4K Japan Walking Tour Tsurumi to Kawasaki | Old Tokaido Road Yokohama (61 Min)

This time, I walked from Tsurumi Station in Yokohama to Kawasaki Station—61 minutes following the historic Tokaido road that connected Edo (Tokyo) to Kyoto during the feudal period. The route crosses from Yokohama into Kawasaki, passing shrines, historical markers, and shopping streets. Filmed in May 2026.

TSURUMI STATION & TSURUMI SHRINE
Tsurumi Station sits in Tsurumi Ward, the northernmost ward of Yokohama City. The area developed around the old Tokaido road and later grew with industrialization.
Tsurumi Shrine is one of the oldest shrines in the area, with over 1,000 years of history. The shrine served travelers along the Tokaido road and now serves the local community. The grounds preserve traditional architecture with the main hall and torii gates.

THE OLD TOKAIDO ROAD
The Tokaido was one of five major roads during the Edo period (1603-1868), connecting Edo to Kyoto with 53 post stations where travelers could rest. This walk follows sections of the old route, though modern development has replaced most historical road surfaces.
Walking the Tokaido today means following streets that carry the historical route through modern Yokohama and Kawasaki. Historical markers, shrines, and place names preserve the connection even as the areas have become fully urbanized.

TSURUMIGAWA BRIDGE & ICHIBA ICHIRIZUKA
The walk crosses the Tsurumigawa River via bridge. The river forms a natural boundary in this area.
Ichiba Ichirizuka is a historical milestone marker. “Ichirizuka” were earthen mounds placed every ri (about 4 kilometers) along major roads during the Edo period to help travelers measure distances. Few survive today—most were destroyed during modernization, but historical markers indicate where they stood.

KUMANO SHRINE
Kumano Shrine sits along the route—another shrine with historical connections to the Tokaido road. These shrines served travelers journeying between Edo and Kyoto, providing places for prayer and rest.

HATCHONAWATE STATION: ENTERING KAWASAKI
Hatchonawate Station sits on the border between Yokohama and Kawasaki. The station name means “8-cho crossing” (cho being a measurement unit, roughly 109 meters). Walking through this area means crossing from Yokohama City into Kawasaki City.
Kawasaki developed as an industrial city in the early 20th century, with heavy industry, steel mills, and port facilities defining its economic base. The city sits between Tokyo and Yokohama, functioning as an industrial zone. While Yokohama developed mixed residential and commercial character, Kawasaki maintained stronger industrial identity.

MEIGA-DORI & GINRYUGAI SHOPPING ARCADE
Meiga-dori (literally “Famous Painting Street”) is a shopping street near Kawasaki Station. The name comes from movie theaters that historically operated here—Kawasaki had concentrated cinemas, and this street became associated with film culture.

Ginryugai (Silver Willow Street) is one of Kawasaki’s main covered shopping arcades. The arcade has shops, restaurants, pachinko parlors, izakaya—typical businesses serving both daytime shoppers and evening drinkers.
Walking through these shopping streets shows you commercial Kawasaki serving the working population of this industrial city. The atmosphere is working-class—accessible retail and dining rather than upscale shopping.

KAWASAKI STATION
Kawasaki Station is a major JR and private railway hub serving the city’s 1.5 million residents. The station area has department stores and commercial development, but Kawasaki’s central character remains industrial rather than commercial like Tokyo or residential like parts of Yokohama.

WHY WALK TSURUMI TO KAWASAKI
This route combines historical Tokaido road elements (shrines, ichirizuka milestone) with walking through two major cities—Yokohama and Kawasaki. You move from residential Tsurumi through historical markers along the old road into industrial Kawasaki’s commercial center.
If you’re interested in following sections of the historic Tokaido road, or you want to see how Yokohama transitions into Kawasaki, or you’re curious about Kawasaki as an industrial city, this 61-minute walk covers that progression.

🕒 TIMESTAMPS
00:00:00 — Tsurumi, Yokohama (Old Tokaido Walking Tour)
00:03:46 — Tsurumi Shrine
00:13:40 — Tsurumigawa Bridge
00:21:04 — Ichiba Ichirizuka (historical milestone)
00:25:03 — Kumano Shrine
00:34:22 — Hatchonawate Station (Yokohama-Kawasaki border)
00:47:53 — Meiga-dori
00:52:56 — Ginryugai shopping arcade
01:01:45 — Kawasaki Station

🔔 Subscribe for more Tokyo and Yokohama walking tours
👍 Like if following the old Tokaido road from Yokohama into Kawasaki showed you the historical route

#japan #walkingtour #yokohama #citywalk #japantravel #kawasaki