Kaisei Town, Kanagawa神奈川県開成町

Living in Kaisei Town, Kanagawa

Ashigara Fireworks Festival

We have Summarized the livability of Kaisei Town, Kanagawa.

What kind of place is Kaisei Town, Kanagawa?

Hydrangea Festival

Kaisei-cho is a small but lively town where festivals are often held.

Kaisei Town is a town located in the western part of Kanagawa Prefecture.
It is bordered by Yamakita Town and Matsuda Town to the north, Oi Town to the east, Odawara City to the south, and Minamiashigara City to the west.
It has a population of approximately 18,000 and approximately 7,200 households. (As of January 2023)

Although it is the smallest in area among the municipalities in eastern Japan, it is a town that is bustling when events such as the Hydrangea Festival are held.
The name Kaisei-cho comes from Kaisei School, which opened in 1882, and one of the town’s great characteristics is its strong academic focus.
The Sakagawa River flows to the east of Kaisei-cho, and the marine resources obtained from the river are a specialty of the town.
It is adjacent to Odawara City, one of the largest cities in Kanagawa Prefecture, and has the characteristics of being a commuter town for Odawara City.
Although the population is small, it has been increasing since 2000. Factories of major companies have been moving into the town, and it shows signs of prosperity in the future.

PR video of Kaisei Town, Kanagawa

“Countryside Modern” concept movie

How is the traffic situation in Kaisei Town?

Kaisei Station

Kaisei-cho is a town where you can freely travel to and from the prefecture from the only station in the town.

Kaisei-cho is on the Odakyu Line, with Kaisei Station at its center.
It takes about 1 hour and 20 minutes to get from Kaisei Station to Shinjuku Station, and about 1 hour and 10 minutes to Yokohama Station.
The line itself opened in 1927, and has a long history.
However, it was not opened for about 60 years, and finally opened in 1985.
This opening has greatly improved the convenience of transportation within the town.

Buses can travel freely throughout the town, using roads such as Kanagawa Prefectural Highway 78 Gotemba-Oi Line, Prefectural Highway 712 Matsuda Station Line, and Okada-Kaisei-Odawara Line.
Hakone Tozan Bus and Fujikyu Shonan Bus also run through the area, and are used by tourists.

Kaisei’s transportation options are somewhat limited compared to other towns and cities, but everything you need for travel is provided, so you’re unlikely to feel inconvenienced.
The roads are not congested and traffic jams are rare, so it’s easy to travel by car.
Parking fees are cheaper than other towns in Kanagawa Prefecture, which also encourages car use.
The Hydrangea Festival in June attracts people from outside the town, so it can get a little crowded.

  • Although it is a car-oriented area, there is little traffic congestion and it is a comfortable drive. Trains used to only stop at local stations, but now express trains stop there, making it a little more convenient.

  • The trains are crowded during the morning rush hour.

  • How are the rent and land prices in Kaisei Town?

    Kaiseicho is a town with stable and reasonable prices with little fluctuation in prices.

    The average rent in Kaisei-cho, Kanagawa Prefecture, is between 50,000 and 60,000 yen, which is cheaper than other cities and towns in the prefecture.
    However, there is a tendency for it to rise, and it may exceed 60,000 yen in the future.
    The average rent varies slightly depending on the season, and tends to rise in the summer. Therefore, it is advantageous to move in the winter.
    The average land price is 270,000 yen per tsubo, and about 80,000 yen per square meter, which is cheap.
    It is rare in Kanagawa Prefecture to find a land price of less than 100,000 yen per square meter, making it a real hidden gem.
    Recently, the potential of Kaisei-cho has gradually been attracting attention, so it is quite likely to exceed 100,000 yen in the long run. It may be a good deal to buy a property.

    How is childcare and education in Kaisei Town?

    Kaisei Waterfront Forest Springs

    Kaisei Town: A town with many children commuting to school outside the town

    Kaisei Town has 2 nursery schools, 1 kindergarten, 2 elementary schools, 1 junior high school, and 1 high school. There are no junior colleges or universities.
    The Child Medical Expense Subsidy covers both outpatient and inpatient treatments for children up to the age of 18 (until March 31 of the year they turn 18), providing full coverage.
    Child allowances are 15,000 yen for children under 3 years old, 10,000 yen for the first and second child aged 3 and above until entering elementary school, 15,000 yen for the third child and beyond, and 10,000 yen for junior high school students.
    With only one high school in Kaisei Town, educational options are quite limited within the town itself.
    However, due to its proximity to Odawara City, commuting to schools outside the town is not difficult. As a result, many children attend schools outside of Kaisei Town.
    There are 2 elementary schools in the town, and most children living in Kaisei attend one of them.
    There are very few chain-operated cram schools, with only a few private tutoring centers available. Consequently, it is more common for families to use private tutors rather than cram schools.

    Kaisei Town: A town with a high awareness of education

    Kaisei-cho’s name comes from the name of its elementary school, so it has a long tradition of being highly conscious of education.
    As a result, the amount of money spent on education is high even within Kanagawa Prefecture.
    It is not uncommon for children to study at home after school instead of going out to play.
    This is a great advantage for parents who want their children to study independently.
    Even though Kaisei-cho has few educational facilities, it is not a negative point because educational facilities in neighboring cities and towns can be used.
    It is necessary to consider Kaisei-cho alone, but the surrounding municipalities as a whole.

  • Kaisei Minami Elementary School is a popular, relatively new and stylish building.

  • Because there are few educational facilities, it often takes a long time to commute to school or cram school after high school.

    How about shopping in Kaisei Town?

    Kaisei Mall

    Kaiseicho is a highly convenient town with many famous chains.

    Kaisei-cho in Kanagawa Prefecture has many famous chain stores.
    Specific examples include MaxValu, Pasios, and Nishimatsuya.
    It is stable because it is a chain store, so you can say that you will not have any inconvenience when shopping.
    The number of convenience stores and supermarkets has also reached a certain level.
    It is also known for having many car dealerships, including Subaru, Toyota, and Nissan. Many people from outside the town also use these stores.
    The low land price makes it easy for stores to set up shop.
    There are also electronics retailers and drugstores, so you can get everything you need within the town.
    There used to be many privately owned stores, but in recent years, the number of such stores has decreased due to the creation of many large shopping malls.
    There is a bus stop close to the shopping mall, so even those who do not own a car can visit it quickly.

  • Although it is a small town, there are many supermarkets and other stores so you will have no trouble buying daily necessities.

  • There are no large complexes or trendy shops.

  • How about jobs and recruitment in Kaisei Town?

    Kaiseicho is a town with many job openings, mainly at chain stores.

    Kaisei Town has a high number of stores relative to its population, and chain stores often experience labor shortages.
    As a result, you can find many job openings at chain stores.
    There are also many job openings at the town hall.
    It is also possible to travel to Odawara City to work, so there is a wide variety of work options.
    Although there are only a few, there are also jobs related to fishing and agriculture, which can be considered as options.

    Kaisei Town, Kanagawa’s unique subsidy/subsidy system

    Kaisei Town, Kanagawa’s unique housing assistance and subsidy system

    Kaisei Town Vacant House Bank Subsidy system for earthquake resistance diagnosis and earthquake resistance renovation work for wooden houses Town Worker Housing Loan Interest Subsidy Program

    Kaisei Town, Kanagawa’s unique system for further education and tuition assistance/subsidies

    School attendance assistance system Scholarships
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