Shonan no Hoseki (湘南の宝石)

What Is Shonan no Hoseki?

Shonan no Hoseki (湘南の宝石), meaning “Jewel of Shonan,” is a winter illumination centered on the Enoshima Sea Candle (江の島シーキャンドル), an observation lighthouse at the top of Enoshima Island (江の島), and the Enoshima Samuel Cocking Garden (江の島サムエル・コッキング苑) at its foot. The lights spread across the island and along Katase Beach (片瀬海岸). It is organized by the Shonan Fujisawa Revitalization Consortium (湘南藤沢活性化コンソーシアム), whose members include Fujisawa City (藤沢市), the Fujisawa Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Fujisawa City Tourist Association and Enoshima Electric Railway. The event has been held every winter for more than 25 years. It has been named one of the “Three Major Illuminations of Kanto” and a “Japan Night View Heritage” site, and in 2025 it was certified as one of the “Three Major Illuminations of Japan.”

Dates, Hours and Admission

The illumination runs every year from early December to the end of February, and in some years it begins in late November. The lights usually come on at 17:00 and stay on until 20:00 on weekdays and over the New Year holidays (December 31 to January 3), and until 21:00 on Saturdays, Sundays, national holidays and from just before Christmas to the end of the year. From mid-January, the lights come on at 17:30. Last entry is 30 minutes before closing for the Samuel Cocking Garden and 15 minutes before closing for the Sea Candle. The event is scheduled to go ahead on rainy days, but parts of it may change or be cancelled depending on the weather.

Entry to the Samuel Cocking Garden is free until 17:00. From 17:00, a night fee of 500 yen for adults and 250 yen for elementary school students applies, even if you entered before 17:00 and are still in the garden. Going up the Sea Candle costs an additional 800 yen for adults and 400 yen for elementary school students. The Enoshima Escar (江の島エスカー), a set of outdoor escalators up to the summit, costs 500 yen for adults and 250 yen for elementary school students for all three sections. Set tickets that combine the Sea Candle, night entry to the garden and the Escar are available, including online in advance.

Highlights: A Canopy of Light from the Tower

The main highlight is the “Great Space of Light,” formed by countless strings of light hung from the top of the Sea Candle in every direction. This cone-shaped canopy of light is more than 70 meters across, and on clear days it lines up with the silhouette of Mt. Fuji (富士山) against the evening sky. The ground around the tower is covered with violet, pink and blue points of light, like a carpet of light.

At the garden entrance, a tunnel covered up to the ceiling with points of light leads to a large chandelier, and around Christmas and Valentine’s Day it changes to special colors. Light sculptures by the installation art group MIRRORBOWLER, shaped like jewels and jellyfish, are placed among the lights, and the works change every year. From the observation deck of the Sea Candle, you can see the illumination below and the night view of Shonan at the same time. Outside the garden, the approach to Enoshima Shrine (江島神社), the plaza at Nakatsunomiya (中津宮) and the path to the Ryuren Bell (龍恋の鐘) are also lit, so you can enjoy them on the way up to the summit.

Visitor Notes

If you arrive before sunset, you can watch the lights come on as the Shonan evening sky turns into a night view. From mid-January the lights come on at 17:30, so arriving too early means waiting in the cold. On busy days, numbered tickets are handed out for going up the Sea Candle, and you spend the time in the garden until your turn comes. According to visitors’ accounts, the wait was about 50 minutes to an hour.

The Enoshima Escar runs upward only and operates until around 19:00. On the way back, you walk down stairs and slopes. Strollers cannot be taken on the Escar, so fold them or leave them at the boarding area. The cafes in the garden take last orders around 19:00. The summit is exposed to the sea wind and gets very cold on windy days, so dress warmly. Photography is allowed, and the entrance tunnel gets especially crowded. Pets can enter if they are fully inside a bag, cage or cart.

Access: Visiting During a Stay at Toshi’s Place

The garden is about a 20-minute walk from Katase-Enoshima Station (片瀬江ノ島駅) on the Odakyu Line (小田急線), about 25 minutes from Enoshima Station (江ノ島駅) on the Enoden (江ノ電), and about 26 minutes from Shonan-Enoshima Station (湘南江の島駅) on the Shonan Monorail (湘南モノレール). Cross Benten Bridge (弁天橋), walk up the Nakamise shopping street (仲見世通り) and take the Escar to the left of the red torii gate of Enoshima Shrine. Inside the Escar, videos of the deep sea and of Enoshima seen from the sea are projected on the walls. There is no dedicated parking, and the parking lots on the island tend to fill up in the evening, so coming by train is recommended. Staying at Toshi’s Place (トシズプレイス), fully unmanned smart hotels with kitchens for self-catering stays, lets you explore Kamakura (鎌倉) during the day, then take the Enoden to Enoshima before sunset and enjoy the evening sky and the lights at your own pace.

Wrap-Up

Shonan no Hoseki is Enoshima’s winter illumination, where the lights meet the moment the Shonan evening sky turns into night. For Enoshima Shrine and other sights on the island, see Enoshima Island.

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