【One Station Walk】Keihin Kyuko Line Keikyu Kawasaki Station to Minatomachi Station Exploring the Post Towns of the Tokaido

This "One Station Walk Series," written by a writer who loves walking, finds wonderful places while strolling around. This time, I walked from Keihin Kyuko Kawasaki Station to Minatomachi Station. I walked along the old Tokaido and explored places associated with Hibari Misora's famous song "Minatomachi Juusanbanchi."

I arrived at Keikyu Kawasaki Station!

As I set up my camera to take a picture of the station's appearance, the Keikyu train just arrived! Speaking of Keikyu, its distinctive feature is the red body with white lines, which is said to be influenced by the American Pacific Electric Railway in terms of management and technology.

Pacific Electric 600 series at the Southern California Railway Museum
Source / Wikipedia.

In front of the station is Kawasaki's representative shopping street, Kawasaki Ginza Street

Kawasaki Ginza Street in front of Keikyu Kawasaki Station features about 30 stores and operates as a pedestrian paradise all day, representing Kawasaki. On the day I took a walk here, it was bustling with many customers.

Walking the Old Tokaido Road ~ Tokaido Kawasaki-juku

Kawasaki City, which has the second largest population after Yokohama City in Kanagawa Prefecture. The area is perceived as a convenient city, with large shopping malls and entertainment districts lining the front of Kawasaki Station, but it has a history of thriving as a post town in the past. The "Tokaido Kawasaki-juku" located in Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki City, was established as a post town on the Tokaido in 1623 and it seems to have celebrated its incredible 400th anniversary in 2023.

Although the streets and roads have been developed and changed, you can still feel the traces of that time through tourist facilities, geography, and historical sites.

"Among the Fifty-Three Stations of the Tokaido, Kawasaki Station - Shirai Gonpachi" by the third generation Utagawa Toyokuni

Along the old Tokaido road, there are transformer boxes wrapped in ukiyo-e, vending machines, and shutters, allowing me to enjoy a walk through the town as if I had slipped back in time to that era.

"Famous View Eight Sceneries: Tamagawa Autumn Moon, Tamagawa Ayukumi Picture" by the second generation Utagawa Toyokuni

Free admission! Tokaido Kawasaki Juku Exchange Hall

A quick stop at the "Tokaido Kawasaki-juku Exchange Hall," where you can learn about the past and present of Kawasaki-juku. Admission is free, and you can fully experience the Kawasaki-juku of that time.

The streetlights along the old Tokaido are designed like lanterns!

The main guardian shrine of Kawasaki-juku, Inage Shrine.

Inage Shrine, located about five minutes from the Tōkaidō Kawasaki-juku Exchange Hall, is affectionately known as "Sannō-san" by the locals. During the Edo period, it was revered as the chief guardian shrine of Kawasaki-juku on the Tōkaidō, and it is said that a market would be held in the precincts on the 27th of December, drawing a lively crowd.

You can see the horse!

As I passed through the old Tokaido from Keikyu Kawasaki Station towards Minatomachi Station, I saw a particularly prominent building. When I got closer, it turned out to be Kawasaki Racecourse. On the day I took a stroll, the 74th Kawasaki Kinen, a major graded race, was being held! As it is the premier race for older horses in Kawasaki, the area was very lively both inside and outside.

The start of record manufacturing was in Kawasaki

Japan's first record company "Nippon Columbia" was established here in Minatomachi, Kawasaki on October 1, 1910. Although the head office and factory are no longer in Kawasaki, it feels like a nice surprise to stumble upon the birthplace of Japanese records during a casual stroll.

Arrived at Minatomachi Station!

After walking for a few minutes from the landmark marking the beginning of the Japanese record era, I arrived at my destination, Keihin Kyuko Minatomachi Station. Upon entering the station…

I discovered a panel of Hibari Misora. Her massive hit song "Minatomachi Juubanchou" is featured here, with monuments, autographs, and jacket photos from the time of its release displayed, due to its connections to Kawasaki.

Inside the station, records and jacket photos are on display.

Sheet music is also illustrated on the platform.

This time, I entered the old Tokaido from the bustling area around Kawasaki Station, and during my short walk around Minatomachi Station, the goal point, I visited places related to the Showa era songstress "Hibari Misora," making it feel as if I were time-traveling through the busy yet enjoyable past and present. I wonder what kind of encounters await in the next city I stroll through. The author, who loves going out, continues their one-station walks.

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