Ichikawa (市川) is a city in Chiba Prefecuture.
Understand
[edit]Ichikawa is situated in the western part of Chiba Prefecture, facing Tokyo, across the Edogawa River. Located approximately 20 km away from Tokyo Metropolitan area, the city has fully developed into a residential area. You are unlikely to come here for the local attractions, but if you're looking for a slice of "real Tokyo" that's still only 20 min away from the city center, staying here might be a viable option.
Tourist information site
[edit]The local tourist association has a Japanese-only guide site.
Get in
[edit]Ichikawa can be accessed from Tokyo by 1 JR Ichikawa station (JR市川駅), 19 min away on the Chuo-Sobu and Sobu Rapid lines, and 2 JR Motoyawata station (JR本八幡駅), on the Chuo-Sobu and Toei Shinjuku subway line.
If coming in by plane, 3 Keisei Yawata (京成八幡駅) on the Keisei Main Line has frequent services directly from Narita Airport (1 hr), with some through trains to Haneda Airport as well. Keisei Yawata is 300 meters down the road from JR Motoyawata, with the Toei Shinjuku line platform connecting the two.
Get around
[edit]See
[edit]- 1 Higashiyama Kaii Memorial Hall (東山魁夷記念館), 1-16-2 Nakayama (15 minutes walk from Keisei Nakayama station (keiseidentetsu line)), ☏ +81 47-333-2011. Small museum for the famous nihonga (traditional Japanese painting) artist. Admission:¥500 for adult, ¥400 Above 65 years old, ¥250 High school, University Student.
Do
[edit]Buy
[edit]Eat
[edit]- 1 Yamazaki Plaza Ichikawa (ヤマザキプラザ市川) (JR Yamazaki stn, north exit). Yamazaki Baking is the largest baking company in not just Japan but the entire world, and Yamazaki Plaza is their original headquarters, hosting no less than three restaurants. The ground floor has a casual bakery-cafe where you can watch pastries being made, while the second has a casual Western-style restaurant (hamburg steaks etc) and the downright fancy French restaurant Lumiere. And if you're still hungry, there's a Yamazaki Fresh supermarket in the basement.
- 2 L'agente (ラジェンテ), 4-17-16 Sugano,, ☏ +81 47-316-2970. Th-Tu 11-15, 17:30-22. Excellent Italian food, the chef trained in Italy and everything including pasta, bread and biscotti is handmade. Both lunch (3/4 courses) and dinner (8-10, a la carte also available) are incredible value. The restaurant is small, so book ahead, and it's a one-man show, so expect to spend a few hours if you go with the full dinner course. Lunch from ¥2500, dinner from ¥5000.
Drink
[edit]Sleep
[edit]- 1 Hotel R9 Premium Ichikawaekimae (near JR Ichikawa stn, North Exit). Opened 2024, this slightly upmarket business hotel is as good as it gets in Ichikawa. ¥15000.
Connect
[edit]Go next
[edit]| Routes through Ichikawa |
| Tokyo ← Shinkoiwa ← | W  E
|
→ Funabashi → Makuhari → Chiba |
| Akihabara ← Ryogoku ← Kameido ← | W  E
|
→ Nishi Funabashi → Makuhari Hongo → Chiba |
| Tokyo ← Kasai Rinkaikoen ← Maihama ← | W  E
|
→ Minami Funabashi → Kaihin Makuhari → Soga |
| Ueno ← Nippori ← Aoto ← | W  E
|
→ Keisei Funabashi → Tsudanuma → Narita |
Oshiage ← into  ← Takasago ←
|
W  E
|
→ Shin Kamagaya → Inzai Makinohara |
| Nihonbashi ← Monzen-nakacho ← Kasai ← | W  E
|
→ Nishi Funabashi |
| Iwamotocho ← Morishita ← Sumiyoshi ← | W  E
|
→ END |
Rinkai Fukutoshin ← Urayasu ← into  ←
|
W  W
|
→ Chiba → Narita |
Kinshicho ← into  ←
|
W  W
|
→ Makuhari → into  → Kisarazu
|