The busy atmosphere of Tokyo can be a bit overwhelming for those looking to simply enjoy the natural beauty of Japan. Fortunately, several rural towns can be reached from the metropolitan city, Kisarazu being among the closest.
Overview and Brief History of Kisarazu, Japan
The town of Kisarazu is just a 30-minute travel away from the Haneda Airport and about an hour away from Central Tokyo, making it a good side trip for tourists who have some extra time to spare.
Besides the comfortable climate the town features, Kisarazu also has plenty of natural landscapes for visitors to enjoy including the Kazusa Hills and the Tokyo Bay, to name a few. The local cuisine, which mostly consists of seafood and agricultural produce, also adds to the relaxing and refreshing experience offered by the rural town.
According to Japanese history, the town of Kisarazu is believed to have been first inhabited during the Paleolithic Period. Come the Nara Period, the town was included under the jurisdiction of the province of Kazusa and was sought after by various Japanese families including the Satomi Clan, the Takeda Clan, and the Late Hojo Clan during the Sengoku Period.
By the Edo Period, Kisarazu fell into the hands of the Tokugawa Shogunate and was primarily controlled by the Jozai Domain.
As various areas of Japan were reconfigured and the han system was abolished as per the Meiji Restoration, a new region known as the Sakurai Prefecture was formed. This prefecture was then merged with the provinces of Kazusa and Awa within a few months of its establishment to create the prefecture of Kisarazu.
Subsequently, the Kisarazu Prefecture and the Inba Prefecture merged together to form what is known as the Chiba Prefecture.
During the 1930s, the town of Kisarazu was developed to accommodate military activities as Japan started welcoming the concept of militarization. From 1935 to 1936, the Kisarazu Air Field Zone was constructed in the Northern section of the town to serve as the main defense of Tokyo from naval attacks.
This base was then used by the Imperial Japanese Navy as an arsenal before being used as the Kisarazu Air Base by the United States Air Force. By the year 1956, the control of the area was given to the Japan Air Self-Defense Force.
It was only on April 1, 1889 that Kisarazu was officially established as a separate town. It then merged with the towns of Aoyagi, Amaha, and Osawa during the late 1900s.
At present, the town of Kisarazu stands as a generally rural town with a few touches of modernity here and there. It features a mixed economy, which is basically based on agricultural and commercial fishing ventures.
Weather & Climate of Kisarazu, Japan
As mentioned, the weather and climate of Kisarazu offer tourists with a comfortable experience, given that it is generally warm and temperate. The town does have significant amounts of rainfall all throughout the year but is not that big of an issue for the most part.
January serves as the driest month of Kisarazu, while August serves as the warmest month. According to weather report records, the following averages can be expected for the respective months:
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January – 1.2 to 9.9 degrees Celsius; 60 mm of precipitation/rainfall
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February – 1.7 to 10 degrees Celsius; 81 mm of precipitation/rainfall
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March – 4.2 to 12.7 degrees Celsius; 122 mm of precipitation/rainfall
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April – 9.7 to 17.9 degrees Celsius; 139 mm of precipitation/rainfall
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May – 14.2 to 21.9 degrees Celsius; 152 mm of precipitation/rainfall
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June – 18 to 24.4 degrees Celsius; 195 mm of precipitation/rainfall
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July – 21.5 to 27.7 degrees Celsius; 137 mm of precipitation/rainfall
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August – 23.2 to 29.8 degrees Celsius; 140 mm of precipitation/rainfall
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September – 19.7 to 26.2 degrees Celsius; 194 mm of precipitation/rainfall
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October – 13.8 to 21.1 degrees Celsius; 214 mm of precipitation/rainfall
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November – 8.8 to 16.7 degrees Celsius; 122 mm of precipitation/rainfall
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December – 3.9 to 12.5 degrees Celsius; 66 mm of precipitation/rainfall
Things to Do in and near Kisarazu, Japan – Mitsui Outlet Park, Kisarazu Triathlon at Air Base, Etc.
Although Kisarazu may be known as a great escape from Tokyo’s busy scene, it is not solely made up of flower fields and vast landscapes. The town also has plenty to offer to tourists of any kind and actually houses several modern attractions that can compete with those of Japan’s major cities.
Some of the things tourists can look forward to for their trip to Kisarazu include:
Kazusa Arc
The Kazusa Arc is a massive complex that covers about 17.5 ha of land. It serves as the area’s main conference center and is divided into three main facilities, namely:
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Kazusa Akademia Hall
The Kazusa Akademia Hall is owned by the Chiba Prefecture and operated by the Kazusa Akademia Park. Its main hall is ideal large events such as music concerts, while its nine conference rooms may be rented out for small meetings or seminars.
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Okura Akademia Park Hotel
The Okura Akademia Park Hotel is owned by the Kazusa Akademia Park and operated by Hotel Okura. It is among the best accommodation options within the area and houses 4 restaurants, a bar, 9 banquet rooms, and more than 120 guest rooms.
Chinese, Japanese, and Western cuisines are offered by the restaurants of the Okura Akademia Park Hotel, while all the guest rooms feature a Western-style setup.
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Aqua Kazusa
Aqua Kazusa is a sports club that is owned by the Kazusa Akademia Park and operated by the Meiji Sports Plaza. Some of the facilities it offers to guests of the Okura Akademia Park Hotel include a 25-meter swimming pool, a jacuzzi, a sauna, an aerobics studio, and various training machines.
Address: 2-3-9 Kazusakamatari, Kisarazu, Chiba Prefecture, Japan 292-0818
Kazusa DNA Research Institute
The Kazusa DNA Research Institute, or KDRI, was established during the year 1991 as a center for large-scale sequencing and research of various bacteria, plants, and human DNAs.
At present, the KDRI is focused on pursuing significant industrial applications of their research studies to better the development of crops, drugs, and medicines. The KDRI also provides a series of open lecture regarding DNA to properly inform interested members of the community of its importance to the each person’s daily life.
Tourists may pay the research center a visit by sending the following information to them via e-mail through their website: full name, profession, organization, postal address, contact number, e-mail address, date of visit, group size.
Address: 136, Kuro-shima Taketomi-cho, Yaeyama-gun, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan 907-1311
Umihotaru
Umihotaru is a unique parking area that doubles as a shopping center where tourists can not only enjoy a wide array of shops and restaurants, but also get 360-degree views of the stunning Tokyo Bay.
It is situated on an artificial island and features a total of five floors, the first three of which are used as parking areas, while the top two floors are dedicated to commercial facilities.
From Kisarazu, tourists can access Umihotaru by taking the Aqua Renraku Expressway of the Kisarazu Kaneda Interchange. This connects to the Tokyo Wan Aqua-Line, where Umihotaru can be located halfway through its length.
Address: Nakajimachisaki Umihotaru, Kisarazu, Chiba Prefecture, Japan 292-0071
Mitsui Outlet Park Kisarazu
The Mitsui Outlet Park Kisarazu is among the largest outlet malls in Japan and houses countless international and local shoe, bag, and clothing brands. Its shops are open from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM, while its restaurants are open from 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM. The massive shopping center also houses a food court which operates from 10:30 AM to 9:00 PM.
For the convenience of visitors, various services are available within the property including free WiFi connection, call center assistance, foreign currency exchange machines, ATMs, cash dispensers, coin lockers, parking areas, smoking areas, and cellphone charging stations.
Address: 3-1-1 Kanedahigashi, Kisarazu, Chiba Prefecture, Japan 292-0009
Aeon Mall Kisarazu
Aeon Mall Kisarazu is another impressive shopping center located right within the supposedly rural town. Similar to the Mitsui Outlet Park Kisarazu, the Aeon Mall Kisarazu also houses more than enough stores for a tourist to shop his day away.
The shops of the mall typically operate from 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM, while its restaurants operate from 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM. Aeon Mall Kisarazu also houses its own cinema house which is open from 9:00 AM to 12:00 AM.
Address: 1-4 Tsukiji, Kisarazu, Chiba Prefecture, Japan 292-0835
Mother Farm
The Mother Farm was established by Hisakichi Maeda, the same person who founded the Tokyo Tower and the Sankei Shinbun Daily Newspaper. During his earlier years when his family suffered financial problems, his mother would always say something similar to “we would have a better life if we had just one more cow in our care”.
This phrase stuck with Hisakichi Maeda all through his life and ultimately motivated him to venture into the stock-raising industry as a means to help contribute to the less fortunate members of the Japanese community.
He established the Mother Farm to serve as a fun place where locals and tourists could learn more about stock-raising and hopefully raise awareness to the importance of supporting local produce. The Mother Farm offers a wide array of activities meant for kids, various flower fields, strawberry and blueberry fields, and several dining options.
Tickets are priced at 1,500 yen per person for adults and 800 yen per person for children. Visitors can also bring their dogs to the Mother Farm, so long as they are kept on a leash and the entrance fee of 600 yen per pet is observed.
Address: 940-3 Tagura, Futtsu, Chiba Prefecture, Japan 299-1731
Kisarazu Triathlon at the Kisarazu Air Base/Field
An annual event known as the Kisarazu Triathlon is held at the Kisarazu Air Base/Field courtesy of Triathlon Lumina, one of Tokyo’s most popular triathlon associations. The race consists of two categories – sprint and Olympic distance.
The sprint category consists of a 750-meter swim, 20-kilometer bike trail, and a 5-kilometer run, while the Olympic distance category consists of a 1.5-kilometer swim, 40-kilometer bike trail, and 10-kilometer run.
Interested athletes from all over the globe are welcome to join the event and can register through the official website of Triathlon Lumina.
Map & Access to Kisarazu, Japan (From Tokyo) – Railways, Highways, and Port
As mentioned above, the town of Kisarazu is not that far away from the city of Tokyo. It may be accessed through numerous ways, depending on one’s preferred mode of transportation. The systems that connect Tokyo to Kisarazu are as follows:
By Railway
The town of Kisarazu may be accessed through the Kururi Line or Uchibo Line of the JR East.
The stations to take note of when using the Uchibo Line are the Iwane Station and Kisarazu Station. For the Kururi Line, tourists should keep the following stations in mind: Makuta, Higashi-Kiyokawa, Kazusa-Kiyokawa, Gion, and Kisarazu.
By Highway
Alternatively, tourists can also make their way to the town of Kisarazu by renting a private car, taking a taxi, or taking a local bus.
The town is connected to the city of Tokyo and other areas of Japan through the following expressways/routes: Tateyama Expressway, Tokyo Bay Aqua-Line, Ken-O Expressway, Japan National Route No. 16, Japan National Route No. 127, Japan National Route No. 409, and Japan National Route No. 410.
By Port
Tourists who want to explore the Tokyo Bay can also choose to take a ferry to the Kisarazu Port, but this option may feature irregular schedules.
Hotels in and near Kisarazu, Japan
Those who truly want to experience all that there is to Kisarazu are advised to spend a night or two at one of the hotel or ryokan (traditional Japanese inn) options available within the area.
Some of the best places to take note of include the Hotel Ryokan Garden Kisarazu, the Okura Akademia Park Hotel, the Grand Park Hotel Excel Kisarazu, the Kisarazu Fujiya Kicho, the Kisarazu Washington Hotel, the Tokyo Bayplaza Hotel, and the Kokoro no Omochikaeri Kan.
Other options located within a 6-kilometer radius from Kisarazu worth considering include the Grand Park Hotel Panex Kimitsu, Hotel Kazusa, and Hotel Crown Hills Kimitsu.