Everyday Life in Kamakura’s Kokurakuji Town

A Sea Town Diary, which covered an attractive seaside town, was a truly worth-seeing film. I was so absorbed in the beautiful and peaceful scenery in the movie that I watched it several times.

The performances by the lead actors were excellent, and director Kore-eda’s refined direction also stood out. While watching the film, I found myself wanting to visit that town too.

As it happened, I visited Kamakura in 2015, so the scenes from the movie were vivid in my mind. When you take the Enoden train and arrive in the Kokurakuji area, you’ll find a small station surrounded by lush trees.

It really looked just like the town in the movie. Seeing that scenery in person made me even more immersed in the film. From now on, whenever a work I like comes out, I want to go to the theater and definitely see it.

And I also plan to travel to the places that served as the backdrop for that film. There’s a real enjoyment in discovering new travel destinations through movies.

I’m looking forward to having more opportunities like this in the future. When you pass through the ticket gate, the guide signs related to Kokurakuji Temple stand out around the area.

And when you arrive at Hase Station, the next stop, the town scenery feels like a scene from a movie and gives off such a lovely feeling.

Looking at a town with such a long history makes me smile naturally. This must be the place I have always wanted to visit. Now, shall we slowly walk up toward the town?

On my next trip to Tokyo, I want to tour every station on the Enoden line. In particular, I’d like to own one motorcycle license plate sold in Fujisawa City; it was really appealing.

All the Enoden station buildings have a familiar and interesting feel. Now we’ve arrived at the bridge right above Kokurakuji Station. A familiar landscape comes into view.

The area around Kokurakuji Station is a place where scenes from the movie were actually brought to life. With Enoshima Beach nearby, you can easily see people surfing from early in the morning.

From the bridge above the station, there is a beautiful view overlooking the Enoden trains. I explored various parts of the town, but I couldn’t find the house of the main characters from the movie.

But since I was traveling and having fun with a friend, I couldn’t roam around as freely as I wanted. Next time, I want to spend more time alone and carefully look around every corner of the town.