Sakuramoto, just south of Kawasaki Station, is the heart of one of Japan's largest communities of Zainichi Koreans — people of Korean descent who have lived in Japan, often for multiple generations. The neighbourhood grew up around the wartime labour recruitment that brought Korean workers to Kawasaki's heavy industries, and it retains a distinct identity: Korean barbecue restaurants, grocery stores selling kimchi and doenjang paste, and community organisations that have shaped local politics for decades.
For visitors, the main draw is the food: the Korean barbecue on offer here is more authentic and considerably cheaper than in Tokyo's Koreatown. Several restaurants have been operating since the 1960s. The annual Kawasaki Peace Day commemorations reflect the neighbourhood's history. It is an easy 10-minute walk south from Kawasaki Station.