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#CatTravels: Konnichiwa, Chigasaki!

By Catherine Toth Fox • April 25, 2012 • Musings

Every few years, Rainbow Drive-In, the iconic local restaurant on Kapahulu Avenue, participates in a Hawaii festival in Chigasaki around this time of the year.

Since I had planned to be in Japan this month — and since I surf with the owner — I decided to tag along and check out what this little surf town on Segami Bay was all about.

Located in central, Kanagawa Prefecture, Chigasaki is known as the Hawaii of Japan. It’s thought to be the first place where people surfed in Japan.

The more than 234,000 people who live here seem to have adopted the Hawaii lifestyle, with Hawaii-inspired boutiques, surf shops and restaurants all around the city. There are even halau located here.

With more than a week already in Japan, it was nice to see Aloha shirts and Spam musubis.

Here’s what my first day in Chigasaki looked like:

Early start

Early start
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We got up early, checked out of our Tokyo hotel, and jumped on a train for the 45-minute ride to Chigasaki, a sleepy beach town on Segami Bay, south of Tokyo.

Follow my adventures in Japan on Twitter @thedailydish.

ChigasakiHawaiiHawaii of JapanJapanKanagawa PrefectureRainbow Drive-Insurf Chigasaki
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About the Author

Catherine Toth Fox

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10 Comments

  • Reply Makiki April 26, 2012 at 4:37 am

    I am really enjoying your posts from Japan! FYI – I believe that the road signs that you are so fond of are in fact sewer covers.

    Looking forward to more!

    Alan

    • Reply Catherine Toth April 28, 2012 at 2:43 am

      Sewer covers — even better!

  • Reply matt April 26, 2012 at 5:38 am

    how much was that crab dinner? I think it might be worth a train ride from tokyo just to eat at that restaurant. sounds like Chigasaki is the perfect town. Hawaii plus Japan plus cured meat.

    • Reply Catherine Toth April 28, 2012 at 2:42 am

      I wish I knew. We were hosted by some friends here, and they picked up the tab.

  • Reply M April 26, 2012 at 6:54 am

    great looking place! The crab dishes look so ono too!

    • Reply Catherine Toth April 28, 2012 at 2:42 am

      If you like crab, you’ll love this place!

  • Reply M April 26, 2012 at 7:09 am

    Cat, how are you getting your internet connections? I can’t wait for my trip…..

    • Reply Catherine Toth April 28, 2012 at 2:42 am

      I’m using this: https://www.rentafonejapan.com/

      I rented the mobile (pocket) WiFi and that’s what I’m using for all data downloads. Plus, you can text using iMessage if you’re connected. It’s freaking awesome! But battery life isn’t the best.

  • Reply Annoddah Dave April 26, 2012 at 8:36 am

    CAT: Tenks for sharing, now I’m “itching” for crabs!

    • Reply Catherine Toth April 28, 2012 at 2:41 am

      LOL, too funny you!

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About Me

About Me
Born and raised on O‘ahu, Hawaiʻi, Catherine Toth Fox has been chronicling her adventures in her blog, The Cat Dish, for more than a decade. She worked as a newspaper reporter in Hawai‘i for 10 years and continues to freelance—in between teaching journalism, hitting the surf and eating everything in sight—for national and local print and online publications. She’s currently the editor of HAWAIʻI Magazine.

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