Hanami is a Japanese tradition in which people drink and eat with their friends and families under the trees of cherry blossoms; basically picnic. In many shrines and temples, though they have a beautiful view of cherry blossoms, hanami is prohibited as they are sanctuaries, so if you want to try the tradition of hanami you’ll have to find somewhere else.

One of the few spots in Kamakura, with a fabulous view of cherry blossoms where you can sit and relax with some drinks and food, is Genji-yama Park.

Genji-yama Park 

The walk to Genji-yama park is about 20 minutes from Kamakura station, and there are several routes to go here.

The route from Zeniarai-Benten, from the Daibutsu, or from the hiking course from Kita-Kamakura, are all possible routes, but if you are heading to this park from Kamakura station, the route through Zeniarai-Benten is recommended.

The image above, taken a few days ago, shows a part of the Genji-yama park.

Yes, it’s still pretty much empty, with just dried grass and no cherry blossoms at all.

However, in 2,3 weeks this place will be filled with blooming cherry blossoms, and visitors will be able to sit down, enjoy some drinks and food with their friends, while gazing at the blossoms.

The Genji-yama Park is quite large, and there are many locations available for Hanami, like the open area shown in the image above.

For Hanami, unless you don’t mind laying on the ground, you’ll need to bring a picnic blanket or a seat to relax in.

Inside the park, there’s the Kuzuharaoka Shrine, and nearby the shrine there’s an area with some seats and tables. Above is an image of that area. You can enjoy hanami here as well, if there are some leftover seats.

There are only a few places in Kamakura where you can sit, drink, eat, and relax while gazing at the beautiful views of cherry blossoms. If you visit Kamakura during this season and plan to try hanami, Genji-yama park is the most recommended.