Kanagawa packs more variety into its territory than almost any other prefecture in Japan. Within 60km of central Tokyo you have Yokohama — Japan's second-largest city, a cosmopolitan port with 150 years of international trade history, a Chinatown that is genuinely Chinese, and hillside neighbourhoods where 19th-century Western mansions still stand above the harbour. You have Kamakura — a small, historically dense city that was Japan's medieval capital, where ancient temples sit in steep valleys between the sea and the hills and a 13-metre Buddha gazes across a rice field. And you have the Shonan coast — Zushi, Hayama, Chigasaki, Enoshima — Japan's most cultured beach strip, where architecture, surfing, sailing, and fresh seafood coexist with genuine style.
Getting There
Rail connectivity to Tokyo is exceptional throughout. The Tokyu Toyoko Line connects Yokohama to Shibuya in 25 minutes. The Yokosuka Line connects Kamakura to Tokyo in 55 minutes. The Shonan-Shinjuku Line reaches Fujisawa from Shinjuku in 55 minutes. Yokohama Station itself is a Shinkansen interchange for the Tokaido route. International access: Haneda Airport is 20 minutes from Yokohama; Narita is reachable in 90 minutes. Kanagawa also contains Yokohama's own port — the largest in Japan — and Sagami Bay for ferry connections to Izu Oshima and beyond.
Daily Life
Yokohama's identity as an international city is older and more genuine than most Japanese cities' international branding. The Minato Mirai 21 waterfront development, the Yokohama Museum of Art, and the annual Yokohama Triennale art festival sit alongside a functioning Chinatown (the largest in Japan and genuinely used, not touristic), the Sankeien Garden, and a foreign cemetery where early European residents of the port are buried in a peaceful hillside above the bay.
Festivals & Culture
Kamakura's festivals include the Hachimangu autumn festival (September) — horseback archery (yabusame) on the main approach to the shrine, one of Japan's most photographed ritual events. The Shonan coast has its own summer festival circuit, beach events, and a long-running surf culture that has produced professional surfers.
Buying Property Here
For property buyers, Kanagawa offers a hierarchy of options. Hillside Yokohama (Yamate, Nishi-ku) runs ¥15M–¥35M for family houses. Suburban Yokohama drops to ¥8M–¥18M. Kamakura proper is ¥20M–¥60M+ in most areas. Shonan coast towns — Zushi, Hayama, Chigasaki — range from ¥8M beachside fixer-uppers to ¥40M+ for well-positioned properties. The prefecture has strong international school provision, established foreign-resident networks, and English-language services that make it among the most accessible in Japan for buyers relocating from abroad.
Seven Eleven - 1 min walk
