The Shonan Monorail is a suspended monorail that runs between Ofuna Station in Kamakura and Shonan Enoshima Station in Fujisawa. First opened in 1970, it was Japan’s first suspended monorail.
The Shonan Monorail at Ofuna Station
The Shonan Monorail is used by tourists traveling from Tokyo or Yokohama to access the Enoshima coastal resort area in Fujisawa. It provides an alternative route to Odakyu Electric Railway services, which run from Tokyo’s Shinjuku Station to the Enoshima area.
A Shonan Monorail train at Ofuna Station
Tourists traveling from Tokyo Station can get to Shonan Monorail’s Ofuna Station via the JR Tokaido Main line in 45 minutes, and if they are traveling from Yokohama Station they can get there in 15 minutes. From Ofuna Station they can then travel on to Enoshima in just 14 minutes.
Inside a Shonan Monorail train car
Key Destinations
There are eight stations on the Shonan Monorail:
Ofuna > Fujimicho > Shonan-Machiya > Shonan-Fukasawa > Nishi-Kamakura > Kataseyama > Mejiroyamashita > Shonan Enoshima
Example fares and journey times are given below from Ofuna Station.
The entrance to Ofuna Station
Ofuna Station
Just 5 minutes on foot from this station is Ofuna Kannon Temple which is famous for its 25-meter-high statue of Kannon, the goddess of mercy. Josenji Temple and the Taya Caves are a 14 minute bus ride from Ofuna Station. The monks of Josenji dug the meditation caves into a limestone hill and decorated their interiors with Buddhist carvings.
This station is directly connected to JR Ofuna Station. Transfers can be made there to the following JR lines: the Tokaido Main Line, the Yokosuka Line, the Negishi Line, and the Yokohama Line as well as the Narita Express.
Fujimicho Station
Ofuna Botanical Gardens are a 13-minute walk from Fujimicho Station. The gardens contain around 3,000 different varieties of plants, and are particularly well-known for their peonies, irises, roses, and azaleas.
Train fare: 180 yen
Train time: 2 minutes
Nishi-Kamakura Station
Hiromachi Ryokuchi Park is a 10-minute walk from this station. This is a forested area of 48 hectares, which includes a walking trail and hills from which there are fine views over Sagami Bay, and beyond that Mount Fuji.
Train fare: 270 yen
Train time: 9 minutes
Mejiroyamashita Station
Art Gallery Mejiroyama is a 4-minute walk from this station. This gallery has fresh exhibitions every month, a weekend cafe, and also hosts occasional musical performances.
Train fare: 320 yen
Train time: 13 minutes
Shonan Enoshima Station
Exit here for the island of Enoshima. This small island’s many attractions, include Nakamise-dori shopping street; Enoshima Shrine, which is spread across three locations on the island; the Iwaya Caves, Samuel Cocking Garden and the Enoshima Sea Candle, which is an observation tower offering scenic views over the coastline. To get to the island from the station, walk south for 13 minutes. The island is on the other side of a bridge that takes about 3 minutes to cross.
Shonan Enoshima Station
There are two long, sandy beaches on the mainland facing the island of Enoshima, which are easy to reach from Shonan Enoshima Station. Katase Higashihama Beach is on the east side of the Sakai River, and Katase Nishihama Beach is on the west side. Enoshima Aquarium overlooks Katase Nishihama Beach. Further west along the coast and divided from Katase Nishihama Beach by the Hikichi River is Kugenuma Beach.
Enoshima Station on the Enoshima Electric Railway (also called “Enoden”) is a one-minute walk to the south of Shonan Enoshima Station. This local railway line is useful for visiting the top tourist attractions in Kamakura.
Katase-Enoshima Station on the Odakyu Enoshima Line is a 9 minute walk to the south of Shonan Enoshima Station and across the Sakai River. Services from Katase-Enoshima Station run as far as Shinjuku Station in Tokyo, so this station is also often used by day trippers from the city.
Train fare: 320 yen
Train time: 14 minutes
Shonan Enoshima Station has a rooftop terrace
Tickets
Shonan Monorail is operated by a private company, so the Japan Rail Pass (JR Pass) cannot be used on this line.
Ofuna Station with a staff counter on the right and ticket machines on the left
Ticket machines at Shonan Monorail Stations are operated by touch screens, are easy to use, and have an English language option. Destinations and fares are shown on a fare table above the machines. These ticket machines take only cash.
The ticket machines at Shonan Enoshima Station
Credit cards cannot be used for the ticket machines. However, some credit cards and debit cards can be used directly at the ticket gates for touch payments. The ticket gates can take payments from cards such as VISA, Mastercard, UnionPay, Diners Club International, and American Express.
The ticket gates at Shonan Enoshima Station
Digital Tickets using QR codes that can be read at the ticket gates can also be bought in advance from the Shonan Monorail website.
Prepaid IC cards can also be used on the Shonan Monorail.
Child fares for children aged 11 and younger are half price.
Discount Ticket
The One Day Free Ticket is a discount pass that allows for one day of unlimited rides on the Shonan Monorail. This ticket also includes special offers and discounts at various restaurants, shops and attractions along the railway’s route. The ticket costs 610 yen for adults and 310 yen for children aged 11 or younger. The One Day Free Ticket can be bought at any Shonan Monorail station or purchased in advance from the official Shonan Monorail website.
Article by Michael Lambe. Photos by Angkana Unthaya. All rights reserved. Last updated 19-Nov-2025.
