- Kawasaki's best-known event is the Kanamara Matsuri (金まら祭り), also known as the Iron Penis Festival, held on the first Sunday in April. Penis-laden temple floats (o-mikoshi) are paraded down the streets of Kawasaki and everybody gets sloshed. The festival has been to some extent hijacked by foreign tourists and Tokyo's transgender ("new half") community, who often make up half the audience, but as you can imagine the people running the show aren't terribly uptight and nobody seems to mind. Penis (o-chinko) and newer addition vagina (o-manko) boiled candy popsicles are on sale. The manko ones in particular tend to be produced in smaller quantities and sell out early in the morning, the chinko typically selling out before midday. For a souvenir to take home, pick up as traditionally dyed cloth as a headscarf... with penis insignias on it.
- Ride the World's Shortest Escalator, located in the basement of the More's shopping complex near Kawasaki station. 1 More's is the small, thin, dirty looking one just to the south of the two stations, over the road with the entire ground floor one games arcade. Pop down the escalator and find the lowest entrance to the underground car park and there you have it. The actual act of riding it takes 8 seconds so you can easily sandwich this into a day trip somewhere else. The legend varies considerably as to just why this thing exists, especially considering it is placed between two sets of stairs making it pointless even for the disabled. The popular version states that they simply ran out of cash and ceased construction after the 5 metallic steps were made. Local drunks may tell you tales of a child dying there. Perhaps more plausible is that they simply messed up the measurements? You decide. (In fact, it was an engineer's mistake: he found there was a structural beam in the way only after the first section had been installed. Now the city's official site has a page on the "petitcalator under the section "Modern Industrial Cultural Properties".)
- Tour the Kawasaki Industrial Zone at night. Located on a bunch of man made islands and split up by a network of canals and bridges, the combination of smoke, piping and lighting makes it quite spectacular and a big drawcard for local photographers. The easiest way is to get there promptly is simply take the Keikyu Daishi train to the end, walk south and then find one of the east-trending roads leading on to one of the larger islands. There's a lot of long dead-ends that don't quite reach the islands so print off an aerial photo or map from Google Earth or Yahoo! Maps beforehand. The more luxurious way is a nighttime boat cruise or Hato bus tour: the latest unusual craze for Japanese domestic tourists in 2010.
- Kawasaki Racecourse (川崎競馬場) (5 min walk from Keikyu Minatomachi station; 12min from Kawasaki station). One of the most accessible racecourses in Japan. Meeting on weekdays, including night races (March to December). Has a modest English website. \100. (updated Feb 2024)
Kawasaki travel guide
Plan a trip to Kawasaki, Japan — things to do, where to stay, food, transport, and local tips. Start with Kawasaki Daishi, Wakamiya Hachiman-gū Shrine, Japan Open-air Folk House Museum.
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Stays in Kawasaki
Hotellook
Compare hotels and apartments in Kawasaki — neighbourhood vibe, price, and walkability in one search.
- Stay near a metro line if you plan museum-hopping days.
- Read recent reviews for noise — central streets can be loud at night.
- Flexible cancellation helps when flight times shift.
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Flights in Kawasaki
Aviasales
Find flights into Kawasaki and compare fares across airlines in one place.
- Compare nearby airports — sometimes a short train ride beats a pricey hub.
- Midweek departures are often cheaper than Friday/Sunday peaks.
- Set a flexible ±3 day search when your dates can move.
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Experiences in Kawasaki
Klook
Tours, food walks, day trips and city activities around Kawasaki — book ahead and skip the guesswork.
- Book popular tours early in peak season — small-group slots go first.
- Day trips often include hotel pickup; check the meeting point.
- Look for free-cancellation options if the weather looks unstable.
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Tickets in Kawasaki
Tiqets
Skip lines and grab attraction tickets for Kawasaki — museums, landmarks, and city passes.
- Book popular museums and towers ahead — timed slots sell out on weekends.
- Mobile tickets are usually scanned at the gate; keep offline screenshots as backup.
- Combo passes can be cheaper when you plan 2–3 big sights in one day.
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Transfers in Kawasaki
Kiwitaxi
Private airport and city transfers for Kawasaki — fixed price, driver waiting for you.
- Pre-book airport transfers when landing late or with heavy luggage.
- Meet-and-greet at arrivals beats hunting taxis after a long flight.
- Confirm child seats / extra stops when you reserve.
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Cars in Kawasaki
GetRentacar
Rent a car around Kawasaki for day trips and countryside — flexible pickup options.
- Compare full-to-full fuel policies — they save hassle at return.
- Check congestion / limited-traffic zones before driving into historic centres.
- Book early for weekends and holidays; automatic cars go first.
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eSIM in Kawasaki
Yesim
Travel eSIM data for visiting Kawasaki — online as soon as you land, no kiosk queues.
- Install the eSIM before you fly; activate on landing.
- Confirm your phone is unlocked and eSIM-compatible.
- Keep a small local SIM as backup if you need a local number for calls.