From Keisei Nakayama station you walk fifteen minutes inland, past low houses and small plots of vegetables, until a quiet museum building appears on a residential street in Ichikawa. Inside are the works of a painter who spent a career on mountains, lakes and the light between them. That walk sets the tone for this city: it rewards the traveller who is content with a small, specific thing rather than a full day of spectacle.
Ichikawa suits people staying in or passing through the eastern edge of the Tokyo area who want an unhurried half-day rather than a checklist. The city's sights are few and close to the ground, and the sources describe them plainly, including one that is not worth your time.
This guide covers what is genuinely worth doing in Ichikawa, how to string those places into a single day, and the practical questions a first-time visitor tends to ask.
Top things to do in Ichikawa
1. Higashiyama Kaii Memorial Hall
This small museum is dedicated to Higashiyama Kaii, the nihonga painter, and it is the reason to make the trip. The collection is modest in size but focused, and the setting on a residential street in Nakayama keeps the visit calm.
Reach it on foot from Keisei Nakayama station on the Keisei Dentetsu line, about fifteen minutes' walk. Admission is ¥500 for adults, ¥400 for visitors above 65 years old, and ¥250 for high school and university students. The museum can be contacted on +81 47-333-2011.
2. Ichikawa City Zoo
Ichikawa's best-known attraction is this modest zoo, which the source describes frankly: the animals are kept in cramped concrete cages and appear listless, and the experience is depressing rather than enjoyable. It is best avoided.
If you go anyway, note that it opens Tuesday to Sunday, 9:30 to 16:30, with admission at ¥440 for adults and ¥110 for children. Given the assessment above, most visitors will get more from the Higashiyama Kaii Memorial Hall.
If you only have one day
Morning. Travel to Keisei Nakayama station on the Keisei Dentetsu line and walk the fifteen minutes to the Higashiyama Kaii Memorial Hall. Give the nihonga paintings your full attention while you are fresh, and take the walk slowly in both directions.
Afternoon. Stay in the Nakayama area and take a meal nearby before deciding on a second stop. If you want another attraction, the Ichikawa City Zoo is open from 9:30 to 16:30 Tuesday to Sunday, but the source advises against it, so treat the afternoon as optional rather than obligatory.
Evening. Return to the station and head back toward Tokyo, or continue along the Keisei line. The day is deliberately short; Ichikawa does not need more than this.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get to the Higashiyama Kaii Memorial Hall?
Take the Keisei Dentetsu line to Keisei Nakayama station, then walk about fifteen minutes to 1-16-2 Nakayama.
How much does the Higashiyama Kaii Memorial Hall cost?
Admission is ¥500 for adults, ¥400 for visitors above 65 years old, and ¥250 for high school and university students.
Is the Ichikawa City Zoo worth visiting?
The source is clear that it is not. The animals are held in cramped concrete cages and appear listless, and the visit is described as depressing and best avoided.
When is the Ichikawa City Zoo open?
Tuesday to Sunday, 9:30 to 16:30, with admission at ¥440 for adults and ¥110 for children.
Decide which of these two places you want to build a half-day around, check the Keisei line timetable, and you have everything you need to plan the trip.