Shirasu is commonly eaten in the Shonan (湘南, Shōnan) area, and is typically eaten boiled. It can only be fished during certain times of year to prevent overfishing, and so fresh shirasu can be hard to come by.
Enoshima Travel Guide
Popular Weekend Getaway from Tokyo with Beautiful Beaches and Delicious Seafood
Enoshima is an island just off the Shōnan (湘南, Shōnan) Coast, and is part of Fujisawa City. It's a popular weekend getaway destination for the Japanese locals due to its great scenic views and fresh seafood options.
Particularly popular are the sunset views from the Chigogafuchi Abyss (稚児ヶ淵, Chigogafuchi), the stunning sea life from the Enoshima Aquarium (新江ノ島水族館, Shin-Enoshima Suizokukan), the restaurants serving the local specialty of shirasu (しらす, Whitebait), and the beautiful Katase beaches in summer.
The Katase beaches are also seen as the most pristine beaches closest to Tokyo, and were also host to multiple aquatic events during the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics.
Nature
Culture
Gourmet
Volume
Local Specialties
しらす
Shirasu
たこ煎餅
Tako Senbei
A popular snack on Enoshima, the Tako Senbei is made of a flour batter with pieces of tako (たこ, Octopus) pressed together and grilled into a thin and light crispy cracker.
Popular Destinations
A beautiful rocky plateau by the sea, you can admire the natural rocky outcrops, discover marine life in the small ponds across the area, go fishing, or admire the beautiful sunset against Mount Fuji (富士山, Fuji-san).
A large aquarium on the mainland, this aquarium specialized in showcasing marine life in the Sagami Bay (相模湾, Sagami-wan) as well as its deep-sea research. They also boast exhibits of capybaras, river otters, and a dolphin show.
This lively street, named after the goddess Benzaiten (弁財天, Goddess of Fortune), is usually jam-packed with people, and a variety of souvenir shops and restaurants on either side. Feel free to pop in and out of whichever shop catches your fancy, whether it be a Japanese jeans shop, handmade chopsticks, accessories, and more.
Located at the top of Enoshima is Samuel Cocking Garden, which dates all the way back to 1862. The garden features blooming flowers all year round, and you can also view the ruins of the original green house and brick heater from when it was first built. Depending on the time of year, you can see roses, tulips, and also night illuminations, some of which are imported from Canada and other parts of the world.
Getting Around
Most of the Enoshima area can be travelled on foot. It takes around 10 minutes to travel on foot between the two main stations, Katase-Enoshima Station on the Odakyu Enoshima Line, and Enoshima Station on the Enoden. The area near the stations has a major shopping street, beaches and the Enoshima Aquarium (新江ノ島水族館, Shin-Enoshima Suizokukan).
Enoshima Island is connected to the mainland via a 10-minute pedestrian bridge, the Enoshima Benten Bridge (江ノ島弁天橋, Enoshima Benten-bashi). Once you hit the island, there’s a single main walking path that goes all the way to the back of the island, passing by the Samuel Cocking Garden (江の島サムエル・コッキング苑, Enoshima Samueru Kokkingu En) at the peak of the island and ending at Chigogafuchi Abyss (稚児ヶ淵, Chigogafuchi). The route requires an uphill climb and then a downhill climb on the other side, meaning a round-trip would require that you climb up and down the island twice. For those averse to climbing, there’s a paid escalator service, the Escar, that takes you up to the top of the island on one side of the route.
The areas and beaches between Enoshima and Kamakura (鎌倉) can be explored via the Enoden (around 30 minutes for the entire route) or a 1 hour and 30 minute walk along the beach, which covers the full route to Kamakura.
Getting There
鎌倉
Kamakura
The Enoden is a local tram system that runs between Fujisawa and Kamakura, passing by Enoshima along the way. It's unique for its tracks that run in close proximity to the buildings around it, and it's panoramic views of the sea. It's the fastest way to get between Enoshima and Kamakura.
Enoden
Towards Fujisawa Station
Enoden
Kamakura Station
to
Enoshima Station
23 mins
¥260
東京
Tokyo
The most convenient way to get to Enoshima is via the Odakyu Odawara Line from Shinjuku Station. With a short transfer at Fujisawa, the journey between the two places can be completed rather effortlessly in about an hour.
Shinjuku Station
to
Fujisawa Station
Odawara Line
Between Shinjuku Station and Sagami-Ono Station
Towards Fujisawa Station
Odakyu
Enoshima Line
Between Sagami-Ono Station and Fujisawa Station
Towards Fujisawa Station
Odakyu
58 mins
¥649
Enoshima Line
Towards Katase-Enoshima Station
Odakyu
Fujisawa Station
to
Katase-Enoshima Station
7 mins
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