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.

KANAGWA’S TOP 10

KANAGWA 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.