The Kawasaki industrial site at night 川崎の工場夜景
Factory under the stars
Kawasaki is an industrial city in Kanagawa Prefecture. Its industrial site takes on an otherworldly appearance at night, attracting casual visitors and photo enthusiasts.
High chimneys spewing smoke, sprawling pipes, and huge tanks silhouetted against a midnight blue sky lit up with multicolored lights give the industrial sites a phantasmagorical appearance. Since the 2010s, they have given rise to a new form of tourism in Japan, industrial tourism, "kojo yakei " (literally "night view of factories"), which attracts photography enthusiasts but also couples in love!
See also: Outings for couples.
The Kawasaki City Industrial Site is part of the vast Keihin Industrial Area, Keihin Kogyo, which stretches around Tokyo Bay to Kanagawa Prefecture. It is one of Japan's most famous industrial sites. Bus tours or night cruises make it easy to discover.
The Kawasaki Industrial Zone covers almost 5 million km 2 on seven artificial islands linked together by bridges and canals. Due to its proximity to Haneda Airport, the height of the facilities is limited, allowing for a comprehensive view of the brightly lit panorama.
Two possibilities of a visit are offered: cruises or bus tours.
Cruises
They allow you to sneak through the islands and get closer to the sites. You can admire the various installations reflecting on the sea.
- From Kawasaki:
Kawasaki City Factory Zone Night time Pleasure Boat Cruise
Every Saturday from June to November. Second and fourth Saturdays from December to May.
Meet in front of the "Kawasaki Nikko Hotel" located at the east exit of JR Kawasaki Station.
Departure at :
- 6:30 pm (March-September)
- 5:30 pm (October-February)
Price: 4,000 yen ($35/30 €) - children: 3,000 yen ($25/20€)
- From Yokohama:
Factory Night View Jungle Cruise
This cruise is by reservation only.
Every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday (check their website for departure days and times, these vary according to the seasons).
Departure from "Pier Akarenga Sanbashi" in Aka-renga Sôkô
Price: 4,600 yen ($40/35€) - children: 2,300 yen ($20/16€)
Such. : 045-290-8377
Bus tours
Hato Bus buses offer a tour from Tokyo with dinner in Kawasaki's Koreatown and a guided tour of the industrial area. Return via Odaiba.
Price: 6,980 yen ($57.50/52.50€) - children: 5,480 yen ($45/40€)
Nighttime Factory Zone Bus Tour
Departs from JR Tokyo Station, "Marunouchi South Exit" every Saturday at 4:20 pm (returns at 9:30 pm).
Walk
It is possible to discover the site by yourself, but it is not easy. In addition, the trains are very few in the evening and almost non-existent on weekends.
From Tokyo station, take the Keihin-Tohoku line to Tsurumi station (about half an hour). From there, the Tsurumi line splits into three separate branches that serve the islands. Therefore, it is always necessary to return to the starting point to have access to the various islands in cul-de-sacs.
Things to do in Kawasaki: The Nihon Minkaen
Factory chimneys at night, Kawasaki-shi,_Kanagawa-ken
河田鷹介
