Getting Around Kakegawa
Kakegawa is a castle town and regional commercial centre in western Shizuoka Prefecture, and its transport network is built around the main railway station. For a visitor, the practical picture is simple: the train station is the hub, the city centre around it is walkable, and buses, taxis and local rail lines fill in the gaps for attractions further out.
Rail: Your Anchor in the City
Kakegawa Station is the focal point of travel in and out of the city, and it is where the different rail services meet.
- Tōkaidō Shinkansen: The bullet train serves Kakegawa. All Kodama services stop here, and a few Hikari services also stop. Nozomi services do not stop at Kakegawa, so if you are coming from Tokyo or further afield on a Nozomi, you will need to change to a Kodama or a stopping Hikari to reach the city.
- Tōkaidō Main Line: Operated by Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central), this conventional line links Kakegawa north to Tokyo and south to the rest of Shizuoka Prefecture, making it the workhorse for regional journeys.
- Tenryū Hamanako Line: A separate local railway, the Tenryū Hamanako Railroad, serves Kakegawa and its surroundings. Within the city and its immediate area, stations on this line include Kakegawa, Kakegawa-shiyakusho-mae, Nishi-Kakegawa, Sakuragi, Ikoinohiroba, Hosoya, Haranoya, Harada and Towata. This is the line to use for reaching parts of the city and neighbouring areas that the main line does not cover.
Because the Shinkansen, the Tōkaidō Main Line and the Tenryū Hamanako Line all connect at or near Kakegawa Station, the station functions as the natural transfer point for almost any rail journey you make in the area. There is no metro or tram network in Kakegawa; rail and road-based transport are the options.
Buses and Local Public Transport
Beyond the railways, buses and other public transport provide the local connections. Kakegawa is a regional commercial centre for west-central Shizuoka Prefecture, and the bus network radiates from the station area to serve the city and its surroundings. For a visitor, the station is the place to start: local services depart from around the station, and this is where you can pick up connections to sights and neighbourhoods that are not within walking distance of the centre.
As with most Japanese cities, tickets are typically purchased as you board or pay on exit depending on the operator, and IC cards are generally the convenient way to pay. If you plan to make several journeys, ask at the station about day passes or combined tickets for the lines and buses you intend to use.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
Taxis are available in Kakegawa and are a practical option for short trips, for reaching an attraction when a bus connection is inconvenient, or for late arrivals when other services have stopped. The main taxi ranks are around Kakegawa Station. Ride-hailing apps are less established in regional Japanese cities than in major metropolises, so it is safest to assume you will be flagging a taxi or picking one up at a rank rather than relying on an app.
Walking
Kakegawa's historic core is compact and pleasant on foot. Kakegawa Castle, the town's best-known sight, is located only a few hundred metres from Kakegawa Station, which makes the station a genuinely convenient base for sightseeing. The area around the station and the castle is where you will do most of your walking, and the flat coastal-plain setting of the city makes strolling straightforward.
For anything beyond the central area, though, you will want rail, bus or taxi. The city stretches a considerable distance, so walking is best treated as the way to cover the centre rather than the whole municipality.
Getting There from the Airport
Kakegawa's own region is served by Shizuoka Airport, and the city's rail links are the key to reaching it. The most reliable approach for a visitor is to travel by rail: use the Tōkaidō Main Line or the Shinkansen to connect into the wider Shizuoka network, then transfer to a service heading for the airport. Because Kakegawa sits on both the Shinkansen and the Tōkaidō Main Line, you have flexibility in choosing where to make that connection.
If you are arriving from overseas via a major international gateway such as Tokyo, the pattern is the same as for any rail arrival: take the Shinkansen or Tōkaidō Main Line toward Kakegawa, remembering that Nozomi services skip the city and you will need a Kodama or a stopping Hikari. From Kakegawa Station, the city centre, the castle and local bus and taxi connections are all close at hand.
Practical Tips
- Treat Kakegawa Station as your hub: it is where the Shinkansen, the Tōkaidō Main Line and the Tenryū Hamanako Line come together.
- Remember that Nozomi Shinkansen services do not stop at Kakegawa; choose a Kodama or a Hikari that stops here.
- Use the Tenryū Hamanako Line for local stations such as Kakegawa-shiyakusho-mae, Nishi-Kakegawa and Sakuragi.
- Plan to walk the central area, including the castle, which is only a few hundred metres from the station.
- For outlying sights, fall back on buses or taxis from the station area.
- Signage in the city may appear in Portuguese as well as Japanese, reflecting Kakegawa's Nikkei community, so do not be surprised if English is less prominent than you expect.