Kawasaki, everyone’s heard the name. Right up there with Honda and Yamaha. That’s right, Kawasaki is a popular brand of motorcycle. But did you know there is a town in Japan with the same name? In fact, Kawasaki is Japan’s eighth most populous city. Being so close to Tokyo and just south of Haneda Airport, there are many tourist attractions in Kawasaki that are worth checking out. So whether you have a long layover or looking for a quick get away, Kawasaki is a great place to visit!
Getting to Kawasaki from Haneda Airport
I highly recommend downloading the Japan Travel App, you can read about it more in my Japan Travel Recommendations post. From Haneda Airport, take the Airport Express on the Keikyu Line to Kawasaki Station. It can take anywhere from 15 to 40 minutes depending on the terminal.
Recommended Tourist Attractions in Kawasaki
Being Japan’s eighth most populous city, Kawasaki is a huge city and there is quite a bit going on. In reality, we could have stayed in Kawasaki over night and spent at least two solid days exploring this city. Being somewhat tired after flying from Hawaii and needing to catch a later flight back to Okinawa, we only had a half day to wander around Kawasaki. Even though time was limited, we managed to see a lot of what this city had to offer. If you have a layover in Haneda or need to kill some time, below are a few of the tourist attractions in Kawasaki that we sought out and really enjoyed!
Visit the unique Wamiya Hachimangu Shrine
I am a fan of finding weird and unusual attractions wherever I go. Like in the town Inuyama while visiting Nagoya, we found another fertility shrine while on the way to Kawasaki Daishi. Wamiya Hachimangu Shrine was much smaller but we still got a kick out of it. There were a few penis statues on the grounds, most notable was the iron phallus. I like to share and talk about everything we see and do, so below are two photos of the penis statues we saw on the grounds of the shrine.
Don’t Miss Kawasaki Daishi, a Buddhist Temple founded in 1128
The main reason for our visit to Kawasaki was a stop at Kawasaki Daishi. Like the Wamiya Hachimangu Shrine, this temple can be reached by taking he Keikyudaishi Line from Keikyu-Kawasaki to Kawasaki daishi. This train ride was very brief, about 5 minutes.
Kawasaki Daishi is a huge temple complex with large buildings and a beautiful five storied pagoda that has eight sides.
This Temple complex was founded in 1128 and is the headquarters for the Chizan School of Shingon Buddhism.
Prior to visiting the Temple complex, there is a street called Kawasaki Daishi Nakamise-Dori leading up to the main gate that is full of souvenir shops. Daruma Dolls were a very popular items amongst the shops. These are traditional good luck dolls used to set goals. The doll is kind of a weird shape, but are traditionally red with a white face. The eyes are unpainted. You paint in the eyes once a goal has been met.
Take a Stroll through Daishi Park and Visit Shinshuen Garden
A short walk from Kawasaki Daishi is Daishi Park and Shinshuen Garden. Daishi Park is a large neighborhood park with open spaces, playgrounds, and sport fields. The real tourist attraction with the park is the Shinshuen Garden.
Shinshuen Garden is a Chinese themed garden and the best aspect of the garden is that it is a free attraction. The gardens are open from 9:00 to 16:00 every day except Monday’s.
Ride the Tiny Escalator at More’s Department Store
That wraps up the attractions near Kawasaki Daishi. We took the train back to Keikyu-Kawasaki Station with a goal in mind to find the world’s shortest escalator.
Just outside of Kawasaki Station is a department store names More’s. The escalator can be found on the bottom floor of the department store. The escalator is in fact, listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the shortest escalator. It’s only 5 steps and nobody really knows or even understands its purpose. If you do get lazy and decide to take the short escalator instead of the stairs, it takes a whopping 3-5 seconds.
Now I can say I’ve been on the world’s shortest escalator in Kawasaki, Japan and have taken the world’s longest outdoor escalator system in Hong Kong.
Be a Kid Again at the Toshiba Science Museum and Learn about the Company’s History
Another Free tourist attraction in Kawasaki was the Toshiba Science Museum. The day we went, reservations were required. Thankfully for us, it wasn’t busy so the staff let us in. I don’t know if reservations are required because of Covid or if reservations are always required, but it’s worth looking in to.
I must say, this museum is not a must do, it was on one floor, pretty small, and mainly for children. But there was a large room with exhibits showing the history of Toshiba and their technology as it progressed. Otherwise, the museum was full of interactive exhibits geared toward kids.
Enjoy Endless Shopping at the Many yet well Connected Shopping Malls
Most cities in Japan have well connected shopping malls. These shopping malls are usually found around train stations and the downtown areas. Kawasaki had a very impressive mall. It was connected by bridges crossing over roads, with hundreds of shops and restaurants. I’m not much of a shopper, but I could imagine someone who is could potentially spend an entire day shopping around the many connect malls near Kawasaki Station.
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Plan Your Trip:
Booking Accommodations
For booking recommendations on the best deals and locations, check out Agoda or Booking.com
Activities and Tours
Find fun activities and things to do through Tripadvisor. If you are looking for tours and day trips, Viator has a lot of great options.
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