Six Facilities For The Enjoyment Of Adult Visitors In Kanagawa

Japan offers an endless variety of tourist attractions, making it possible for anyone to put together a travel plan that matches their own interests. This article introduces some of the places in Kanagawa prefecture which are ideal for the enjoyment of adult travelers, so read on to learn about the sake breweries in the are, about nightlife, and more.

1. Kubota Sake Brewery in Sagamihara

No visit to Japan is complete without sampling Japanese sake. In addition to well-known brands, there are also small sake breweries all around Japan making delicious local sake that showcases unique regional characteristics.

One of these local brewers is the Kubota Brewery, located in the mountainous region of Sagamihara, Kanagawa Prefecture. Here, the brewers take advantage of the cold mountain weather to create high-quality Japanese sake, which is manufactured and sold under the brand name Sagaminada.

The brewers strive to bring out the natural flavor of the rice, so they use a special technique of storing the sake in bottles to preserve the taste of the original ingredients.

It may be difficult to get a tour during the peak of the brewing season (December through March), but you can often get one when the brewery is less busy. The brewery also offers tastings and you can, of course, purchase their products at the brewery shop.

Kubota Brewery
Address: Kanagawa, Sagamihara, Midori ward, Negoya 702
TEL: +81-42-784-0045
Official website: http://www.tsukui.ne.jp/kubota/

2. Hiratsuka Keirin Stadium (Hiratsuka)

’Keirin’ is a form of track cycling in which the athletes race at speeds up to 70 kilometers per hour. The spectators can not only cheer on the racers, but they can also place bets on the likely winners by purchasing special betting tickets.

Keirin originates in Japan and has spread worldwide. It has been adopted also as an official Olympic event. You can watch a keirin race at the Hiratsuka Keirin Stadium or other velodromes in Japan.

It costs just 100 yen to get into the stadium, with betting tickets starting also at 100 yen. This makes it fun and easy to participate even if you’ve never experienced keirin racing before. A free shuttle bus operates between the stadium and Hiratsuka and Hon-Atsugi stations, so it’s easy for newcomers to get there as well. There are even helpful pamphlets available in English, Chinese, and Korean.

Please be aware that you must be at least 20 years old in order to be able to purchase betting tickets.

Hiratsuka Keirin Stadium
Address: Kanagawa, Hiratsuka, Kuryozutsumi 5-1
TEL: +81-463-21-3935
Official website: http://www.shonanbank.com/

3. Dobuita Street in Yokosuka

Yokosuka is a naval port with military bases for both the US Navy and the Japan Self-Defense Forces. The longtime presence of American service personnel has made the local people quite comfortable with foreigners, so it’s a great place to explore if you wish to interact with the locals.

This is particularly true of Dobuita Street, known as a lively shopping district that is as crowded with non-Japanese as it is with the local people. It’s not uncommon to find shops and restaurants that accept America dollars, which only adds to the strange sensation of being in Japan, yet not in Japan at all.

Dobuita Street is lined with stores selling casual American style clothes, fancy bars aimed at a foreign clientele, and more. There’s no better place to go if you’re looking to buy limited-edition Japan-made military jackets or jeans, or even a classic sukajan (souvenir jacket) - the unique style which is said to have originated in Yokosuka.

Dobuita Street
Address: Kanagawa, Yokosuka, Honcho 2-7
TEL: +81-46-822-8124 (Yokosuka Action Committee for the Promotion of Visitor Attractions)
Official website: http://dobuita-st.com/
Kanagawa Travel Info page: http://trip.pref.kanagawa.jp/ja/spot_detail.html?language=en&id=15102

4. Prepare Japanese Food at a Minshuku in Miura

Unlike typical Japanese traditional inns (ryokan) or hotels, minshuku are accommodation facilities operated by private homes. Just like guesthouses, in a minshuku you can enjoy a homier atmosphere and the delights of local, home-cooked cuisine.

If you would like to stay at a minshuku guesthouse in Kanagawa Prefecture, the best place to go is Miura. The city has numerous minshuku available to guests, including Minshuku Hara and Minshuku Ichiromaru. Many of them offer Japanese cooking experiences as well.

You’ll need a reservation if you wish to participate in the cooking experience, so make sure to contact the minshuku directly. Please note that many of the minshuku owners may not be able to speak other languages than Japanese, so it would be a good idea to bring a Japanese-speaking friend along with you.

Minshuku Guesthouses in Miura City
Address: depends on the guesthouse
TEL: +81-46-888-0588 (Miura City Tourist Association)
Official website: http://miura-info.ne.jp/index.html (Miura City Tourist Association)
Kanagawa Travel Info page: Minshuku Hara

5. Temple Lodging in Isehara

A shukubo is a guesthouse operated by a shrine or temple, designed for religious pilgrims who have come to pay their respects.

Because shukubo are designed for people focusing on their spiritual practice, they serve vegetarian food that is free of meat according to Buddhist practices. They also offer opportunities for guests to listen to the monks and priests talk on spiritual topics and on the history of the area. In recent years, shukubo have become very pupular as they offer more and more facilities and services for non-religious guests as well.

If you would like to experience a shukubo in Kanagawa Prefecture, Isehara is one of the best places to go. The area is full of shukubo for pilgrims visiting Oyama Afuri Shrine and is famous also for its tofu-based dishes. These features make it relatively easy to get into one of the lodging facilities as a general sightseer.

These photos were taken at the Ryokan Komiya, which is located within the city of Isehara. The inn offers a shukubo experience that includes one night and two meals for 10,800 yen per person.

For more information, you can visit the official websites of the Daisen Ryokan Association, Oyama Afuri Shrine, Oyama Temple, the Isehara Tourist Association, and the Oyama Sightseeing Railway.

Ryokan Komiya
Address: Kanagawa, Isehara, Oyama 512
TEL: +81-463-95-2051
Official website: http://tofu-komiya.com/
Kanagawa Travel Info page: Oyama Shukubo

6. Kirin Brewery in Yokohama

If you like Japanese beer, you will definitely want to take a tour of a brewery while you’re here. Kanagawa Prefecture is home to the Kirin Brewery Yokohama Plant, which offers free tours to visitors.

During the tour, you’ll discover what makes Kirin beer so delicious and you’ll even get the chance to try some of their beers afterward. (Children will be offered Kirin juice). The brewery has English-speaking guides available, so you can fully enjoy the experience even if you don’t speak Japanese.

The adjoining restaurant is also a must-visit. Overseas visitors are encouraged to taste the craft beers available at the Spring Valley Brewery. You can make your reservations online.

Kirin Brewery
Address: Kanagawa, Yokohama, Tsurumi ward, Namamugi 1-17-1
TEL: +81-045-503-8250
Official website: http://www.kirin.co.jp/entertainment/factory/yokohama/
Kanagawa Travel Info page: Kirin Brewery