Fujisawa
Japan · Asia
About Fujisawa
Fujisawa (藤沢市, Fujisawa-shi) is a city in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 June 2021, the city had an estimated population of 439,728 and a population density of 6300 persons per km2. The total area of the city is 69.57 square kilometres (26.86 sq mi).
Fujisawa is in the south-central part of Kanagawa Prefecture. It faces Sagami Bay of the Pacific Ocean. The northern part of the city is on the Sagamino plateau while the southern part is abutted on the Shonan Beach.
Fujisawa has three major topographical features: the island of Enoshima to the south connected to the Katase shoreline area by a road bridge, and two rivers, the Hikiji and the Sakai, which run north-south. The Hikiji can be traced from an area designated as a nature reserve park in the city of Yamato and flows directly along the boundary of the joint US Navy and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Atsugi Naval Air Base and the United States Army Camp Zama. The Sakai runs directly from the mountains between Machida and Hachiōji, and for quite some distance forms the border between the Tokyo Metropolitan Area and Kanagawa Prefecture. From Machida city centre, the river can be directly followed by a foot and...
Fujisawa travel guide
Understand
Tourist information site The local tourist association has a multilingual guide site.
Getting there
Most visitors arrive to Fujisawa station via the Odakyu line from Shinjuku and Machida in Tokyo, or from Hakone to the west. After arriving, they immediately change to the Enoden Line and continue onward to Enoshima and Kamakura. The Odakyu Line trip from Shinjuku to Fujisawa takes 54 minutes via Rapid-express (快速急行) or 66 minutes via Express (急行) and costs ¥570. The trip to Fujisawa on JR takes about 50 minutes from either Tokyo and Shinjuku. The trip costs ¥950 from both locations and is a good choice for Japan Rail Pass holders.
Getting around
Enoden
This is a small, scenic train that connects Kamakura and Fujisawa station. This train runs along small roads, near Shichirigahama Beach and on roads with cars like a tram. For any railfans, this train is one of the famous lines in the Kamakura area. Oddly, you catch the Enoden in the Fujisawa station at the Odakyu department store, but you catch the Odakyu Line across the plaza underneath the JR station.
See
1 Enoshima (江の島). Surf island Enoshima is administratively a part of Fujisawa City and just a short train ride away. (updated May 2024) Other beaches are also nearby, including:
2 Kugenuma Beach (鵠沼海岸). (updated Oct 2018) 3 Shichirigahama Beach (七里ヶ浜). (updated Oct 2018)
Do
Every year, a festival is held in August. Here, you can try kingyo sukui, a game which you scoop goldfish with a paper scoop. In this festival, you can see the largest kingyo sukui in the world. It is even registered in the Guinness Book!
Eat
1 Burger Park, 2F, Chogo 672-2 (Just east of Chogo Station), ☏ +81 466-96-0271. A high-end hamburger shop with delicious milkshakes. (updated Aug 2024)
Drink & nightlife
1 Free Culture, Tatsumi Bldg 1F, Fujisawa 556, ☏ +81 466-26-4880. Tu-Su 11:30-midnight. Expats and locals party at one of the few hot spots in the city. (updated Oct 2018)
Sleep
1 Sotetsu FRESA INN Shonandai (相鉄フレッサイン 藤沢湘南台) (2 min. from Shonandai Station), ☏ +81 466 41-0213. This hotel has a convenient location. ¥7300, internet reservation ¥5250.
Go next
Kamakura Zushi Hayama Yokosuka Miura Chigasaki Samukawa Hiratsuka Ebina
Overview adapted from Wikipedia, travel guide fromWikivoyage (CC BY-SA)。Photography via Wikimedia Commons.