Kanagawa Prefecture (神奈川県)

Kanagawa Prefecture (神奈川県) is a prefecture of Japan in the Kanto Region of Honshu Island. It is one of the smaller prefectures in Japan. It has an area of 2,415 sq km, ranking it 43rd out of the 47 prefectures. The prefecture is located within the Greater Tokyo Area, which explains why it is the second most populous prefecture in the country, with a population of 8.9 million people. The prefectural capital is Yokohama.

View of Mount Fuji from Shichirigahama Beach, Kamakura City, Kanagawa Prefecture


Kanagawa Prefecture is surrounded by Tokyo Metropolis to the north, Yamanashi Prefecture to the northwest and Shizuoka Prefecture to the southwest. It faces Tokyo Bay to the east, Sagami Bay to the south and the Pacific Ocean to the southeast. The foothills of Mount Fuji is on the northwest. A section of the prefecture known as Miura Peninsula protrudes into the sea in the southeast.

Archaeological evidence suggests that the prefecture has been inhabited since the Jomon period, which is around 400 BC. The area was ruled by the Yamato Dynasty from the 5th century AD. The city of Kamakura became the capital of Japan from 1185 to 1333. The Great Kanto Earthquake had its epicenter beneath Izu Oshima Island in Sagami Bay, massively devastating Tokyo and Yokohama.

Yokohama Chinatown


Directly after the Second World War, Kanagawa Prefecture was the 15th most populous in Japan, with a population of 1.9 million. Through rapid industrialization and urbanization, it grew to become the second most populous by 2006.

Going to Kanagawa Prefecture

Trains operated by the Keikyu Corporation connects Tokyo with destinations in Kanagawa including Yokohama, Kawasaki, and the rest. The Kaitoku limited-stop service on the Keikyu Main Line is the one to take to reach Yokohama.

Cities of Kanagawa Prefecture

Tourist Attractions of Kanagawa Prefecture

 Latest updates on Penang Travel Tips

Map of Roads in Penang

Looking for information on Penang? Use this Map of Roads in Penang to zoom in on information about Penang, brought to you road by road.