Finding a bit of California in Japan’s Kamakura

I meander through the quiet streets, along a picturesque canal and across the railway track served by trains from Tokyo.

As I leave the beach, I spot Seedless, a local landmark that bills itself as a ‘California-style’ bar and restaurant. Inside, the décor is part beach hut, part Americana shrine, with vintage Pepsi and Miller beer signs hanging alongside a huge Rocky and Bullwinkle cutout.

The menu encompasses burgers, pizzas and Tex-Mex, along with one local addition – a “Japanese-style salad” with seafood, including baby sardines.

Seedless is unusual in its culinary offerings as clean eating has well and truly arrived in Kamakura.

There’s a seemingly endless supply of organic and vegan outlets – from Magokoro with its ocean views and hemp-heavy menu, to Sasuke, a smart greengrocer and deli that whizzes up that most Californian of things, green juice.

Meanwhile, hidden away in a small, unassuming shopping centre near the train station, Hal Cafe 229 focuses on vegan, gluten-free and macrobiotic desserts (think soy yoghurt parfait and kabocha squash ice cream with red beans), while hiding in a residential part of town, Biotecca uses locally-grown produce for the Italian dishes it serves alongside biodynamic wine.

On my way back, I stopped at Dandelion Chocolate, a genuine Californian export just next to the train station.

I order a hot chocolate from one of the hipster staff. It isn’t cheap but it is the best I’ve ever tasted – incredibly rich and creamy. I’ll take it over green juice any day. – Nicola