Nakai, town in Ashigarakami district, Kanagawa prefecture, Japan
Nakai is a small town in Ashigarakami district, Kanagawa prefecture, set among gentle hills where citrus fruits are grown and dairy cows graze. The area is a mix of low residential houses, small shops, farmland, and privately owned forests that cover a large part of the land.
The settlement grew during the Edo period as part of the Odawara Domain, a powerful feudal territory governed from Odawara Castle. In the 20th century, as Japan reorganized its local administration, the area was officially recognized as a town in 1958.
Nakai is shaped by small farms scattered along hillside roads, with fields that bloom in spring and fruit trees lining the slopes. Life here follows the rhythm of the harvest, and this agricultural pace is something a visitor can feel just by walking through the area.
Nakai has no train station, so a car is the most practical way to get around and reach the town from neighboring areas. The roads that cross the area connect it to surrounding towns, but journeys tend to be slow, so it is worth allowing extra time.
The Zen priest Bassui Tokushō, a major figure of Japanese Buddhism in the 14th century, lived here and left a legacy that can still be traced in local sites. The town also has a small racing circuit built for children from the age of five, where they can ride bikes on a safe, dedicated track.
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