Private tour in English. Suitable for adults and children over 12 interested in the history and culture of Japan, gardens, and those (but not limited to) with an interest in photography.

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SIGNATURE TOUR

One-day private tour of Kamakura, Japan's de facto capital from 1188 to 1333. Set amidst beautiful natural surroundings (mountains to the north, east, and west, and Sagami Bay to the south), Kamakura was the birthplace of the samurai culture and continues to be home to countless Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines. Fun and informative, yet always entertaining, Samurai Phototours with Peter Oxley, photographer and culture/history buff, takes you on a tour to Japan's fabled past, letting you capture sights of a bygone era as your very own memories of the Land of the Rising Sun.
                                
PICTORIAL

Spend the day with Peter while he takes professional portfolio photos of you and your partner as lasting mementos of your visit to Japan.  The romantic atmosphere at temples and shrines makes them a perfect setting for prenuptial pictorials. 

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ITINERARY for SIGNATURE TOUR/PICTORIAL (7 hours)
We meet at Kita-Kamakura Station (about one hour from Tokyo on the Yokosuka Line) at 10am. I will guide you around Engakuji, Meigetsu-in, and Jochiji, three very important yet distinctly different Zen Buddhist temples that played a key role in the establishment of the Kamakura Shogunate. We will stop for a light lunch, then continue by train to the three must-sees: Hasedera, which houses a beautiful wooden statue of Kannon Bosatsu; the magnificent Great Buddha, also known as Daibutsu, standing 11+ meters tall; and Tsurugaoka Hachimangu shrine, built by Yoritomo Minamoto, the first shogun of Japan. We will also take a walk along the popular shopping streets, Komachidori and Wakamiyaoji.

 

The price of the tour is JPY16,000 per person (about USD140) for a group of two. 

It includes all venue admission fees, lunch, and public transportation within Kamakura. I can happily accommodate a solo traveler, but the price will understandably work out more expensive (JPY28,000). We will finish our tour around 5pm and should anybody wish to wine and dine in Kamakura before returning to Tokyo, I would be happy to introduce them to a typical Japanese restaurant, away from the tourist crowds, and accompany them if they so wish. 

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