Kashiwa · 柏市

Friday evening on the pedestrian deck at Kashiwa Station: young bands set up their amps, commuters stop to listen, and department stores and arcades glow all around. Kashiwa is more than a bedroom community in the Greater Tokyo area – a trip to Kashiwa reveals a lively shopping and soccer city with a surprising amount of nature on its outskirts.

From Village on the Mito Kaido to Shopping City

Kashiwa developed along the old Mito Kaido trade route and grew rapidly with the construction of the Joban Line and the postwar boom. Because shopping centers, fashion boutiques, and cafés are packed so tightly around the station, Kashiwa earned the nickname "Kashibuya," a nod to Tokyo's Shibuya. Street music on the station deck is a tradition here; several well-known Japanese musicians got their start on it. Away from the bustle, Kashiwa shows a different side: rice paddies, vegetable gardens, and small woodlands surround the center, and many families value precisely this mix of city and countryside. In summer, a large fireworks display over the Tone River lights up the sky, and at the Kashiwa Matsuri, dance troupes and portable shrines parade through the streets.

Sights in Kashiwa

In the north of the city lies Teganuma, a long, narrow lake that Kashiwa shares with neighboring Abiko. Bike paths and walking trails run along the shore, herons and ducks nest in the reeds, and in spring stretches of the shoreline are lined with flowers. In Abiko, the Bird Museum offers information on the region's birdlife. In the northwest, a modern district has grown up around Kashiwanoha-Campus Station, with a University of Tokyo campus, research institutes, and a large park; the neighborhood is considered a model smart-city project. Things are quieter at the city's old shrines and temples, such as Kashiwa Shrine with its summer festival.

Kashiwa Reysol and Sports

Soccer is a big deal in Kashiwa. Top-flight club Kashiwa Reysol plays in a compact stadium in Hitachidai, where the stands sit close to the pitch and the atmosphere is correspondingly loud. On match days, the club's yellow colors are visible all over the city. The season in Japan runs from February to December.

Eating and Going Out in Kashiwa

The area around the station is a dense web of ramen shops, izakaya, yakitori grills, and small bars. Kashiwa is considered a ramen stronghold in the region, with many variations, from tonkotsu to light shio broths. In the evening, the pubs in the side streets east of the station fill up. If you prefer something quieter, you'll find cafés in Kashiwanoha and farm stands selling vegetables from the surrounding area.

Getting Around and the Best Time to Visit

The Joban Line takes travelers to Ueno in about half an hour, with connections on to Tokyo; the Tobu Urban Park Line links Kashiwa with Omiya and Funabashi, and the Tsukuba Express with Akihabara and Tsukuba. Narita Airport is reachable by train or bus in about an hour. Spring and fall are the most pleasant seasons, when walks along Teganuma are especially rewarding. Hotels are concentrated around Kashiwa Station, which also makes the city a convenient base for day trips to Tokyo and Tsukuba.