The highlight of your Kamakura excursion.
Ancient Kamakura, between the mountains and sea, is a favorite day trip destination for Tokyoites in the spring. After strolling along the seashore and visiting ancient shrines, why not dine at a local backstreet tavern, mountainside retreat or renowned gourmet establishment to make your Kamakura experience complete.
Beau Temps
Vin naturel in Kamakura
ete
French without hesitance
Ohama
Colorful fare and sake
Kitakamakura En
Kaiseki with a view
Restaurant Pleins d'Herbes Kitakamakura
French elegance and comfort
Beau TempsBeau Temps
Phone: 0467-40-6172
- Address:
- 1 Chome-14-26 Hase, Kamakura-shi, Kanagawa
- Open:
- Lunch 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm / Dinner 6:00 pm - 0:00 am
- Closed:
- Irregular
A touch of spring
A touch of spring
In the evening, the atmosphere is typical of a bar or bistrot. The rich French cuisine features Kamakura vegetables, fresh fish from local fishermen, the distinctive accent of herbs from the kitchen garden, and ingredients from Shimane and Yamagata, the hometowns of the chef and owner.
Old beams and pillars reveal the original barn skeleton in a charming, open interior with high roof and sunshiny skylights ideal for savoring French cuisine.
A charcuterie platter of homemade processed meats with three to five items selected from ten available on the menu.
Cod milt poché mingles the fresh tastes and aromas of cod milt, sweet snow cabbage purée and herb sauce.
A grapevine planted by a viticulturist in Yamanashi produces grapes used to make yeast for the popular pain de campagne.
Owner Kazuhiro Igarashi, the sommelier since 2012, trained at renowned vin naturel restaurant Uguisu in Sangenjaya.
Vin naturel in Kamakura
Beau Temps is located at the end of a small alley off the main thoroughfare leading from Yuigahama Beach. If it weren't for a sign on the hedge, first-timers would probably miss it. The building is a 90-year-old renovated barn surrounded by a yard with a small garden and seasonal vegetation. While located in Hase, a popular tourist area in Kamakura, it is hidden away from the crowds.
The restaurant opened in 2007 and began attracting interest before "vin naturel" entered the lexicon of Japanese connoisseurs. Its menu focuses on French fare and includes over 200 French wines tested by proprietor Kazuhiro Igarashi to ensure they are "smooth wines you can drink every day." One can rediscover the freshness of vin naturel in Kamakura.
"The humidity in Kamakura is higher than in Tokyo because it's closer to the sea," says Igarashi. "I noticed the difference when I first arrived here, and it helps bring out the unique character of each wine. Both the flavor and aroma are different than in Tokyo." Pairing the wine with French cuisine made from local Kamakura vegetables and fish procured directly from local fishermen further brings out the flavor. While legions of restaurants now offer natural wine in Tokyo, the unique atmosphere and flavors of Beau Temps make it very much worth visiting.
Phone: 0467-40-6172
- Address:
- 1 Chome-14-26 Hase, Kamakura-shi, Kanagawa
- Open:
- Lunch 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm / Dinner 6:00 pm - 0:00 am
- Closed:
- Irregular
eteフランス料理 ete（エテ）
Phone: 0467-84-8114
- Address:
- Yamaguchi Bldg. 1F, 2-7-20 Yuigahama, Kamakura, Kanagawa
- Open:
- Lunch 11:30 am - 1:30 pm / Dinner 5:30 pm - 9:30 pm
- Closed:
- Monday, Lunch on Tuesday
A touch of spring
A touch of spring
The lunch and dinner courses include amuse-bouches, hors d'œuvres, a main dish selected by the customer, dessert and a drink. Lunch courses include two hors d'œuvres while dinner courses include three, with one always being foie gras served in one of various ways. It's always entertaining to guess how the foie gras might be served. The vegetables are always fresh and more often than not produced locally.
Fujimoto prepares dishes like an athlete, without a pause, preparing just enough in advance to finish right before customers begin dining.
Foie gras and cod milt with consommé, added in front of the customer, for a delicious touch of burdock flavor.
Ezo (Hokkaido) venison poêlée in blueberry sauce. Each vegetable is expertly prepared and arranged.
The sounds and aromas of cooking waft through the air from the open kitchen to the long central counter and tables.
When not preparing dishes, chef Fujimoto enjoys serving customers at the tables himself.
French without hesitance
ete opened only 4 years ago, but its reputation for French cuisine is already firmly established. The restaurant is so popular that tables must be booked several days in advance despite the common perception that fine French cuisine is reserved for special occasions. Owner chef Satoshi Fujimoto humbly suggests the remarkable popularity is "probably due to its price." The courses start from as low as 3,000 JPY for lunch and 4,200 JPY for dinner while including amuse-bouches, hors d'œuvres, a main dish and dessert.
"I wanted to make French cuisine more accessible by creating a restaurant that people can visit without hesitation," Fujimoto tells us. "My first step was lowering the price." To further encourage diners to visit his restaurant, he uses first-class ingredients. The dinner hors d'œuvres always include foie gras, for example, because he believes those who make the effort to visit his restaurant deserve French cuisine's representative dish.
"My policy is simple," he says with a smile. But he is always on the lookout for new ideas, and his extra effort shows in the inspired excellence of his cuisine. Affordability makes the dining experience all the more satisfying. "Eating out is entertainment. So I do my best to show guests a good time," says Fujimoto, who is just 32 years old. His culinary style is still evolving as he pursues perfection with single-minded determination. It's easy to imagine ete will keep its tables full for years to come.
Phone: 0467-84-8114
- Address:
- Yamaguchi Bldg. 1F, 2-7-20 Yuigahama, Kamakura, Kanagawa
- Open:
- Lunch 11:30 am - 1:30 pm / Dinner 5:30 pm - 9:30 pm
- Closed:
- Monday, Lunch on Tuesday
Ohamaおおはま
Phone: 0467-38-5221
- Address:
- 101, Miyuki Bldg., 4-15 Onaricho, Kamakura, Kanagawa
- Open:
- [Weekdays] 5:30 pm - 10:00 pm (L.O. 9:30 pm) / [Saturday, Sunday, Holiday] 3:00 pm - 10:00 pm (L.O. 9:30 pm)
- Closed:
- Irregular
A touch of spring
A touch of spring
Ohama takes full advantage of Kamakura's close proximity to the sea and mountains by receiving fresh fish from the local port and fresh vegetables from the mountains every morning. She strives to bring out the taste of each ingredient in dishes that go well with sake. Since the menu includes around 80 items, even frequent customers can try something different every time. It appears that Ohama has only improved with its move from Asagaya to Kamakura.
The restaurant is often filled with groups of neighbors who lead carefree lives and greatly appreciate the presence of a real izakaya in Kamakura.
Today's three-bowl special of ten vegetables (600 JPY) includes broccoli and black soybean namul.
The aromatic homemade shumai (meat dumplings) are wrapped and steamed after ordering, then served sizzling hot.
Ohama began her career as a civil servant, then studied at a famous Japanese restaurant before opening her own in 2010.
Ohama has a passion for motorcycle touring and picks up choko cups wherever she travels for the restaurant.
Colorful fare and sake
"The number of dishes may have increased a little since my days in Asagaya," laughs owner Yukie Ohama while glancing at the day's menu. Around 80 dishes are available and she amazingly prepares and serves every dish herself. Ohama was an izakaya (tavern) frequented by sake lovers in Asagaya until it moved to Kamakura in July 2014.
"The quality of the ingredients here, including vegetables and fish, is completely different," says Ohama. She buys the vegetables every morning from a producer in Zushi and receives fresh fish from Miura harbor every day. This explains why she can prepare so many types of dishes, ranging from today's sashimi to popular bowls of vegetables. Her meat-based meals include homemade meat dumplings wrapped after the order arrives.
"We're committed to not selling wine," says Ohama with a chuckle. It's an unwavering stance that many find frank and refreshing. On the other hand, all dishes go perfectly with Ohama's beloved Japanese sake. She tests all the brands herself to determine what dishes best suit their taste. Her candid character makes you feel more at home the longer you stay.
"One customer told me the mere sight of me busying myself was a hors d'œuvres in itself," she says, laughing. On weekends, the restaurant opens at 3:00 pm . Dining at Ohama is the perfect finish to a pleasant day of sightseeing in Kamakura.
Phone: 0467-38-5221
- Address:
- 101, Miyuki Bldg., 4-15 Onaricho, Kamakura, Kanagawa
- Open:
- [Weekdays] 5:30 pm - 10:00 pm (L.O. 9:30 pm) / [Saturday, Sunday, Holiday] 3:00 pm - 10:00 pm (L.O. 9:30 pm)
- Closed:
- Irregular
Kitakamakura En北鎌倉 円
Phone: 0467-23-6232
- Address:
- 2F, 501 Yamanouchi, Kamakura, Kanagawa
- Open:
- Lunch 11:30 am - 2:00 pm / Dinner 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm
- Closed:
- Monday
A touch of spring
A touch of spring
Enjoy all the traditional kaiseki essentials in the Ume lunch course, namely two kobachi (small dishes) of sakizuke (appetizers), mukozuke (sashimi), a grilled dish, a simmered dish and marinated vegetables. Courses with soup and a fried dish are also available. All kaiseki courses are reasonably priced at 3,500 JPY for lunch and 5,000 JPY for dinner.
The view of Byakurochi Pond, with historic Kitakamakura temples peeking from behind cherry trees that bloom pink by late March.
Today's sakizuke (appetizers) are nanzenji-mushi (steamed tofu and egg in dashi soup) and soy-sauce marinated oyster shigureni.
Wakasa-style red sea bream lightly seasoned with soy sauce and sake, then grilled to a crispy skin finish.
Kunihide Horie runs the kitchen with support from parents Osamu and Kayoko to provide a warm and relaxing family mood.
The restaurant is warm and welcoming with a tea ceremony-style interior, gilded ceiling, hearth-style tables, arbor and view.
Kaiseki with a view
Kitakamakura is dotted with famous old temples like Engakuji and Kenchoji. Its streets are lined with restaurant signs beckoning tourists to stop for a bite. But there are surprisingly few restaurants where you can relax in peace.
Kitakamakura En restaurant is a rare exception. Although located on the second floor of a building near Kitakamakura Station, its small tea ceremony-style interior is peaceful and dignified, with an arbor overlooking Byakurochi Pond that helps you deeply relax and fully enjoy the dining experience.
The traditional kaiseki cuisine is prepared by Kunihide Horie and his father, Osamu, who has been running the restaurant for over 40 years. Each course begins with sakizuke (appetizers), including two kobachi (small dishes), followed by mukozuke (sashimi), a grilled dish and assorted dishes prepared with time-honored skill to bring out the subtle flavor of the fine ingredients. It's a privilege to enjoy such fine kaiseki cuisine for only \3,500, especially considering the omotenashi of madam Kayoko, which heightens the pleasure of every bite.
By late March, when spring is in bloom, Byakurochi Pond should be surrounded by pink cherry blossoms, making Kitakamakura En the perfect escape for an elegant lunch.
Phone: 0467-23-6232
- Address:
- 2F, 501 Yamanouchi, Kamakura, Kanagawa
- Open:
- Lunch 11:30 am - 2:00 pm / Dinner 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm
- Closed:
- Monday
Restaurant Pleins d'Herbes Kitakamakuraレストラン プランデルブ北鎌倉
For inquiries: 0467-47-4567
- Address:
- 3-32-11, Kajiwara, Kamakura , Kanagawa
- Open:
- [Monday, Wednesday-Sunday, National Holidays, Day before Holidays] Lunch 0:00 pm - 3:30 pm / Dinner 5:30 pm - 10:00 pm
- Closed:
- Tuesday, Dinner on First Monday
A touch of spring
A touch of spring
The 7,200 JPY dinner course includes appetizers, a seafood dish, a meat dish and a dessert of your choice. The 9,300 JPY Chef's Special course includes amuse, two appetizers, soup, a main fish dish, Granité, a meat dish and Mignardise (sweets).
Guests feel at home in the renovated 50-year-old residence in a quiet neighborhood of Kamakura. The service and cuisine are first-class.
An elegant appetizer of Hokkaido scallop poêlé and French white asparagus.
Red bigeye poêlé bouillabaisse with Kumamotoclams and New Caledonia paradise prawn.
The large Japanese garden is graced by well cared for deciduous trees, evergreens, rhododendrons and shrubs.
Wine is carefully selected by the sommelier from a cellar of 270 French, Italian, Californian and other fine wines.
French elegance and comfort
"Many restaurants in Tokyo care only about taste. But I wanted to give guests a special reason to visit," says owner Makoto Sato, who clearly succeeded in his quest. Far from the hustle and bustle of the urban crowds, Restaurant Pleins d'Herbes Kitakamakura feels like a breath of fresh air.
It wasn't easy finding a location that would fulfill Sato's vision. After spending one and a half years searching resolutely for the perfect locale, he finally found a home far away from tourist sites in the quiet residential area of Kajiwara less than a 30-minute walk from Kitakamakura Station.
The dining area is large and tables are pleasantly arranged with plenty of space between. Diners enjoy a panoramic view of a Japanese garden full of plants and trees that change colors with the seasons. Sato says he strives to make every guest feel special as if visiting his home. And the bold yet sensitively prepared traditional French cuisine, whether lunch or dinner course, is truly worth relishing. It's a luxurious dining experience unlike any found among the many restaurants in picturesque Kamakura.
For inquiries: 0467-47-4567
- Address:
- 3-32-11, Kajiwara, Kamakura , Kanagawa
- Open:
- [Monday, Wednesday-Sunday, National Holidays, Day before Holidays] Lunch 0:00 pm - 3:30 pm / Dinner 5:30 pm - 10:00 pm
- Closed:
- Tuesday, Dinner on First Monday
*Articles are written based on information available at the time of publication.
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