It's a tiny island at the tip of a sandbar that juts out to sea from a long sandy beach. It is known for its superb view of the sea of Shonan and Mt. Fuji.
Enoshima is a land-tied island connected to the mainland by a bridge and can be crossed freely on foot 24 hours a day (cars are not allowed to enter between 22:00 and 5:00). The parallel roadway section is called "Enoshima Ohashi," and the sidewalk is called "Enoshima Benten Bridge".
The town is located around "Enoshima Benzaiten Nakamise Street," the approach to Enoshima Shrine, which is located on the island and has many souvenir stores and restaurants, as well as residences of residents.
In the Edo period (1603-1868), Shonan was very popular as a place for scenic sightseeing and pilgrimage. With the construction of the yachting venue for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, the image of Shonan as a place for marine sports became widespread. It is also the venue for the sailing competition at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in 2021.
There are many places to visit, such as the Enoshima Sea Candle, a lighthouse on a hill that has become a symbol of the island, the Enoshima Samuel Cocking Garden, a botanical garden named after a British trader from the Meiji era, and the Enoshima Iwaya caves, a cave formed by wave erosion with a shrine inside that is said to be the birthplace of Enoshima Shrine.
Photo: Fujisawa City Tourism Association
Highlights
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The name of many facilities, bridges, and Shonan Monorail stations are written as "江の島," post offices, Odakyu Line and Enoden stations are written as "江ノ島," and shrines are written as "江島." Of course, they are all read as "Enoshima," meaning the same island Enoshima.
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Enoshima Benzaiten Nakamise Street has many stores where you can eat seafood from Shonan, also have fun choosing snacks sold at the stores.
