Enoshima Island

Enoshima Island was recommended to my sister-in-law from friends who said people who live in Japan, take mini vacations here to get out of the city. I can see why.

It was about a one hour train ride out of Ueno/Tokyo area and then about a 40 minute ride through the town, and finally a very nice walk down a charming street with small shops and restaurants, then across this bridge to the island.

We had to stop at the beach along the way so the kids could look for “treasures.” This was a great day to let the kids stretch their legs and just be outdoors.

There were many little shops and small restaurants all serving fresh seafood and little fish, their specialty. Many steps led up to a temple, statues, gardens, and much to see. It’s a lot of walking, but the weather was nice and cool and there were refreshing treats like cold cucumbers along the way.

We also walked to a fishing area where we watched men on the shore and explored the few tide pools. It reminded us of home in Hawai`i.

Finally, there were two caves at the very end and a small fee to enter. The caves were cool, didn’t feel too tight or too long, and candles were provided in the area it got dark. Something neat and different for the kids to see.

But the highlight for us all, was probably when Chris and I relaxed to enjoy a very delicious soft serve cone together on a bench, when suddenly, a shadow came over us, the cone was knocked out of our hands, and the feathers of the wingspan of a HAWK touched the top of our heads! For real! A hawk swooped down and got a taste of our cone! I could hardly believe it! After that, we spent a good amount of time just watching the hawks circle and look for more snacks to snatch from people!

erin’s tip:

Watch out for those hawks. Those warning signs are there for a reason! But don’t let that stop you from getting out in nature and taking a trip out of the city!