Kaigan

Kaigan is a term in Japanese that refers to the coast or seashore. It is written with the kanji 海岸 and is read as kaigan. As a toponymic element, Kaigan appears in many geographic place names across Japan, typically indicating proximity to the sea or a coastal district.

In urban areas, neighborhoods, wards, and streets that include Kaigan are commonly situated along harbors, bays, or shorelines. The term is also found in the names of transportation facilities and routes that serve coastal communities, reflecting the maritime character of the areas they serve. Because of its coastal associations, Kaigan frequently appears in signage, maps, and local branding related to seaside commerce and tourism.

Beyond geography, Kaigan can occur in business names, cultural works, or media titles that evoke a seaside setting or imagery of the coast. Linguistically, Kaigan is a compound of kai meaning sea and gan meaning shore or edge, with the standard modern reading kaigan.

See also: 海岸, coast, seashore.