Kawasaki Daishi — formally Heiken-ji Temple — is about 2 km east of Kawasaki Station, reachable by the private Daishi Line railway. Founded in 1128 and dedicated to Kobo Daishi (the founder of Shingon Buddhism), it is consistently among the top three most visited sites in Japan for Hatsumode, the New Year pilgrimage. Even outside the New Year period, the temple grounds are animated: incense always burning, worshippers making offerings, and the Nakamise approach street lined with shops selling daruma dolls and Kawasaki's signature sweets — particularly kuzumochi, a sweet made from fermented wheat starch.
The main hall is elaborate without being overwhelming, and the five-storied pagoda added in 1984 gives the complex a striking profile. The surrounding streets have a festive atmosphere even on ordinary days. Budget at least an hour for the temple and the shopping street, and combine with the lesser-visited Ikigami Daishi shrine nearby.