Boketto in Chigasaki
- Mieko Horikoshi
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
"A Little Seaside Gem Only One Hour from Tokyo"
Japan is experiencing an unprecedented tourism boom. When I moved to Maui nearly 30 years ago, Japan was not yet acknowledged as a global travel destination, so the current situation here still feels astonishing to me.
Many visitors come here for gourmet food, shopping, anime and games, fashion, and that unique blend of futuristic technology and old traditions that makes Japan feel like an enchanting otherworld.
And of course, Japan’s icon is Tokyo—one of the largest, most dynamic metropolises in the world. Shinjuku, Shibuya, Asakusa… there are countless places to explore, and just trying to see it all in one day can leave you completely exhausted.
But while the vibrant, high-energy side of Japan is undeniably fascinating, there is another side as well—one that embraces “wabi-sabi,” the quiet beauty found in simplicity, emptiness, and imperfection.
Today, I’d like to introduce Chigasaki, a small seaside city in Kanagawa Prefecture, where you can glimpse that quieter, simpler everyday side of Japan.
A Town Long Loved for Its Quiet Pace
You won’t see many international tourists wandering around Chigasaki. Even though nearby Enoshima and Kamakura are famous destinations, Chigasaki has remained pleasantly understated.
Yet in Japan, when you tell someone:
“I live in Chigasaki.”
the response is almost always:
“Oh wow… that’s nice.”
Let’s take a moment to explore why.
Chigasaki Through History
Chigasaki sits along the shoreline of Sagami Bay in Kanagawa Prefecture, facing the wide Pacific Ocean. From the beach, you can see the iconic shape of Eboshi-iwa just offshore and, on clear days, Ōshima Island resting on the horizon.
During the Edo period (1603-1868), Chigasaki was cherished as a place where travelers on the Tōkaidō route could pause and rest between the Shukuba-machi, post towns of Fujisawa and Hiratsuka.
By the Meiji and Taishō eras (1868-1926), its quiet beaches and refreshing sea breeze drew writers, artists, and foreign residents who built summer villas here as their retreat.
For generations, Chigasaki has been a town where people come to slow down and rejuvenate.
Everyday Life by the Sea
Despite being just one hour from Tokyo by train, Chigasaki offers a lifestyle close to nature, and many people move here for that reason. In my old neighborhood, young families have been steadily moving in, bringing new life to a once-quiet community.
When low-pressure systems roll in over the Pacific, you’ll see surfers pedaling toward the beach with a surfboard on their bikes. On calm days, people walk their dogs along the shore, jog the seaside path, sit on driftwood with a book, and let time unfold gently.
Living with nature woven into everyday life—that, to me, is the essence of Chigasaki.
Musicians Who Shaped Chigasaki’s Identity
As mentioned earlier, Chigasaki has long drawn creative people, and that legacy continues today.
Singer-songwriter Yūzō Kayama helped popularize the refreshing, ocean-loving image of Chigasaki and Hawaii through his music. Perhaps influenced by this deep connection, Chigasaki residents have a special fondness for Hawaii—and in 2014, the city officially formed a sister-city relationship with Honolulu. Kayama is now an Honorary Citizen of Chigasaki, and a golden statue of him stands proudly in front of City Hall.
And of course, we can’t talk about Chigasaki without mentioning Southern All Stars. Since their debut in the late 1970s, the band—led by Chigasaki-born Keisuke Kuwata—has become a beloved national icon. Their music turned “Eboshi-iwa,” once a quiet offshore formation known mostly to locals, into a symbol of the city. At Chigasaki Station, the departure melody is their song “Kibō no Wadachi.”Listening to Southern All Stars feels, in many ways, like understanding the very spirit of Chigasaki.
A Festival That Marks the Arrival of Summer
Chigasaki residents share a strong sense of local pride and community—perhaps because artists have long found inspiration here, or because this very town appears in so many songs beloved by people all over Japan.
Every July, that collective spirit reaches its peak during the Hamaori Festival, sometimes called “the Festival of the Dawn.”Around forty portable shrines, Mikoshi, from Chigasaki and neighboring Samukawa gather on the beach at sunrise, plunging into the ocean for a dramatic purification ritual.
Anyone who grew up here remembers waking up to the rhythmic calls of the shrine bearers—“Dokkoi! Dokkoi!”—echoing through the early morning air.
And at that moment, everyone thinks:
“Ah… summer has arrived.”
A Town Where Time Moves Gently
Chigasaki may not have major tourist attractions. But it is a town where time flows quietly, where nature and everyday life intertwine, and where people live with a warm, grounded pride.
Come with no agenda.
Observe how people live.
Greet those you pass on your walk to the shore.
Listen to the leaves rustling in the sea breeze.
Notice the small flowers carefully placed at the gate of some houses.
Sit on the sand and simply boketto—gaze into the distance without thinking.
Perhaps Chigasaki has been chosen, over so many years, as a place where people come to savor these quiet, tender moments.
And if those quiet moments speak to you
and you’d like to experience Chigasaki the way locals do,
I’d be honored to take you on a slow, mindful photowalk by the sea.
Let’s capture the quiet beauty of this town together — one gentle moment at a time.
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