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Voykit pocket guide · Japan
Kashiwazaki
Skip unless you have a specific reason (onsen, surf, or the nuclear museum). A half-day stop on the way to Niigata or Joetsu is enough.
Kashiwazaki is a mid-sized coastal city in Niigata Prefecture, about 2 hours from Tokyo by Shinkansen. It has a long Japan Sea coastline, a few onsen, and the quirky TEPCO Nuclear Power Museum. Most travellers pass through without stopping.
- Country
- Japan
- Best months
- May–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (humid, crowded beaches), Jan–Feb (heavy snow)
- Stay
- 0 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- JPY
- Money
- Cities are increasingly cashless; temples, small restaurants and some lodging taxes still want cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget ¥6,000–9,000 excl. bed · Mid ¥9,000–15,000 excl. bed · High ¥15,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Data-only eSIMs are the easy route: buy before you fly; voice SIMs need a residence card.
- Emergency
- Police 110 · Fire and ambulance 119
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 100 V · 50 Hz east (Tokyo), 60 Hz west (Osaka) · Most sockets are two flat pins without earth; European and UK plugs need an adapter. Phone and laptop chargers handle 100 V.
- Tipping
- Restaurants and bars: No tip; staff will chase you to return money left on the table.; Taxis: No tip; pay the meter.; Ryokan: Optional: ¥1,000–3,000 in an envelope for the room attendant; never loose cash.; Private guide: Not expected; a small gift or a thank-you meal is more usual.; Hotel porter: No tip.
- Water
- Safe from the tap everywhere; stations and parks have fountains.
- Toilets
- Free, clean public toilets in stations, parks and konbini; paper goes in the toilet. Rural and old stations may have squat toilets.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | ¥300–500 |
| Ramen | ¥700–1,000 |
| Beer (can) | ¥250–350 |
| Taxi from station to Banjin-misaki | ¥1,500 |
| Bus ride | ¥200–300 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- NGO · Chubu Centrair
- About 3 h by train via Nagoya; not the main gateway.
- KIJ · Niigata Airport
- About 1 h by train or car; limited domestic and international flights.
Typical fares
- Tokyo → Kashiwazaki (Shinkansen)
- about ¥10,000–12,000, about 2 h (check)
- Niigata → Kashiwazaki (JR)
- about ¥1,500, about 1 h (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The city is walkable near the station. Buses run to Banjin-misaki and the museum. A taxi from the station to Banjin-misaki costs about ¥1,500.
See and do
Known for
- Banjin-misaki onsen
- TEPCO Nuclear Power Museum
- Surfing beaches
- Sake and seafood
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Nagaoka | JR Shin-etsu Line, about 20 min | About 30 min |
| Joetsu | JR Shin-etsu Line, about 30 min | About 40 min |
| Tokamachi | JR Iiyama Line, about 1 h | About 1.5 h |
| Myoko | JR Shin-etsu Line, about 1 h | About 1.5 h |
Sleep
- Near JR Kashiwazaki Station
- Most hotels and restaurants; convenient for train travellers.
- Banjin-misaki
- Onsen area with sea views; 7 min by car from the station.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | すみませんsumimasen |
| Thank you | ありがとうarigatō |
| Where is the station? | 駅はどこですか？eki wa doko desu ka |
| How much is this? | これはいくらですか？kore wa ikura desu ka |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: A small bow; a handshake if the other person offers; avoid: Hugs, back slaps, loud greetings
- Names: Family name plus -san; avoid: First names unless invited; adding -san to your own name
- Paying: Put money in the tray at the register; avoid: Tipping, or leaving loose cash for staff
- Trains: Queue at the floor marks, phone on silent, ask before reclining on the Shinkansen; avoid: Phone calls, eating on crowded commuter trains, blocking doors with bags
- Escalators: Stand on the side locals use — left in Tokyo, right in Osaka; stations now ask people to stand still on both; avoid: Stopping at the top or bottom
- Shoes: Off at the step-up entrance; toilet slippers only inside the toilet; avoid: Stepping on tatami in shoes or slippers
- Shrines: Rinse hands at the basin; bow twice, clap twice, bow once; avoid: Walking down the centre of the approach, which is for the deity
- Gifts: Offer and receive with both hands; bring a small omiyage for hosts; avoid: Sets of four; cash outside an envelope
Scams and watch-outs
- Heavy snow in winter: check road and train conditions.
- The Nuclear Power Museum is free but has limited English signage.
- Surf beaches have strong currents; swim only at designated areas.
Very safe. The main risks are winter road conditions and strong sea currents.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Kashiwazaki yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Banjin-misaki onsen
- TEPCO Nuclear Power Museum
- Surfing beaches
- Sake and seafood
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Kashiwazaki City official website: www.city.kashiwazaki.lg.jp/
- Wikivoyage: Kashiwazaki, revision 4879039 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4879039
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/kashiwazaki). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.