Kanagawa Hotels

Bellwether national icons fly fast and furious in Kanagawa. From Lake Ashi panoramas of Mount Fuji in the Hakone area to the observation deck of Yokohama Landmark Tower, the ancient grand hall of Kawasaki Daishi to the Tanzawa Mountains, the prefecture is a seductive convergence of urban and rural.

The chief hub in Kanagawa is, without question, the prefecture capital of Yokohama. With over 3.5 million people the city is second only in Japan to Tokyo and, as such, is a vital piece in the immense National Capital puzzle.

Kanagawa’s Top 10

Kanagawa History

• Hasedera Temple – Located in Kamakura, this temple contains a wooden statue of the 11-headed goddess of mercy kannon.
• Kamakura Daibutsu – This ancient temple in Kanagawa was built in 1252 and contains the second-largest image of Buddha in Japan.
• Diplomat’s House – This historic house in Yokohama was built in 1910 and home to Uchida Sadatsuchi, a Japanese diplomat.
• Odawara Castle – Once the home of the feudal lord Hojo, you can have your picture taken in period costumes on the grounds.
• Japan Open-Air Folk House Museum – This museum contains 25 historic properties, including private homes, a boatman’s home and a Kabuki stage.

Kanagawa Art & Culture

• Kinugasa Cherry Blossom Festival – Annual festival that occurs in April in Kanagawa and features a Minyo-odori event, a sketching contest and shows.
• Enno-Ji – A temple containing the 10 judges of hell who decide the fate of souls according to the Juo concept of Taoism.
• Sugimoto-dera – The oldest temple in Kamakura, it is thought that the Empress Komei had the temple built in the 8th century.
• NYK Maritime Museum – Contains exhibits that detail the maritime history of Japan.
• Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum – A recreation of an old-fashioned 1958 town that contain Ramen-style restaurants and an exhibition explaining ramen culture and history.

Kanagawa Shopping

• Snack Stalls – Get a variety of snack-sized foods like cookies for picnics or as souvenirs.
• Landmark Tower – The tallest building in Japan is in Kanagawa.
• Motomachi Shopping Street – Once a small village, this neighbourhood in Kanagawa is now a shopping district containing many Western stores.
• Nakamise Dori Street – A street that contains 40 shops selling a variety of unique items like Daruma dolls.
• Yokohamabasi Shopping District – An outdoor street market.

Kanagawa Gay & Lesbian

• Kanagawa Rainbow Centre – A drop-in centre that provides information and help to the GLBT community.
• 10 Carat – A male-only gay bar where you can sing karaoke in Kanagawa.
• Cafe & Bar MW – A mixed bar open only at night and also during the day on Sunday for lunch.
• Kouonza – The only gay cinema in the area; it is for men only.
• Magnet Tours – A gay-owned tour operator that helps LGBT travellers plan their Japan vacation.

Kanagawa Events

Yokohama Port Anniversary Festival is a good reason to visit the city in June.

Kamakura Festival revives the samurai culture of the medieval period every April and is one of many important festivals in the old capital city.

Tanabata Festival is a colourful event in the city of Hiratsuka in July.

Odawara Hojo Godai Festival takes place at Odawara Castle in May.

Yokohama BayStars of Nippon Professional Baseball play at Yokohama Stadium.

Nissan Stadium is tops in Japan in total capacity. The stadium can hold up to 72,327 spectators and was a 2002 FIFA World Cup host.

When To Go

Kanagawa has a humid subtropical climate with four distinct seasons. Like much of Greater Tokyo, locals often exhort visitors to give summers a wide berth. With temperatures between 63°F (17°C) to 88°F (33°C), June to September can be uncomfortable in a city like Yokohama.

Winters, on the other hand, bring temperatures in the 36°F (2°C) to 54°F (12°C) range, with a wide divergence between Lake Ashi and Hakone, for example, and Kawasaki or Yokohama.

It is up to spring and fall, then, to provide the most amenable weather for travellers on the go.

Getting Around

As part of Greater Tokyo - the most populous metropolitan area in the world by far, with over 36 million people - Kanagawa is not hard to find. With Yokohama as the prefecture capital, the most popular way in is by rail from Narita and Haneda airports or Akihabara, Nippori, Shibuya, Shinagawa, Tokyo or Ueno stations. Yokohama Station is a flurry of activity, with 2 million passengers a day.

The Minato Mirai 21 line of the Yokohama Municipal Subway provides easy access to all the top tourist targets in the prefecture capital. A number of rail lines ferry visitors and commuters alike throughout Kanagawa.

Almost every city and town in the prefecture has a compact pedestrian area and a reliable bus network. Many scenic corners of Kanagawa look best from the comfort of a bicycle.