City Pride: Does Kawasaki Deserve Better?
There is some heavy pride when it comes to Japanese cities. This is a major topic on many variety shows. There is a need to show why each and every city in Japan is worthy of some title, some prestige, and something special that makes it worth a visit. 月曜から夜ふかし is a popular variety show starring Matsuko Deluxe, that likes to show cities battling against each other competing over which one is better and why.
Their most recent target: 川崎 (Kawasaki)
The major controversy with Kawasaki is that most people don’t pay any attention to the fact that they pass through Kawasaki when they commute back and forth between Japan’s two largest cities, Tokyo and Yokohama.
That’s Kawasaki wedged in between Yokohama to the south, and Tokyo to the North.
So how do Kawasaki’s neighbors feel about Kawasaki?
Are you going to take this bashing Kawasaki?! Go and show your desirable side! Why should we be visiting you or choosing you as our new home?
Okay, these are reasonable. It has an extremely popular temple, and it’s located in a super convenient area.
But like most Japanese city pride contests, they tend to get a little silly:
And who could pass up:
I’m convinced. Then again, when I was living in Japan, for the longest time I just assumed that Kawasaki was part of Tokyo . . .
Anyone ever visit Kawasaki? Maybe even live there? Or at least pass through it and thought, “hmm . . . am I an in Tokyo yet?”
Founder of Jalup. iOS Software Engineer. Former attorney, translator, and interpreter. Still watching 月曜から夜ふかし weekly since 2013.
I know something that would make Kawasaki’s popularity shoot through the roof: Taking this on as their official theme song! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GbLdmypMmU
I have no idea what I just watched, but I think you should make a formal petition to the city. 却下されないように・・・
I worked in kawasaki for a few months. It is actually a very chill and beautiful city. Many older salary men tend to live there.
I work in Kawasaki and live right next to it (in Yokohama). It’s not bad, but it’s nothing special, really. I get why most people don’t pay attention to it, because why would you when you could go to Yokohama (or Tokyo, I guess)? Unless you wanted to visit the penis shrine.
The area that I work has loads of nice, cheap places to eat though, so that’s good?
This post reminded me that I still needed to check out Yofukashi, so I did and man, is it hilarious. I watched this week’s Yofukashi, though. It was mostly about 高知県 (which seems to be a hot topic this year?) and I have to admit that Murakami was a large part of the reason I wanted to watch this show, but Matsuko is really awesome too. Her entire “If I cared about my weight, do you really think I would have let it get this far?” to Murakami’s “Did you lose weight?” immediately made me respect her so much. I think I will keep watching this show.
The only place I’ve really ever noticed going from Tokyo to Yokohama and back is Jiyugaoka. It just looks really cute, and the name is cool. (My best friend and I used to make jokes that if we ever moved to Japan we’d want to live in/on Freedom Hill)
This show has become one of my new favorites. It’s just filled with so much sarcasm and off beat humor that I can’t help but watch it every week. I’m assuming you’ve seen the series of the bicycle riding, lives off of his stock ownership-free goods, Kiritani-san?
I just moved to Yokosuka, a bit outside of Yokohama. Being here only a month and I already regularly commit the sin of breezing past Kawasaki on my way to the seemingly more exciting wards of Tokyo. After this though my wife and I will have to go check it out.
I expect a thorough report here after your visit!