Holiday in Kawasaki

About Kawasaki

Kawasaki is strategically located between Tokyo and Yokohama on the coast of Tokyo Bay and is much more than an industrial suburb. The city, with over 1.5 million inhabitants, combines historic temples, quirky museums, and one of Japan's most unusual festivals with a vibrant urban culture. The Kawasaki Daishi (Heiken-ji Temple) is one of the most visited Buddhist temples in the Kanto region. Founded in 1128, it attracts over 3 million visitors on New Year's Day alone, who come to pray for good fortune and protection from misfortune. The temple street (Nakamise-dori) is lined with traditional sweets and souvenir shops. The Fujiko F. Fujio Museum (Doraemon Museum) in Kawasaki-Tama is a must-visit for fans of Japanese pop culture: the museum honors the creator of Doraemon, the famous blue robot cat, with original manuscripts, interactive exhibits, and a charming rooftop garden with life-sized figures. Advance reservation is required. The Kanamara Matsuri (Festival of the Steel Phallus) in April is one of the most curious festivals in the world: giant phallus shrines are carried through the streets, and phallic-shaped sweets are sold. The festival has its origins in a Shinto shrine and is now also an important fundraising event for HIV/AIDS research. Lazona Kawasaki Plaza, right by the station, is one of the largest shopping complexes in the region with over 300 stores. Kawasaki's industrial zone offers nighttime factory view tours — the illuminated refineries and factories create a surreal, almost science-fiction-like atmosphere that is popular with photographers from around the world.