Kamakura is a small town with the weight of a capital, because for about a century and a half, from the end of the twelfth century, it was the seat of the shoguns. Minamoto no Yoritomo founded the military government here in the 1180s, far from the imperial court at Kyoto, and the city was chosen for its natural defences: hills on three sides and the sea on the fourth, with narrow passes cut through the rock as the only land entrances. Those passes, the Kiridoshi, can still be seen, and they are part of what gives the town its enclosed, intimate feel.
The Great Buddha, a bronze figure thirteen metres high, sits in the open air at Kotoku-in, the hall that once sheltered it having been swept away by a tsunami in the fifteenth century. It has watched over the town for about seven centuries, and the calm expression and the weathered green patina are moving. The main shrine, Tsurugaoka Hachimangu, stands at the end of a long approach lined with cherry trees, and its steps and halls climb the hillside above.
For a rider, though, Kamakura is a place for coffee and patience. The streets are narrow, the traffic is heavy at weekends and holidays, and finding parking for a motorbike can take time, so look for the designated areas near the station. The reward is a good cup of coffee in one of the many small cafes tucked into old houses, a walk along the shopping street of Komachi-dori, and a feeling of calm in the temple gardens. The Enoden, a little tram-like railway that runs along the coast to Enoshima, rattles past the houses and is worth a look.
It stands about eight metres above sea level and the sea is close, so the air carries a faint saltiness. Zushi and Hayama lie to the south, both smaller seaside towns, and the coast road leads on toward the Miura peninsula. Fuel is available in Kamakura, but the town is busy, and it may be easier to fill up in Yokohama or on the main road outside. Early mornings are the best time to visit, when the streets are empty, the shops are still shuttered and the temples are quiet. In June, the hydrangeas bloom along the temple paths and attract large crowds, so avoid that month if you dislike company.