Yoridocoro is a cute Kamakura cafe known for its location beside the Enoden tracks, and its traditional Japanese breakfast fare with picture-perfect fluffy egg rice.

A few years ago I came across photos from one rather unique cafe along the Enoden (Enoshima Electric Railway) route via an Instagram photo contest, and I immediately added it to my “go-to-soon” list. However, the cafe didn’t quite match the image I had cultivated in my head of Kamakura. I don’t know whether it’s the nostalgia of Slam Dunk (set in Kamakura), or the influence of Kamakura’s spectacular yearly hydrangea bloom, but I’ve always seen the city through rose tinted glasses – or perhaps I’ve seen it through some romantic photo filters thanks to Instagram. It felt a little funny making this unusual cafe my destination in Kamakura, since I wasn’t heading there for pretty drinks or cakes, but for a simple, traditional Japanese breakfast with dry-cured fish and Japan’s classic TKG (AKA tamago-kake gohan, AKA raw egg on rice). And yet here I was, excited for a hearty breakfast at Yoridocoro.

Yoridocoro (ヨリドコロ) can be found at Inamuragasaki Station on the Enoden train line, located inside a beautiful old Japanese house. And when I say it’s on the Enoden route, I really mean it, with the trains passing so close outside the window that it almost feels like you could reach out and touch them. (Pro tip: don’t even try, that’s dangerous.) The cafe has earned a reputation among travelers looking for a totally unique Kamakura experience, where you can appreciate the city and its picturesque electric railway.

Offering locals and travelers alike a chance to experience “everyday Kamakura” for themselves, the menu at Yoridocoro is mostly focused on simple salted fish caught off the coast. The meal sets are classic Japanese cuisine, and even the accompanying bowls of TKG positively radiate Japanese nostalgia. Of course, for foreign travelers the whole meal will probably feel a little less nostalgic and a little more novel, while Japanese locals might be surprised to see just how Yoridocoro recommends you eat your simple TKG.

The cafe opens at seven in the morning and closes at six in the evening, and when I finally made it over and arrived early on a weekday, there was already a line trailing out the door. Even in winter, the outdoor seats are popular, since everyone wants to experience the Enoden up close!

The famous breakfast set at Enoden is limited to 50 servings a day, but I managed to order one despite the crowds. The sets come with either salted horse mackerel (aji/あじ), salted mackerel (saba/さば), or a combination of both – which is what I got. This combo set actually has a pretty punny name, because it’s called the “Asa Meal,” which not only combines the first syllable of both fish (aji and saba), but also literally means “morning” (asa/朝) in Japanese!

Before the morning set is officially served, you actually prepare the TKG yourself! Cafe staff bring you your egg, some small dishes, and a miniature whisk, and set you to work. Don’t worry if you don’t really know what you’re doing – Yoridocoro has cute and clear instructions on the table, telling you exactly how to separate the yolk from the white, and then beat the egg whites into fluffy perfection for your TKG.

It’s not unusual for diners to prepare their own TKG. Whether you’re at home or in a Japanese hotel breakfast buffet, TKG is usually made by cracking an egg right onto your bowl of steaming hot rice at the table, and then vigorously stirring it all up before eating it with a dash of soy sauce. Yoridocoro’s unique TKG really stands out from the crowd thanks to the unusual method of preparation, which leaves you with TKG that looks more like a piece of cloud pulled from the sky, or perhaps the white crests that top each of the waves on the beach nearby. If nothing else, this TKG is cute.

Once you’re done whipping up your eggs, staff will bring over the rest of your meal, from the salted fish to the miso soup, and you can spread the fluffy egg whites atop the bowl of rice before carefully plopping down the yolk like a big cherry on top. Bon appetit!

Before you dig in, of course we recommend grabbing some great photos of the food and the passing Enoden train cars. You have to let the camera eat first! My model for the day was Yui (U1), who is a pro at posing with food (and eating on camera) thanks to all the practice she gets on her YouTube channel and Instagram.

If you think beating your own eggs to create a picture-perfect bowl of TKG sounds like a lot of work, then all I can tell you is that nothing tastes as good as food you worked hard for! Between the cute TKG, the delicious traditionally salted fish, and the Enoden as it passes back and next to the cafe – I think this is what you call a Kamakura morning. It’s the perfect way to enjoy Kamakura’s retro vibe, the laidback seaside atmosphere and salty breeze of the Shonan coast, and the iconic Enoden.

Anyone who’s already adding Yoridocoro to their Kamakura checklist will be happy to hear that they now have two cafes! The second location near Yuigahama Station uses the same entry system as the first (no reservations, you just have to wait in line), but it does have more seats! Unfortunately, it’s not directly next to the train tracks like their first location, so you’ll just have to settle for the cute cafe atmosphere instead.

Before your next trip to Kamakura, don’t forget to check out all of our other recommendations in the area! The Kamakura area is known for beautiful flowers, beautiful shrines like this one tucked away in the forest, great swimming at the beaches, unique fish dishes, a jellyfish-focused aquarium, and much more!