If you are day tripping from Tokyo, consider Kawasaki’s Daishi Heikenji temple, only a 20 minute train ride from Tokyo. Not only is the Daishi Heikenji temple pretty fabulous, but the shopping is also excellent– sort of a mini version of Asakusa, minus the jostling crowds. In fact, if you go early enough like we did, you might be the only ones there (which after days of fighting crowds was an amazing experience).
First, visit the Kawasaki Daishi Heikenji Temple
A 900 year old Buddhist temple, the Daishi Heikenji Temple is of course the primary reason to visit Kawaski.
The Daishi Heikenji Temple in Kawasaki.
Inside the Daishi Heikenji Temple in Kawasaki.
A guard walks past a pagoda onsite at the Daishi Heikenji Temple.
There are plenty of snacks in colorful stalls surrounding the Daishi Heikenji Temple.
There is even some shopping right on the temple grounds– I coveted that toast mask.
Shop Nakamise-doori 仲見世通り) the Street Leading to the Temple
The street leading up to the temple, Nakamise-doori, was an unexpected surprise– filled with diverse and interesting shops and restaurants, reasonably priced, and completely uncrowded. The two souvenirs to look out for are Daruma dolls (read my full post here on these wishing dolls) and sarashi ame candy.
We arrived so early in Kawasaki that the shops hadn’t even all opened yet. By the time we toured the temple, all the shops were open but wonderfully uncrowded.
Kawasaki is known for its famous candy called sarashi ame (さらし飴) The candy is rolled into long tubes then sliced into bite sized pieces. You can watch as its made right in front of you.
Several entire shops are dedicated exclusively to daruma dolls of all sizes.
There are plenty of options if you’re in the market for a lucky beckoning cat.