Located south of Tokyo, this industrial hub has 1.5 million residents and houses major companies like Toshiba and Panasonic. The Daishi Temple and Keihin area draw visitors.
Kawasaki sits between Tokyo and Yokohama, with unique sites like a temple where taxi drivers pray for safe driving and a museum dedicated to the beloved manga character Doraemon. You can walk through authentic 17th-century farmhouses, or take night boat tours past illuminated factory complexes where steam rises from industrial canals.
Getting to Kawasaki
Take the JR Tokaido line to reach Kawasaki in 18 minutes from Tokyo Station or 8 minutes from Yokohama Station. Local trains and buses connect to most sites from Kawasaki Station.
Industrial Nightscape Tours
Watch chemical plants and oil refineries light up the night sky along Kawasaki's waterfront. Take a boat tour through the industrial canals every Saturday night, departing from Kawasaki Station. You can also join Hato Bus guided tours leaving from Tokyo Station.
Kawasaki Daishi Temple
At Kawasaki Daishi Heikenji Temple, you'll find taxi drivers praying at a dedicated hall for traffic safety. The temple complex includes a five-story pagoda and multiple prayer halls. Visit during New Year when thousands gather for Hatsumode (first temple visit of the year).
Japan Open-Air Folk House Museum
Walk through 25 original buildings from the 17th to 19th centuries in the Ikuta Ryokuchi area. Each building was carefully moved from different regions of Japan. Watch craftspeople demonstrate traditional skills, or join seasonal events like rice planting and harvest festivals. Open 9:30-17:00, closed Mondays.
Fujiko F. Fujio Museum
See original drawings and learn about the life of Doraemon's creator at this museum. The rooftop garden café serves food based on scenes from the manga, including Doraemon's favorite dorayaki pancakes. Reserve tickets through Lawson convenience stores - the museum limits daily visitors. Open 10:00-18:00, closed Tuesdays.
Riverside Areas
Walk or cycle along the Tama River paths that stretch through the city. The northern neighborhoods have small parks and cafés, while the southern area mixes apartment buildings with waterfront parks. On clear winter mornings between December and February, look west from the riverside paths to see Mount Fuji.
![An overview of Hiroshima, Japan, and the Hiroshima Memorial Peace Park - commemorating the 1945 atomic bombing of the city - as seen from a hotel rooftop on April 11, 2016, as U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry visited the city to attend the G7 Ministerial Meetings. [State Department photo/ Public Domain] | Hiroshima in Japan](https://humbo.s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com/place-photo/5ff8b36b9a7cce494339cc9b/ldnAp_Ep6I_thumb.jpeg)
