Kamakura: What the names refer to | LoreMania
The word “Kamakura” can mean different things depending on context — an administrative name, a traffic scheme, or an international certification. This page looks at two such “system names”: park-and-ride and Blue Flag.
Park-and-ride is the name of a traffic system Kamakura City promotes to ease tourist congestion; Blue Flag is the name of an international beach certification run by an NGO. Neither is a place name in itself, but both are essential vocabulary for talking about Kamakura.
Each entry links to a primary source from Kamakura City. Check the source to see exactly who certifies or operates what.
What the names refer to: names to know first
First comes park-and-ride, a scheme where drivers park in outlying lots and switch to trains or buses — Kamakura City promotes it during peak tourist congestion.
Park-and-ride
Park-and-ride describes a system where drivers leave their cars in an outlying lot and switch to public transit or a bus to reach the city center. Kamakura City sets up parking around Ofuna Station during peak congestion periods like Golden Week and the autumn foliage season, encouraging visitors to use park-and-ride and transfer to JR or Enoden trains for the final stretch into town.
Source:鎌倉市「鎌倉の魅力」
What the names refer to: connections used in the quiz
The other key term is Blue Flag, an international beach certification run by FEE. Yuigahama Beach became Asia's first Blue Flag beach in 2016 and has renewed it annually.
Blue Flag
Blue Flag is an international certification, run by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), awarded to beaches and marinas that meet strict standards for water quality, safety management, and environmental education. Yuigahama Beach became the first Blue Flag beach in Asia in 2016 and has renewed the certification every year since.
Source:鎌倉市「鎌倉市内の史跡・名勝・天然記念物」
FAQ
When is park-and-ride used in Kamakura?
Kamakura City promotes it during peak congestion periods such as Golden Week and the autumn foliage season, directing drivers to park near Ofuna Station and transfer to JR or Enoden trains.
Which Kamakura beach first earned Blue Flag certification?
Yuigahama Beach, which became the first Blue Flag-certified beach in Asia in 2016.