Kanagawa

Kanagawa Prefecture, or Kanagawa-ken, is a prefecture in the Kanto region of Japan, located on the eastern coast of Honshu. It faces Tokyo Bay to the east and Sagami Bay to the south, and is bordered by Tokyo Metropolis to the north, Yamanashi Prefecture to the west, and Shizuoka Prefecture to the southwest. The capital is Yokohama, Japan's second-largest city, and the prefecture includes Kawasaki, Kamakura, Fujisawa, and Sagamihara among its major municipalities.

Kanagawa covers about 2,400 square kilometers and has a population around nine million. It is part of the Greater Tokyo metropolitan area, combining dense urban centers with historic towns and coastal and mountainous scenery in places such as Hakone and the Shonan coast.

Historically, Kamakura, now part of Kanagawa, was the seat of the Kamakura shogunate in the 12th to 14th centuries. The region is known for the Great Buddha of Kotoku-in, numerous temples, and coastal attractions. The Port of Yokohama, established in the 19th century, is one of Japan's largest and serves as a major gateway for trade and cruise ships.

Economy and transportation: Kanagawa has a diversified economy with manufacturing, logistics, and services centered in Yokohama and Kawasaki. It is well served by rail, with Yokohama and Shin-Yokohama as major hubs; the Shinkansen stops at Shin-Yokohama, linking the area to Tokyo and beyond. Road connections include the Tomei and Shuto expressways.

Tourism and culture: Notable attractions include Yokohama Chinatown and Minato Mirai 21; Kamakura's temples and the Great Buddha; Enoshima; and Hakone's hot springs and Lake Ashi. Kanagawa blends urban culture with historic sites and natural scenery as a gateway to the wider Kanto region.