Kashiwa travel guide

Kashiwa, Japan

By the Travel Wiki editorial team

Kashiwa

Introduction

Kashiwa is a city in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. It is a sizable place, with a population spread across many households and a density that reflects its urban character, all contained within a modest total area.

Before you go

Before you go, it helps to know where to find information once you arrive. The Kashiwa Information Center sits on the third floor of Family Kashiwa; from Kashiwa Station, take the south exit, turn left and climb one set of stairs. Staff there can provide general Kashiwa information and are described as friendly and willing to make an effort, though English speakers are only occasionally available. The center also offers thirty minutes of free computer access if you need to check or send email, and it is a good place to pick up the Tokyo listings magazine Metropolis. If you would rather prepare in advance, the local tourist association runs a multilingual guide site you can consult before your trip.

Getting there

Kashiwa is served by the JR Joban Line from Tokyo's Ueno station, with rapid services taking roughly half an hour to Kashiwa station, the city's main stop, which is served by all train types on the line. The Joban Line also calls at Minami-Kashiwa and Kita-Kashiwa. Local trains continue onto the Chiyoda Line of Tokyo Metro, and some run through to the Odakyu Line on the far side of Tokyo; because of the number of stops and routing combinations, the local service only makes sense if your starting or ending point is on the Chiyoda Line. Otherwise, take rapid or special rapid trains and transfer at major Tokyo stations such as Kita-Senju, Nippori, Tokyo or Shinagawa.

The Tsukuba Express links the north-western part of the city with Tokyo, with two stations: Kashiwanoha-campus, the main one, served by up to commuter-rapid trains, and Kashiwatanaka, served only by locals. The line is new and private and starts only from Akihabara, so fares are relatively high; it is worthwhile mainly if you are coming from the Akihabara or Asakusa area, or need the north-western part of the city with its university campuses, Kashiwanoha stadium, baseball field and National Cancer Center. From Funabashi and Chiba, or Omiya and Saitama, the Tobu Urban Park Line (formerly the Tobu Noda Line) connects Funabashi with Omiya, avoiding Tokyo, and stops at Kashiwa station, where you can transfer to the JR Joban Line; it has the most stations in the city, including Toyoshiki, Shin-Kashiwa, Masuo, Sakasai and Takayanagi. From Narita International Airport, the fastest train route to Kashiwa station is the Keisei Narita Skyaccess to Shin-Kamagaya and then a transfer to the Tobu Urban Park Line; alternatively, take the Keisei Line to Keisei-Narita and transfer to a JR Narita Line train heading for Kashiwa station, which takes a little longer but costs slightly less.

Getting around

Kashiwa's transport life revolves around its stations, above all Kashiwa Station, where the central area is compact enough to cover on foot for everyday needs. Three rail operators cross the city — JR East's Jōban Line, the Tōbu Urban Park Line and the Tsukuba Express — but each runs its own fare system, so short cross-city hops by train can cost more than the equivalent bus ride. Treat the railways mainly as your way in and out of the city, and use buses, bicycles or your own two feet to move around inside it. An IC card works on both trains and buses and simplifies travel across the different operators.

The bus network offers the widest coverage of any public transport option at a fairly competitive price, though routes and stops can be confusing if you are unprepared, so lean on a mapping or navigation app such as Google Maps or NAVITIME. Beyond the station districts of Kashiwa and Kashiwanoha-campus, much of the city is sprawling suburbia, where a car may be the best option; the Jōban Expressway and National Routes 6, 16 and 294 serve the city. Kashiwa is flat, which makes cycling genuinely practical, and a bicycle is arguably one of the best ways to get around. Dedicated bicycle lanes are limited, with the notable exception of the area around Kashiwanoha-campus Station, but Japanese drivers are generally polite and careful. The city operates a rent-a-cycle service at Kashiwa and Nishi-Kashiwa stations. On weekends and holidays from April to November you can also rent a bike near Lake Teganuma, though that is aimed more at leisure than commuting — an 18-km cycling course loops around the lake, and the Edogawa and Tonegawa cycling roads pass through the west and east of the city respectively.

Where to stay

Kashiwa's main accommodation is concentrated around the west side of the station. The Crest Hotel Kashiwa sits at 4-1 Suehiro-cho, a short walk from the West Exit: leave the station, walk alongside the Takashimaya department store, and you'll find the hotel on your right after about 200 metres.

Food & drink

For a cheap meal near Kashiwanoha-campus station, head to Osakana Club Hama, a sushi place on the first floor of the Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute on the Tokyo University campus. It serves seafood donburi and sushi sets with udon, and opens on weekdays plus Saturday lunch. White Gyoza, a famous chain from neighbouring Noda city, offers two types of dumplings — fried, the more famous, and boiled.

Mid-range options cluster around Kashiwa station. Yakiniku bar Tomosankaku is a Kashiwa-exclusive chain promising high-quality beef at reasonable prices, with several branches near the station. Chaka, in Asahi-cho, is a fusion restaurant with English-speaking service, a mellow atmosphere, an extensive wine list, and staff who sing for birthdays — good for a date. Raja is a Nepalese curry chain in Minami Kashiwa with good service and cheap lunchtime deals, while the 7th floor of the Station Mall holds restaurants ranging from Chinese to Italian, plus sushi and tempura. For drinks, HUB near the station's west exit is a pseudo-British pub with friendly staff, big-screen sports, an English menu and bar ordering, and reasonably priced bar food. Cavern House, down the left side of Kashiwa Shrine, is a more accurate British pub with a Beatles theme, packed with memorabilia and playing the band constantly, with request forms on every table; drinks aren't cheap and there's a seating charge.

What to see and do

Kashiwa's sightseeing leans toward the historic and the local. The Old Yoshida Family's House History Park preserves a samurai residence as a history park, open Tuesday through Sunday. Just over the border in Nagareyama, Suwa Jinja is a neighbourhood shrine that draws people from across the surrounding cities, and at New Year it is busy enough that you may queue for around an hour for hatsumode. The Old Tega Church, open only on Saturday and Sunday mornings, is the oldest Christian church in the Greater Tokyo Area, an Orthodox church housed in an old Japanese-style building — less grand than Nikolai-do in Ochanomizu, but a Japan-only experience.

For sport, Kashiwa Reysol of J-League 1 play home games at two stadiums outside the city centre: the newer Kashiwa no-ha stadium for higher-profile matches, and the original Hitachi stadium for the rest, which is smaller but has no athletics track and therefore a better atmosphere. On match days, buses to Kashiwa no-ha leave from the west side of Kashiwa station and buses to Hitachi from the east side; the crowds of yellow-clad supporters show you where to queue. Tickets are available outside the stadium on match day or from the club shop beforehand, and a seat behind the goal puts you among the coordinated singing. The Kashiwa Festival, usually in the last week of July or first week of August, brings large crowds, food stalls, Taiko drumming and locals in summer kimono.

When to go

Kashiwa has a humid subtropical climate, so plan around warm, humid summers and cool winters rather than extremes in either direction. Summer heat and moisture build to their peak on average in August, and September — the wettest month — follows with the heaviest rain of the year, so pack for damp conditions if you visit in early autumn.

Winters are cool and January is the coldest month on average, but snow is rare and usually light, meaning winter weather is unlikely to disrupt your travel plans.

Festivals & events

Kashiwa's calendar centres on the Kashiwa Festival, held each July. If your visit falls in that month, plan around it, as the event draws the city's attention and shapes the rhythm of its streets.

Three days in Kashiwa

Day one: Start your stay by getting your bearings around Kashiwa Station, where the Kashiwa Information Center can help you with English-language advice and local orientation. From the station, explore the surrounding streets of Kashiwa, a city in Chiba Prefecture within the Tokyo Metropolis orbit. If you arrive via the JR Joban Line, you may pass through Ueno; the Joban Line also serves Minami and Kita, while local services connect with the Chiyoda Line and Tokyo Metro, and the Odakyu Line, otherwise reaching Senju, Nippori and Shinagawa. The Tsukuba Express links Kashiwanoha, Kashiwatanaka, Akihabara and Asakusa, so you can shape your first day around whichever line brings you in. Family Kashiwa is a useful landmark to keep in mind as you settle in.

Day two: Use the rail network to branch out across the region. From Funabashi in Chiba, the Tobu Urban Park Line and Tobu Noda Line open up further parts of Chiba and Saitama, including Omiya. You can also rely on the Chiyoda Line and Tokyo Metro for local movement, or the Odakyu Line where it connects. If your interests lean toward medical or research institutions, the National Cancer Center is among the places associated with the area. Keep your plans flexible and let the lines determine how far you roam.

Day three: Before you leave, return to the Kashiwa Station area and make use of the Kashiwa Information Center once more for any last English-language guidance. Staff there can help you confirm routes on the JR Joban Line, the Tsukuba Express, the Chiyoda Line, Tokyo Metro or the Odakyu Line, whether you are heading back toward Ueno, Senju, Nippori, Shinagawa, Akihabara or Asakusa. With Kashiwanoha and Kashikatanaka also on the Tsukuba Express, you can choose a final short excursion before departing Chiba Prefecture.

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