Kenchō-ji ranks first among the Five Great Zen Temples of Kamakura (the Kamakura Gozan) and is the oldest Zen training monastery in Japan. Founded in 1253, it has operated continuously ever since as a place of active monastic training. You can see monks going about their day in a way that is not common at more tourist-oriented sites.
The complex extends deep into the hillside behind the main gate, with a succession of courtyards, meditation halls, and auxiliary buildings spread across a forested slope. The main buildings date from rebuilds in the 17th–18th centuries (most of the originals burned), but the site plan and the juniper-filled front courtyard maintain the atmosphere of the original design. At the back of the complex, a path leads up the hill and eventually connects with the hiking trail network.
The temple gate (Sanmon), the main hall (Butsuden), and the lecture hall (Hattō) are all architectural landmarks. The bronze temple bell, cast in 1255, is a National Treasure.