( If you have ever taken a cruise to Japan, you may have been surprised that the ship did not actually dock in Tokyo. In fact, the major port for Tokyo is its southern neighbor, Yokohama (www.yokohamajapan.com), the capital of Kanagawa Prefecture.

A Shinkansen bullet train from Tokyo to Shin-Yokohama station takes only 11 minutes, a taxi takes half-an-hour and all destinations in Kanagawa Prefecture are less than one hour by train or two hours by car from Tokyo.

Nature Beckons
Nature beckons in Kanagawa’s historically rich post town of Hakone (https://trip.pref.kanagawa.jp/area/hakone/hakone). Today a major tourist hot spot, known for its proximity to Mt. Fuji and indulgent onsen or hot springs and luxury ryokan accommodations, Hakone is historically significant as an important stop along the old Tokaido Highway. The Tokaido Highway was one of five routes constructed by the Tokugawa Shogunate in the 17th century, to connect the former Imperial Capital, Kyoto, with the political and economic center, Edo (present-day Tokyo). The remaining hiking route today is engulfed by towering Sugi or Japanese cedar trees. And nothing rejuvenates the body, mind, and soul quite like a hike through this historic forest.

Guests can traverse a portion of the 32-kilometer Hakone Hachiri, (www.japan.travel/en/japans-local-treasures/hiking-hakone-hachiri), a remaining stretch of the time-honored Tokaido Highway (literally Eastern Sea Route). They can immerse themselves in the history, breathe in the fresh air, and absorb the energy of the sun as it filters light rays through the trees, a magnificent phenomenon called komorebi
(www.morethantokyo.com/komorebi-japanese-word).

The Tokaido Highway was frequented by pilgrims and merchants, as well as feudal lords who traveled in the comfort of a palanquin that was carried by personal guards or footmen. Scenic post towns, where traveling parties rested for the night, mushroomed along the route. Most of these post towns featured Amazake Chaya or “teahouses,” where a sweet non-alcoholic fermented beverage called Amazake (made only from koji mold, water, and rice) was served to give the travelers an energy boost to keep moving. In Hakone, there were once four Amazake Chaya (https://explore-hakone.com/blogs/local-news/amasake-chaya-in-hakone), but today, only one remains. It is run by Mr. Satoshi Yamamoto, the bubbly 13th-generation proprietor, whose family has managed this thatched-roof rest station for 400 years. Through a translator, Yamamoto-san excitedly explains about his tea house and family, including a son and daughter – in their early 20s, whom he hopes will take over the family business for the 14th generation.

The hiking tours can be customized to various fitness levels. They also provide guests with the opportunity to savor Hakone’s cuisine and saturate themselves with local culture. The tour usually includes an overnight stay at a traditional Japanese ryokan.

Art and Culture
Kanagawa is often associated with its landmarks and attractions. There’s the Minato Mirai waterfront of Yokohama, Odawara Castle in Odawara City, the Great Buddha of Kamakura, the Owakudani bubbling sulfurous hot springs in Hakone, where the famous black eggs are boiled, and of course, magnificent Mt. Fuji, Japan’s highest peak.
(www.japan-guide.com)

Nevertheless, there is much more to see and experience than just general sightseeing. Kanagawa is a cultural mecca that has inspired artists and artisans for centuries. Probably the most famous of these artistic masters was the ukiyoe woodblock printmaker, Hokusai. His iconic “Great Wave of Kanagawa” (Kanagawa oki nami ura)” print is part of a larger collection called Thirty-Six Views of Mt. Fuji which itself is internationally renowned.

The Hakone area (https://hakone-japan.com/) alone is home to some of the Japan’s most engaging museums (with acclaimed collections of art – from painting and sculptures to outdoor installations – by both Japanese and foreign masters. A visit to the Takashi Imazato-designed Narukawa Art Museum (http://www.narukawamuseum.co.jp/en/), which opened in 1988, elevates one’s appreciation of the region’s art offerings. Guided tours can be arranged with none other than the museum’s General Manager, Mr. Katsunori Kanagawa – a fitting surname for someone whose family goes back generations in this region! His intimate tour explores the Narukawa’s collection of contemporary Nihonga – traditional style Japanese paintings using pure pigments and explains these unique painting materials. The tour concludes with tea and conversation at the museum’s Kisetsufu Cafe, where panoramic glass windows offer a stunning view of Lake Ashi and Mt Fuji.

Odawara “Shikki” Lacquerware
Among collectors and connoisseurs, lacquerware or shikki made in the city of Odawara (half-hour by bullet train from Tokyo) is distinctive for its beauty and technique and remains among the most highly prized (https://kogeijapan.com/locale/en_US/odawarashikki/). It’s a 500-year-old craft tradition that uses durable, local Zelkova wood. It celebrates the beauty of the wood grain by keeping it visible beneath the polished lacquer.

Your clients can visit the intimate Okawa Woodworking Studio, where master Hajime Okawa – a member of the craft family’s third generation, and among the very few artisans with the title of “Traditional Craftsman” – provides guests with a brief history of Odawara lacquerware and takes them on a behind-the-scenes look at the production process. In addition to the guided tour, guests are invited to participate by polishing and creating their own original patterns on lacquerware. Their original creations will later be carefully packed and mailed to their homes by courier as a special keepsake.

Kanagawa DMO and the Kanagawa Premium Collection
Kanagawa Prefecture established its Kanagawa DMO in April 2024, to offer more specialized and experiential travel opportunities in the region. The Kanagawa Premium Collection (https://trip.pref.kanagawa.jp/page/pamphlets-luxury) currently offers 36 unique packages. In addition to those mentioned earlier, others include exploring Kamakura’s gardens with an expert landscape designer, a curator-led tour of the Enoura Observatory, a privately chartered boat on Yokohama Bay with local Geisha Performers, a private sword fighting workshop and performance by the Samurai artist group Kengishu Kamui, whose leader, Tetsuru Shimaguchi, who was the instructor and choreographer for the movie Kill Bill, by Quentin Tarantino, and more.
Ms. Aki Hirai, based in New York City, is the Kanagawa DMO US liaison for the travel industry at: aki.hirai.nyc@gmail.com.

https://trip.pref.kanagawa.jp