Technically this pleasant community is considered a city, though a very small one by all accounts. It is nestled in a idyllic valley which is bordered by the grand Pacific and rolling green mountains. The downtown and industrial areas of Kawasaki are very modern and crowded and can hardly be distinguished from any other small city in the US. Despite this, the suburbs of Kawasaki still show evidence of the Japanese traditions of its original dwellers. The houses and shops are balanced between every day Americana and traditional Japanese architecture and flair. The prime example of this is the Kawasaki High School which is an almost exact replica of the Imperial palace in Tokyo. More than anything else, Kawasaki is a place that almost exists in its own world due to its geographic isolation.

Area: 784 sq mi
Population: 125,000
Country: USA
People: Ancestry of majority includes Japanese, Irish, and Italian.
Languages: English, Japanese
Time zone: PST
Terrain: Valley surrounded by Coasts and Mountains
Elevation: 110 feet
Climate: four seasons, continental mean temperatures.

January ….. ..44 degrees
April ……….56 degrees
July ………..85 degrees
September….76 degrees

Attractions & Landmarks

Kawasaki High School 
The High School is easily the most distinguishable and largest structure in the entire city of Kawasaki. As mentioned earlier, it is an almost exact replica of the Imperial Palace in Japan. There have been additional building attached to the main pagoda structure.
The building had housed the local government up until the early 1900's when the government was moved to a more modern building in the growing downtown area. The building was then renovated in the 50's and was turned into the senior high school for the entire city of Kawasaki. The size of the school is on par with some smaller colleges and universities. 

Downtown
The Downtown district is, without doubt, the most vigorous part of Kawasaki. The east side houses most of the shopping districts. The West side tends more tot the business aspects of the city. The traffic downtown moves well thanks to an efficient roadway system and metro bus service. The highlights of downtown include the ultra modern City Hall and Kawasaki Police Dept, enormous Ginza Mall, quaint Ebisu Park with its lotus ponds, and the popular teen eatery, Nick Tahoe Hots. 

Lake Kogen
This beautiful lake sits atop the green hills that guard the north border of Kawasaki. mountains frame it from all sides and it is very popular tourist attraction during the summer and winter months. The Kogen River also departs from this lake and travels all the way to the Pacific Ocean. The Kogen River is a popular destination for white river rapid buffs.

Hamakaze Beach
This strip of coastline is a designated state park. There are numerous beaches along the coast which accommodate everything from sailing, swimming, surfing, picnics, and other activities. 

Nasu Inari Park
Like Hamakaze Beach, this large expanse of land is a designated state park. The park is almost entirely flat wooded terrain. There are numerous trails and camp sites located in the park. There are ranger stations located through out and a central station located at of all places, the middle of the park. The central ranger station doubles functions as a full service lodge/hotel. One strange note about the park is that it is the only place where Japanese Eggplants (Nasu in Japanese) will grow in Kawasaki, hence the name of the park.

Misaki Point Lighthouse
This ancient lighthouse is one of the oldest fully functioning structure standing in Kawasaki. It sits at the edge of Cape Suzette. There is a museum located at its base which is open to the public during summer months. The lighthouse also overlooks a small island not far from the shore. It is uninhabited and the locals stay away from it because of the rumors of ghosts and other supernatural activity.