

I agree with tokyosubway. Kamakura is commercial and not very impressive. Nikko is a World Heritage site so the comparison is pretty stark. I would vote for Nikko in a heartbeat if you have the time.

I felt Nikko (Lake Chuzenji not included) is quite commercialized as well. They were hawking all sorts of souvenirs right next to one of the shrines. It really took away from the atmosphere in my opinion.

Having said that, I want to stress that if you take some time to learn about Japanese history, Nikko can become very enjoyable.

Hi Edokko,

the festival in Kamakura will be on 19 April 09 if you are interested to go there...

Oh well.. seems that Nikko outweight Kamakura somehow..

%26gt;%26gt;%26gt;Oh well.. seems that Nikko outweight Kamakura somehow..

Not necessarily. It all depends on the season. I%26#39;d choose Kamakura over Nikko in the Sakura season for certain. You should consider Kyoto if you%26#39;re interested in Japanese history. It only takes 2 hours and 20 minutes one way--about the same to get to Nikko. The trip to Kyoto is more expensive, but it will be well worth it.

If you decide to go to Nikko, take a warm jacket. It%26#39;ll be cold until the end of April.

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