Japan Awaits

An exclusive 5-hour adventure that will help you discover the best-kept secrets of Kawasaki during the popular Kanamara Festival that happens just once-in-a-year with the help of an English-speaking tour guide.

Just once a year, Kawasaki City hosts its popular Kanamara Festival on the first Sunday of April. The festival is visited by an estimated 90,000 visitors each year and centers around the Kanayama Shrine where patrons can pray for easy childbirth, marital harmony, amongst other good fortunes. 

In this immersive tour, not only will you be able to experience the Kanamara Festival on the shrine grounds, but you’ll be able to get to discover the hidden charms and gems of Kawasaki City with an English-speaking tour guide and exclusive access that is available through Japan Awaits only.

At the start of this small-group tour, meet with your tour guide by Kawasaki Station (only 20 minutes from Tokyo Station by train) where you will head to Kanayama Shrine. Japan Awaits will have exclusive access to the shrine grounds that will allow guests to get an up-close and personal view of this special occasion that happens only once a year. Here, you’ll learn about the history of Kanayama Shrine and its significance to the area.

After that, visit the historic Tokaido Road, which was the most important route that connected Kyoto to Edo (modern-day Tokyo) and get to see the world’s shortest escalator to showcase another quirky side to this fascinating city.

Next, you’ll visit the Kawasaki Daishi Temple where you will have VIP access to pray with the priests inside of the temple (exclusive access for Japan Awaits’ guests and not available to general visitors). The gomakitou ritual (rite of burning) practiced by the temple priests is to pray for the achievement of one’s wishes, including greater purification, peace to the household, prosperity to the business, health and longevity. You’ll be able to experience this special ritual and pray with the priests exclusively. You’ll then get the chance to walk along the 150-meter long nakamise street where you can shop or try traditional snacks. 

Join our Kawasaki Kanamara Festival and Hidden Gems Tour and experience the beauty and excitement of this unique city!

Availability: First Sunday in April annually

Price: ¥24,000 per person

Included:

• Public transportation costs
• English-speaking tour guide
• Small handicraft souvenir
• VIP access to Kanayama Shrine grounds
• VIP access to Gomakitou ritual (rite of burning) with priests

Excluded:

• Meals, food and drinks
• Optional Activities
• Other fees not included in the tour

Attire

The tour operates in all weather conditions (except when there is a typhoon or other extreme situations). Please dress appropriately for all weather conditions. In such case, please note that the tour may change slightly to accommodate for the weather.

Non-Smoking

While most places we visit may be non-smoking establishments, there are some places along the way that may allow smoking in designated areas. Please take note of this for guests who are sensitive to smoke.

Age Requirement

This tour is for ages 18 and up only.

Wheelchair Accessible

Unfortunately, this tour is not wheelchair accessible as some historical establishments only have stairs.

Cancellation Policy

Standard Cancellation Policy:

What is the “Kanamara Festival”?

The Kanamara Matsuri, also known as the “Festival of the Steel Phallus,” is a Shinto festival held annually on the first Sunday of April in Kawasaki, Japan. The festival is centered around a giant wooden phallus, and it is believed to bring good luck, fertility, and protection from sexually transmitted diseases. The festival attracts thousands of visitors every year, and there are parades, food stalls, and other festivities that celebrate fertility and sexuality. The festival has a long history dating back to the Edo period, and it is still widely celebrated in modern-day Japan.

How far in advance should I book?

Preparing a customized tour requires some time, especially if reservations for restaurants or other venues are required. We recommend making a reservation as early as possible. Ideally, it should be 3 months before your travel date, or 1 month before the travel date at the very least. For Custom Tour bookings that are requested with less than 7 days before the travel date, we may not be able to arrange your custom tour in time so your booking request may be cancelled and you will receive a full refund.

Why am I charged a service fee if I make a cancellation after you started planning the trip?

Organizing and planning a trip requires a lot of time and if we have made reservations on your behalf, it may be very challenging to cancel some booking requests. Once we receive your booking and your answers from the Custom Tour form, we will begin putting together your Itinerary Sheet and will start arranging your tour guide, buying tickets, making reservations at venues for your tour, etc. If you cancel the tour any time after we have sent you the custom Itinerary Sheet, the service fee of 15% of your total tour cost will be nonrefundable.

Looking for a tour in a different city?

Japan Awaits is a licensed tour operator in Japan, with hundreds of registered and vetted tour guides nationwide. We offer tours in any location in Japan and manage all details, including transportation and tickets. Contact us and inquire about a custom experience today.