The Enoshima/Shonan area offers tourist attractions such as Yasaka Shrine, Shin-Enoshima Aquarium, and Samukawa Shrine; sightseeing events such as the Shonan International Marathon, Setsubun Festival, and Shonan Hiratsuka Tanabata Festival; and local gourmet foods such as shirasu rice bowls, Shonan beer, and Kamakura beer.
The sea is Shonan! The name Shonan means Enoshima! The Enoshima/Shonan area is so much sought after that it is said "Shonan means Enoshima! Shonan is widely known as a mecca for marine sports, but there are also many sightseeing spots where you can feel the history of the area. The area is also blessed with nature, and is bustling with local residents and tourists not only during the summer but also all year round.
Enoshima is a popular destination for many visitors to Shonan, and is home to the Enoshima Shrine and Enkakuji Temple, which boast a long history, as well as the Motoanden Hall where Enoshima Benzaiten, one of Japan's three most famous statues of Benzaiten, is enshrined. Enoshima is also home to the Enoshima Samuel Cocking Enoshima Observation Tower, Lover's Hill, the Dragon Love Bell, and the Enoshima Sea Cave.
The Enoshima Samuel Cocking Garden, named after Samuel Cocking, an English trader in the Meiji era, is a rare botanical garden with a tropical atmosphere and a blend of Japanese and Western plants, including many subtropical plants designated as natural monuments by Fujisawa City, such as Japanese cedar, Culex aloukali, taiminchiku, and tsuchikami holly, Visitors can enjoy a variety of flowers and plants from season to season.
The view from the Enoshima Sea Candle (observation tower), a well-known symbol of Shonan, is especially spectacular at night, and is a must-see when visiting Enoshima. Inside the Enoshima Sea Candle, there are cafes, restaurants, and souvenir stores.
The Enoshima/Shonan area is also home to the Enoshima Aquarium, which offers dolphin shows, underwater performances, and other spectacular attractions.
This is an aquarium that should be called "the aquarium! There are dolphin shows and penguin shows that should be called "the aquarium", but there is also "Uokokoro", a wonderful interaction performance between the Enosui Treator and fish in the aquarium tank, and the Enosui Treator's underwater camera, which allows visitors to see fish that are usually hard to see up close and personal. The aquarium is not only a place to see marine creatures swimming in the tanks or to observe specimens, but also a place to interact with them and play with them. The aquarium is not just an aquarium where visitors can see sea creatures swimming in tanks or observe specimens, but an aquarium where they can learn while interacting and playing with them.
The Sagami Bay Aquarium, where a large school of 8,000 sardines swells and swims, is also a sight to behold.
The Enoshima Iwaya Caves are natural sea caves on Enoshima Island in Fujisawa, Kanagawa Prefecture. Formed over a long period by the erosion of waves, the caves have been revered as sacred places since ancient times. They are regarded as the birthplace of worship of Enoshima Benzaiten, a deity associated with the island. Located at the far end of Enoshima, beyond the scenic Chigogafuchi coastal a...»
Enoshima is a picturesque island connected to the Shonan coast of Fujisawa City, Kanagawa Prefecture. Extending into Sagami Bay, this scenic land-tied island has a circumference of approximately 4 kilometers and rises to around 60 meters above sea level. Its beautiful coastline has earned it the nickname “the Miami Beach of the Orient,” and it has long been celebrated as a place of natural beauty....»
Enoshima Shrine is a historic Shinto shrine on Enoshima Island in Fujisawa, Kanagawa Prefecture. It consists of three separate shrines—Hetsumiya, Nakatsumiya and Okutsumiya—which together enshrine three goddesses. Long associated with the worship of Benzaiten, the goddess of music, arts, wisdom and good fortune, the shrine has attracted worshippers for centuries and remains one of Enoshima's most ...»
Rising above Enoshima Island, the Enoshima Sea Candle is a distinctive observation lighthouse and one of the island's best-known landmarks. From its observation floors, visitors can enjoy a 360-degree panorama of the Shonan coastline, the Pacific Ocean and the surrounding mountains and cities. With beautiful sunsets, seasonal illuminations and special events throughout the year, it is a popular de...»
Enoshima Samuel Cocking Garden is a botanical garden on Enoshima Island, known for its blend of Japanese and Western influences, unusual plants from around the world and beautiful views of the Shonan coastline. Established by an Irish-born British merchant who lived in Yokohama during the Meiji era, the garden preserves traces of its international history while offering visitors a peaceful place t...»
Enoshima Escar is a convenient outdoor escalator system that makes it easier to climb to the upper areas of Enoshima Island. Opened in 1959, it was Japan’s first outdoor escalator. The island has hundreds of steps, which can make the climb challenging for young children, older visitors, and anyone who would prefer to save their energy for sightseeing. Enoshima Escar provides a much easier alternat...»
Enoshima Aquarium, often affectionately called “Enosui,” is located in Shonan Coastal Park, with views of Mount Fuji to the north and Sagami Bay and Enoshima to the west. Set beside the beautiful Shonan coastline, it offers visitors an opportunity to discover the fascinating marine life of the region. The aquarium is more than a place to look at aquatic animals and specimens. It also incorporates...»
A Local Rice Bowl from the Shonan Coast Shirasu don is a popular local specialty associated with Kamakura, Enoshima, and Chigasaki in Kanagawa Prefecture. It is a rice bowl topped generously with shirasu, the small, translucent young fish commonly known as whitebait. In many parts of Japan, shirasu don is usually prepared with boiled whitebait or dried whitebait. In Kanagawa, however, fishing fo...»
What Is Shirasu? Shirasu is the general Japanese name for the young fish of several species, mainly sardines. Because these tiny fish have delicate bones, they can be eaten whole. They are also valued as a nutritious food containing calcium and the fish-derived fatty acids DHA and EPA....»
A Local Specialty That Predates Shirasu Don Today, Enoshima is widely associated with shirasu don, a rice bowl topped with tiny whitebait fish that has become popular through television and magazine coverage. However, Enoshima Don is regarded as the island's original signature rice bowl. In the past, turban shells, known in Japanese as sazae, were one of Enoshima's most famous local seafood prod...»
A Classic Dish from the Waters of Sagami Bay Grilled turban shell, known in Japanese as sazae no tsuboyaki, is a popular seafood dish made by grilling turban shells in their own shells. The shellfish are caught in Sagami Bay, and the cooking method is wonderfully simple: the shells are placed over a heat source and grilled. As the shells begin to cook, an appetizing aroma of the sea rises from t...»
A Local Beer Made by a Brewery with a Long Tradition Shonan Beer is a craft beer produced by Kumazawa Brewery Co., Ltd., a historic brewery that has been making alcoholic beverages and pursuing traditional craftsmanship since its establishment in 1872 (Meiji 5). Kumazawa Brewery is known as the last remaining sake brewery in the Shonan region. Building on its long experience in brewing, the comp...»
Shirasu is one of the best-known seafood specialties of the Shonan coastal area in Kanagawa Prefecture. These tiny fish, primarily young sardines, are harvested in the waters around Sagami Bay and enjoyed in a variety of traditional and modern Japanese dishes. Shirasu is particularly appreciated for its delicate flavor, pleasant texture, and nutritional value. During the main spring season, the f...»
Horse mackerel is one of the seafood specialties of Enoshima. Caught in the waters of Sagami Bay, fresh horse mackerel is served in a variety of dishes while its natural flavor and freshness are still at their best....»